Corporate values could be a determining factor for staff as they choose to join, stay or leave your organisation.
Does charity begin at work?
Friday was Comic Relief Day and this year it seemed to bring relief in a number of ways. The record total raised of £57m will undoubtedly help those in need in Africa and closer to home. This year, perhaps more than in previous, years the opportunity to laugh and give seemed also to bring some relief to those watching and giving.
Two examples stand out in my memory of generous giving. One was the anonymous donor of an incredible £6m; the other the little girl who gave up a whole month’s pocket money. I wonder if now that it’s no longer ‘cool’ to splash out on flat screen TVs and designer gear the public at large is discovering that a greater sense of satisfaction comes from giving rather than getting.
If my hunch is correct, then what does this mean for employers? Corporate values could suddenly be a determining factor for staff as they choose to join, stay or leave your organisation. Simply existing to serve shareholders won’t be a compelling business purpose in the eyes of employees. Teams need to be clear about the values they operate by and respectful of the different reasons team members have for doing their job.
Sadly, it’s rare that a team makes time to talk through and establish their shared values; consequently, a significant opportunity to motivate and harness talent is lost. There’s no doubt that the world is changing and Friday’s Comic Relief result suggests that the consumerist pendulum may be swinging in the opposite direction and that society is at last discovering that the most important things in life aren’t things at all.
