When personal values and company values clash, there can be a general 'unease' or 'unhappiness'. People often try to get on with the job and ignore the things they don't agree with, but eventually this gets too much and decisions have to be made...

I have recently had discussions with a gentleman about 'being unhappy at work'. After several conversations about his unhappiness, I asked the question; 'Do you share the same values as your company?'. Well, this got him thinking!

So what do I mean by values?

Carol Wilson (author of Best Practice in Performance Coaching) put it clearly when she said; "People's values are formed through a combination of their beliefs, behaviours, principles and personality. Your values will 'show up' when you have to act in a way that feels uncomfortable; like the small voice of conscience in your head. Put more simply, values represent the things in life that you value; like keeping healthy, having a sense of humour, or financial security. The values you live by now may not always be those you aspire to.

Companies have values too. These could be caring for staff, maintaining ethical practices, or maybe internal bureaucracy and internal backstabbing. Clearly not all values are positive ones. Most individuals and companies have a set of values, declared or instinctive, that they would like to practice, but it is rare to see these achieved 100% of the time".

When personal values and company values clash, there can be a general 'unease' or 'unhappiness'. People often try to get on with the job and ignore the things they don't agree with, but eventually this gets too much and decisions have to be made. Most of the time, the source of the problem is not recognised and people fall into the same trap again by moving into another company without realising that they share similar values to the last company.

Sometimes, Companies don't realise they are demonstrating negative values. Values can be demonstrated through any of the employees. There may be a manager who is condoning bullying, or lazyiness, and the message this sends throughout the company is that this is acceptable. In the same company there may be a manager who encourages creativity and openness. This inconsistency can often create confusion for the employees, which can lead to poor performance and high turnover.

Understanding personal values can help people realise how much of themselves they have to leave behind when they come to work in the mornings. It may prompt people to consider how they can change their work environment for the better, or in some cases, it may be that their workplace is so incompatible that they need to start looking for another job; then again, it might make them appreciate their company all the more.

From a company perspective, understanding the company values and employee values can help a company pinpoint what culture is desired and what changes need to be made to achieve such a culture.

Identification of common values provides a map of where the company or the individual is now and helps define a pathway towards successful change. The values you or the company exhibit now do not have to be the values of your future. You can aspire to different values and make changes to make them real.

About the author

Nicki Hayward is an executive and performance coach. With a background in HR Management, Nicki is passionate about improving the work experience and bottom line through improved work performance and satisfaction.