Company values statements sometimes are clichés that do not inspire employees, so it is important your company’s values resonate with your workers.
Harvard Business Review offers the following tips for creating memorable company values.
- Get creative. When framing your values, try calling them something such as “credo,” “pledge” or “tenets” rather than “corporate values.” Use a term that feels true to your company.
- Be brief. Try to keep your list to no more than four values, and be sure to choose values that are truly foundational to your company’s purpose. Avoid obvious virtues, such as “honesty,” that should apply to everyone.
- Be memorable. Place the most critical values in the first and last positions on your list. Using alliteration or spelling out a word with the first letters of your values can help make them more memorable.
- Use distinctive language. Avoid clichés—be original and incorporate bold language, imperatives or even interrogatives.
