Values are at the core of who we are

for both individuals and organisations

Values are not visible, but they affect our daily decisions and activities. In successful organisations, the values of the organisation and those of its people are aligned. This is called value congruence.

With our tool and method, you can support individuals and members of teams and organisations to gain more clarity about their personal values. This contributes to increased motivation, improved working atmosphere, and increased efficiency of the entire operation.

To attain value congruence, one needs to work with both the individual and the organisation.

Normative versus Personal Values

We have chosen to distinguish between normative and personal values.

Normative values are the rules and agreements we have in families and society, while personal values tell us what is important to us, what drives us, and what we dream of. These personal values evolve and change throughout life.

Value congruence – when values align

Incongruence

When values align, we call it value congruence. Personally, it means that the values that matter most to you align with how you live your life. For organisations, it means there’s a synergy between our personal values and the organisation’s values.

Of course, before value congruence can happen, we must understand our personal and the organisation’s values.

A big gap between our personal values and those of the organisation can result in attitudes and priorities that negatively affect motivation and results. People may become unhappy and stressed, and staff turnover may increase, along with other direct and indirect costs.

But value congruence can be measured, with data suggesting that organisations can increase value congruence.

For example, value congruence can be measured during recruitment. How well do the organisation’s values and the applicant’s personal values match? Knowing this from the start is very useful in finding the right match for the team, whether you aim for cultural fit or cultural add.

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Methods you can measure

Several studies show that people who have insight and knowledge of their own personal values are more committed and motivated in both their private lives and at work.

If they can also find coherence between their personal values and the workplace, the effect is even greater, and stress and anxiety associated with work are reduced. Leaders who have insight into both their personal and organizational values are perceived to be more credible and find it easier to make decisions.

In our analysis of commitment linked to values, we start from Posner & Schmidt’s research and measurement method. As you can see in the graph to the right, an individual’s commitment in the workplace (on a scale of 1 to 7) increases in relation to their insight about personal values. Having insight only about organizational values but no clarity about personal values has no effect.

Want to know more?

Point of Value – An Introduction is a publication for those who are more curious about values and how our tool Value.Online works.

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Individual
values

People with insights and knowledge of their own personal values are more committed and motivated – both in their private life and at work. Suppose you can also find harmony and alignment between your own values
and the values in your workplace. In that case, the effect is even more significant on the commitment. Stress and anxiety associated with your work are reduced.

Leaders who have insight into their personal values and the organisations are perceived to be more credible and find it easier to make decisions.
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Team
values

Team culture is the expected behaviors and priorities that the team stands for and promotes. Teams are key building blocks in achieving value harmony between the individual and the organization.

In a team where the individual feels comfortable and aligned, they have the opportunity to practice their values. This creates meaning and inner motivation. But when team values fall out of alignment, everything suffers. People hate their work, staff retention suffers, and team productivity plummets.

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Organisational values

Organisations, big and small, are made of smaller teams with their own sets of values. But the values of the wider organization plays a crucial role in aligning these teams together to produce a harmonious whole.

In a value-driven organizational culture, transition and changes are natural since everyone knows what to do and why. When people can identify with the organization’s purpose and culture, their motivation contributes to higher commitment and productivity.

About individual values

People with insights and knowledge of their own personal values ​​are more committed and motivated – both in their private life and at work.* Suppose you can also find harmony and alignment between your own values ​​and the values in your workplace. In that case, the effect is even more significant on the commitment. Stress and anxiety associated with your work are reduced.

[Anecdote about personal values mismatch TK.]

Leaders who have insight into their personal values and the organizations are perceived to be more credible and find it easier to make decisions.** That is the reason why value congruence always begins with the Individual.

* Citation needed
** Citation needed

About team values

Team culture is the expected behaviors and priorities that the team stands for and promotes. Teams are key building blocks in achieving value harmony between the individual and the organization.

In a team where the individual feels comfortable and aligned, they have the opportunity to practice their values. This creates meaning and inner motivation. But when team values fall out of alignment, everything suffers. People hate their work, staff retention suffers, and team productivity plummets.

About organizational values

Organizations, big and small, are made of smaller teams with their own sets of values. But the values of the wider organization plays a crucial role in aligning these teams together to produce a harmonious whole.

In a value-driven organizational culture, transition and changes are natural since everyone knows what to do and why. When people can identify with the organization’s purpose and culture, their motivation contributes to higher commitment and productivity.

When organizations are not aligned, it can often result in a culture where teams feel like they compete adversarially. And it makes it harder to get anything meaningful done outside of your team or department.