There’s nothing worse than a set of organizational values that try to cover all bases—the muddle won’t attract top talent, nor provide current employees with the clarity they need to know if they’re trying to decide whether to stay or go. Spending time to clearly articulate what you stand for (and what you don’t), and then proactively communicating is key to making the Great Realignment a positive force of change for your organization.

Be clear, consistent, and proud of your values

From the beginning of the pandemic, many organizations have found themselves doing things differently out of necessity—only to realize that they preferred the new ways of working. It’s only natural that after a period of great disruption new perspectives and values take root while preexisting ones are left behind.
Reflect on what matters to you and your teams, and how that’s changed since March 2020. Think about what your own takeaways have been and how your values have shifted as a result.

A pandemic redux

Employees are hyper-aware of the signals coming from leaders and they evaluate both the policies and values their bosses have put in place—and the actions they take. As a leader, you need to ask yourself whether your own behavior matches the stated set of values. Don’t be surprised to find a mismatch. The point is to use this to update your values and make “walking the walk” something that comes naturally. The goal is progress, not perfection.

Walk the walk

People are tired. They are stressed, maybe even burnt out. So, feeling like your organization cares for you at a human level—not just as a productive cog in a machine—has never been more important. This Great Realignment has made engaging with your existing employees more important than ever. Start by devoting time for one-on-one chats, set up anonymous surveys to gather data, and conduct group discussions to review how values are applied in the company. It’s also important to be completely honest with your teams about how you and the company as a whole, have lived up to the values.

Make one-on-one connections

We often think that values are qualitative and so can’t be measured. That's not true. <ul><li>For instance, if one of your values centers on having happy teams, you can track the results from employee NPS scores or Glassdoor reviews. </li><li>Platforms like Lattice, CultureAmp, and Leapsome can help gather and track employee satisfaction across key value dimensions over time—just like you do for customers. </li></ul>

Quantify and track your performance

For months, the Great Resignation has been looming over business leaders. Post-pandemic employees are rethinking life and work and some are heading for the doors for more fulfilling opportunities. The upheaval has largely been portrayed as a negative. But the reality is that it’s an opportunity: call it a “Great Realignment,” in which people and organizations redefine who they are.It’s a once-in-a-generation moment for organizations to reassess and reinforce the glue that keeps them together: their values.

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