Are They Really Values… or Just a Fancy List of Buzzwords?

You’ve probably seen it before.

A company proudly lists its “core values” as Excellence. Innovation. Synergy. Passion.
(We’re already rolling our eyes — because what does any of that actually mean on a Monday morning when the printer jams and Karen’s bringing passive-aggressive energy to the team meeting?)

Here’s the thing: values are meant to guide how people show up — not decorate the footer of a PowerPoint slide or the foyer of the office.

So let’s talk about what values actually are, why they matter more than most leaders realise, and how to tell the difference between a value and an action.

First up — why do organisations need values?

Let’s borrow some wisdom from Simon Sinek, who reminds us that people don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it. Values are a huge part of that why.

Without clearly defined and embedded values, you’re running your business on vibes alone — and while culture might feel like a vibe, it’s actually built through structure, leadership and choices.

“Your values are part of your why — the heartbeat behind your decisions, the behaviours you reward, and the moments that define your workplace culture.”

Values act as the compass:

• They shape decision-making.
• They influence how people treat each other.
• They help employees know what’s expected, without needing a 76-page policy for every possible scenario.

And Shane Hatton says it best:

“Culture doesn’t tell people what to do. It shows them how things get done around here.”

But culture doesn’t just happen. It’s designed. And values are one of the levers we pull to shape it.

Your personal values matter too (yes, even at work)

Ever worked somewhere that made you feel… off?

Maybe you were praised for cutting corners. Or discouraged from raising ideas. Or asked to keep quiet when something didn’t feel right.

That’s a values mismatch — and it’s one of the quickest ways to burn people out.

When your personal values clash with your employer’s actions, you start to:

• Question your decisions
• Feel disconnected
• Lose motivation (and maybe your sense of self)

You don’t have to meditate under a waterfall to know your values. But having clarity on what matters to you — respect, transparency, creativity, fairness — helps you spot workplaces where you’ll thrive. And just as importantly, helps you walk away from the ones that chip away at your integrity.

Are they values or just… instructions?

Here’s where a lot of organisations go wrong. They list things like:

• Customer focus
• Efficiency
• Business mindset

These aren’t values. They’re strategies or behaviours.

A value is a belief.

Something that underpins how decisions are made and what’s acceptable — even when no one’s watching.

So instead of business mindset, how about:

• Innovation mindset – We challenge assumptions, experiment and stay open to new ways of working.
• Curiosity – We seek to understand before we seek to fix.
• Ownership – We take responsibility for our impact, not just our outcomes.

Now we’re talking.

Values need to be more than words

Here’s the non-negotiable: values must be operationalised.

That means saying to your team:

• “This is what this value looks like in action.”
• “This is how we make decisions.”
• “This is how we recognise success.”
• “This is what good looks like — and what doesn’t fly here.”

When done well, values become a cultural blueprint.
They inform:

• Hiring decisions
• Performance frameworks
• Leadership behaviours
• Recognition and reward systems
• Even how you run meetings

In other words: they shape your culture, and your culture drives everything else.

That’s how you connect the dots between words and action.

The real work of values-led culture

Let’s wrap this up with a few truths:

• A values mismatch leads to disengagement, poor decisions, and high turnover.
• Values are only useful if they’re understood, lived, and embedded across your systems.
• You can’t fix culture until you understand what your culture actually is — and that starts with measurement, not assumption.
• People won’t always remember your vision statement, but they’ll remember how your workplace made them feel.

So ask yourself:

Can our employees confidently say, “Here, we value [x], and I see that value in action every day”?

If the answer is no, we should talk.

Want to get clear on your culture?

Our Culture Clarity Pulse™ will uncover the values that shape your team — the good, the limiting, and the aspirational. It’s the data-backed, BS-free way to diagnose culture and design something better.

Reach out to start the conversation. Let’s make your values mean something.

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HR CONSULTING THAT DRIVES REAL RESULTS – AUSTRALIA-WIDE

AT THE PEOPLE & CULTURE OFFICE, WE’RE MORE THAN JUST HR CONSULTANTS – WE’RE YOUR PARTNERS IN BUILDING THRIVING WORKPLACES. BASED IN KALGOORLIE AND SUPPORTING BUSINESSES AUSTRALIA-WIDE, WE SPECIALISE IN EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT, WORKPLACE CULTURE, AND WELLBEING TO HELP YOUR BUSINESS SUCCEED.

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