As a fast-growing tech company, you want to attract and retain top talent while creating a strong, positive workplace culture. One of the most effective ways to achieve this is by defining and promoting your company values.

In this article, we’ll discuss why company values are important, how to create core values, and provide examples of company values.

Why Are Company Values Important?

Company values are the guiding principles that shape the behavior and decisions of your employees. They are a reflection of your company’s mission, vision, and culture. When core values are well-defined and integrated into the workplace, they can have numerous benefits, including:

• Fostering a sense of belonging and purpose among employees
• Providing a framework for decision-making and problem-solving
• Enhancing employee engagement and productivity
• Improving the alignment of employee behavior with company goals
• Attracting and retaining top talent
• Improving your brand reputation and customer loyalty

Core values can also help your company navigate challenges and make tough decisions. They serve as a foundation for ethical behavior, and they can help maintain consistency and stability during times of change or crisis.

How To Write Core Values

Creating company values is not just a matter of listing a few words or phrases. It requires careful consideration and input from employees at all levels. Here are some steps to take when creating your core values:

• Assess your company’s mission, vision, and culture: Your core values should be aligned with your company’s overarching mission and vision. Take time to reflect on what your company stands for and how you want to be perceived.
• Involve employees in the process: To ensure buy-in and ownership, involve employees at all levels in creating your core values. Solicit feedback through surveys or focus groups, and encourage open dialogue.
• Define your values: Core values should be clear, concise, and memorable. They should be actionable and reflect the behaviors and attitudes you want to promote in your workplace.
• Communicate your values: Once you have defined your core values, it’s important to communicate them effectively. Use multiple channels, such as your website, company handbook, and meetings to promote and reinforce your values.
• Integrate your values into daily operations: Finally, it’s important to integrate your values into all aspects of your company’s operations. From hiring to performance evaluations, your values should be a part of every decision and action.

Examples of Company Values

Here are some examples of company values from tech companies and partners in the Powderkeg community that can inspire your own core values:

“We Are” Statements (OneCause)

OneCause values are “We are” statements that end in “passionate,” “curious,” “helpful,” or “committed.” My favorite is “We are committed.” It means you’re dedicated to your pursuit and see things through. Maybe not to the finish-our pursuits are rarely completed. But it’s certainly taking it to the next level of success. The value that resonates with our younger professionals is “We are curious!” It shows our values are diverse & varied enough to appeal to different generations of the workforce.

– Steve Johns, CEO at OneCause

Stewardship (Novilytic)

Stewardship – Having a purpose bigger than oneself drives all humans outside of their comfort levels and compels them to go the extra mile. We all want to feel that our work is making the world a better place as opposed to being cogs in a corporate machine. This value is so important to us as an organization that we begin all our internal presentations by taking a step back and showing how our day-to-day roles are helping to fulfill our bigger mission of improving global healthcare.

– Ryan Simpson, Director of Marketing at Novilytic

Find A Way (Tactive)

One of our primary values at Tactive is “find a way.” While it started as a mantra for how we work with our customers, it’s bled into how we treat our employees and each other. You rarely hear “no” around here. And if you do, it’s always followed up with an alternative solution. Our team members feel comfortable and safe asking for what they need, and feedback and suggestions are always thoughtfully considered.

– Robin Lanning, VP of Sales & Marketing at Tactive

Truth With Kindness (Groundwork)

“Truth with Kindness” Good growth strategy requires thoughtful debates amongst the team. To tip-toe around things going unsaid wastes time and may send you in the wrong direction. Groundwork’s Founder Jeff Wraley creates a safe environment to debate anyone, even him, in a non-threatening way. Intent is important, which is why it needs to be done with kindness and by giving the benefit of the doubt. I’ve found this value changes the entire team dynamics and we’re much stronger because of it.

– Hayley Brown, Marketing Director at Groundwork

Live the Mission (Boardable)

I’m particularly proud of our value to “Live the Mission” at Boardable. We encourage and support our team members to be actively involved in board service, offering them PTO for service work and providing Boardable subscriptions to the organizations they serve. We’re proud of driving positive change in the world through our technology and our talented team.

– Jeff Middlesworth, CEO at Boardable

Belonging (ADVISA)

At ADVISA, one of our values is Belonging. We believe we are at our best when we are able to bring our true selves to work. Prior to working with ADVISA, I found myself trying to be someone I’m not just to “fit in” with the organizational culture. It’s refreshing to not feel pressured to be or act a certain way. I’m accepted for who I am and I have the opportunity to connect with others who are different from me. It allows for greater connection, learning and understanding between colleagues.

– Lauren Littlefield, Director of Marketing at ADVISA

Transparency (FullStack) 

Transparency is what has, and continues to, resonate with me at FullStack. Transparency with our clients with regard to pricing and fees, transparency with our employees internally as far as what to expect from leadership and what we expect of their own performance, and transparency with the people we serve as far as our people experience operations. It’s a core tenet of how I live my own life personally, and it’s a core value to what I expect of our service delivery model.

– Dawn Lively-Jenkins, CEO at FullStack

Conclusion

Core values are an essential component of a successful and thriving company. They serve as a guide for employee behavior, decision-making, and culture. When defined and integrated effectively, core values can enhance employee engagement and productivity, attract and retain top talent, and improve your brand reputation. Use the examples of company values listed above to inspire your own core values and put them into practice in creative and meaningful ways.

We hope these examples of company values from the community will help you learn about new companies in the community—or even create your own company values.

If you are interested in exploring jobs at fast-growing tech companies in the Powderkeg community, be sure to check out our real-time job board for Tech Jobs in areas beyond Silicon Valley.

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