Value Statements

Creating a Value, Mission or Vision Statement can have the connotation of corporate nonsense, especially to small businesses. As a sole owner of a landscaping business, you know who you are. You know what your goals are. And you only have a few employees.

But the creation of a value statement is especially important for small businesses. A successful small business grows by customer referrals. “In most businesses, you don’t just want employees and customers: you want evangelists. You want to overhear your employees bragging about how much they love their work, and your customers referring their friends and family to you.” Customer confidence in your company will grow if they know, understand, and see you standing behind your values, even if they are as simple as Red Bull’s: “Ideas, people, culture”.

Value Statements are also beneficial in employee hiring and management. Once a company has defined its values it allows for the hiring of people willing to align with those values. This in turn increases employee loyalty and engagement. According to an article on Medium.com, “The McKinsey Global Institute has established that productivity improves by 20 to 25 percent in organizations with connected employees.” The same article goes on to cite a Gallup pole that indicates when employees can say “The mission and purpose of my organization makes me feel my job is important”, absenteeism and safety incidents drop and the quality of work increases.

Value Statements provide employees with a roadmap and empower them to act. Company growth necessitates sending employees to a project without the benefit of constant oversight by ownership/management. If employees were hired under, and expected to adhere to, the standards of a Value Statement, they are more likely to complete work as expected.

While Value Statements are at the heart of a company’s identity, they should go through regular review. Christensen’s is in the middle of such a review. Even with the tweaks, our commitment to customer service will not change. But you may notice employees with a renewed sense of investment in their jobs, the company and you.

Christensen’s Values

Integrity

                Honesty, transparency and ethical behavior in all actions and decisions

Teamwork

                Respect for others, personal accountability and effective communication

Ownership

                Takes initiative, responsible, passionate and is committed to customer service