Are you lucky enough to work for a company where everything seems easy? Are you able to enjoy finding simple solutions to complex problems? Do you finish your day feeling proud of what you’ve accomplished, knowing that tomorrow you’ll have plenty of new challenges that will keep you moving forward both personally and professionally?
Since joining Libéo in January 2018, I can say that I’ve been lucky enough to be able to answer yes to these questions every day. It’s what motivates me to get up in the morning, even when I know that there are difficult cases waiting for me. By the way, I’m bringing up difficult cases because a large part of working has to do with finding solutions to problems and challenges. No matter what you call them, constantly searching for solutions can drain your energy reserves. That’s why it’s important to be in tune with your work so that these reserves are continuously and effortlessly renewed.
I believe that one of the important keys to success at work is that your values are aligned with those of the organization you work for. Why is that so important? And why do these seemingly insignificant values make such a big difference?
Company values
Almost every organization defines its values at some point or another in its existence. You’ll find them on its website or in its HR manifesto. Some companies even put them up on the walls. But why are they so important? And above all, how can they be brought to life on a daily basis?
The importance of values-based recruitment
It’s quite simple: values are the key to an organization. They are a guiding light that shows you the right people to hire. At Libéo, value fit is the number one hiring criterion and is constantly validated during meetings with our employees. Alignment between the values of an individual and an organization ensures that there will be no unnecessary friction as the work is carried out. A person may have the right education, extensive experience, valuable skills, tremendous potential and a strong desire to fill a position. However, if that person’s values do not match the organization’s, things are bound to fail and everything will be more difficult from building trust and having fun to creating team spirit, etc. Being competent is one thing—being part of an organization and dealing with people every day is another. By emphasizing values from the very beginning, we’re building a solid foundation for a fruitful collaboration over the long term. And this concept goes both ways! Candidates should also learn about the values of the company they want to work for to make sure that the environment will encourage their professional and personal development. So don’t hesitate to talk about it during the initial interview.
Bringing values to life
Choosing future colleagues based on values from the outset is the first step to successfully bringing values to life within an organization. Next, the leaders of the company set an example through their daily actions and bring the values to life every day. Do all leaders model these values? Do leaders stand up to employees who act out of alignment with company values? Are the employees who model the values to the greatest extent promoted within their teams? After all, no one is in a better position to bring a company’s values to life than the people who make up the organization. These values will live and flow through the organization organically through all the employees who were once candidates and who were hired because of their fit with the values. Like a complex organism, every part comes together to form a whole, contributing their best assets and, most importantly, moving in the same direction.
