Values-in-Sync: Strategies for Resolving Workplace Tension

Human Resource professionals are the heartbeat of an organization as they are responsible for shaping the culture of the organization and helping the values come alive. As primary influencers, members of the HR team are particularly important in ensuring team members from the C-suite to the newest employee live into the values of the organization—that the values of all are in sync.

The culture of an organization is determined by how well—or poorly—people live into the stated values. EthicsGame’s work shows that values come in tension with each other when various stakeholders have different understandings of what behaviors count for living into the stated values. When confronted with inevitable differences of intentions and expectations, people become frustrated and accuse each other of being unethical and the culture turns toxic. This workshop will explore the root causes for value conflicts and then explore effective methods for resolution.

The first opportunity for misalignment of values comes during the hiring and on-boarding process. From ensuring that the company’s DEI initiatives are met through supporting people in harmonizing their personal values with those of the organization, an awareness of the different behaviors that count for living into the values is key. Employee engagement begins with the new hires becoming clear about what behaviors are expected of them and what reciprocal behaviors they can expect from others arising from a commitment to shared values.

A second source of tension comes when people have either over-developed or under-developed expressions of core values. For example, companies know that policies of inclusion will help employees be more engaged and support diversity initiatives. Someone with an under-developed sense of inclusion might assume that anyone who wants to participate can, so they make no particular effort to reach out to others. Someone with an over-developed sense of inclusion might assume that they can lead anyone effectively, so they don’t kick anyone off the team, even if that member doesn’t contribute. This webinar will explore how an attentive HR professional can recognize and then address situations where people are not expressing their values appropriately.

A final source of tension comes when the systems in place for evaluation, promotion, and perks become an inadvertent barrier to full expression of the organizational values. Often, individuals are blamed for a toxic culture when in fact the processes for supporting employee growth and contribution are flawed. For example, people may not be thoughtful about who gets sponsored for a promotion, or processes for advancement may only filter through select employee networks. We will explore the differences between systemic barriers to values being in sync and individuals thwarting that intention and then evaluate different strategies for resolution.

Every strategy for resolving values in tension begins with recognizing the ethical foundations informing values, beliefs, and behaviors. The workshop will explore the four different ways that values are expressed, the behaviors that flow from the different expectations, and the impact on the culture. As HR professionals become aware of those differences, they can mirror divergent expressions of values and communicate effectively to ensure all are focused on the mission of the organization, not the idiosyncrasies of individuals or the culture.