Is Your Business Still Aligned with Your Mission, Vision and Values?
Revisit Your "About" Page for Your Employee's Sanity, and Your Success
Some people have more than eight Zoom meetings a day. EIGHT. MEETINGS. A DAY.
Having the option to only dress from the waist up still doesn’t make up for the lost time, energy and multi-tasking that must take place in order to do these meetings and still get a regular job done. How is this possible? Some of this has to do with lack of in-person space, the conversations you once had in the hallway on the way to lunch are now scheduled. Working from home can stunt some collaboration, and force people to work in a style they’re not used to or just not good at. Companies are also asking people who are working from home, homeschooling, and managing a household to perform above and beyond what they would have done in a regular 9-5.
Another reason for this disconnect is that many companies have not dug deep to align their values with what they are asking of their employees. If you’re a leader of a company and finding that your team is lacking luster, and maybe not just showing up the way they’re used to, it’s probably because you need to revisit your company’s values.
The pandemic, unfortunately, is not going away as fast as any of us want it to. If it makes you want to pull your hair out to hear yourself saying “the new normal” one more time, you’re not alone.
But if you’ve asked your employees to change their entire life to make this thing work, has your company changed to make it easier for them at all?
Organizational mission, vision and values (MVV) are usually created in the company’s inception. Active companies make it a practice to use their MVV for more than just a way to sell products or services, but as a way that their corporation engages with the world. If your MVV is just a stagnant page on your website, it’s time to revisit and revive the statements.
A good way to get started on this process is to ask your leadership to write their own ideas mission statement for the company, and then ask your employees to do the same thing. It's best to hire a professional to help you organize and sort the statements and to build a workshop around your process to make the flow easier for all of you. They can also help you understand what your employees need, while focusing on your business' bottom line. The process of revisiting and reviving your MVV can take weeks, but evaluating what you really care about it can be worth it.
These statements aren’t just words, they should translate into how you treat your employees, and how they can interface with the world as your liaisons.
For example:
A mission to connect could mean offering a 4 day workweek, and paid-for networking opportunities.
A vision to collaborate could mean renting a co-working space for a few remote workers.
Valuing people’s time could mean less meetings, less micromanaging, and more trust.
All of these things make happier employees.
Getting specific with what you do will positively impact your employees and their work in the world. Now is the time to align with your values and show the people who work for you and the customers you serve that you see them, you hear them, and that what you’re doing can make a positive difference.
Do you need to revisit your mission, vision and values? Are you wondering if your business' marketing message is aligned and sustainable for your team? Let's connect!