Company values. How to convey corporate values ​​to every employee The most valuable thing for me in the company is

Every successful enterprise must have its own rules and principles that will guide all employees. The company’s values ​​not only help stabilize relationships within the team, but also have a positive impact on interactions with clients, suppliers and partners. In our article we will talk about how to prepare the right corporate values ​​and implement them into the work process of a subordinate organization.

The meaning and impact of company values

The growth and development of a company depends on many nuances, among which one very important factor can be identified - the presence of a single goal and subordination to the common idea of ​​all personnel. Each employee (from the lowest level to top management) must contribute to the common cause and understand the importance of their work. It is this approach that serves as the basis for the formation of the values ​​of a successful company.

However, in practice, there are often situations when employees of a large organization are aimed exclusively at solving the problems of their department. In this case, we can safely say that the company’s corporate culture is not sufficiently developed. Creating company values ​​and introducing them into the activities of the enterprise will help each team member feel like part of a single whole and get ready to work with full dedication. The first thing to focus on is trust.

Focusing on the company’s value system and understanding its importance, staff will not commit actions that go beyond established norms. By introducing such a principle as trust, you will increase the level of corporate culture and improve relationships within the work team. Trust helps employees become more open, treat non-standard situations as typical moments, and also not be afraid to help each other.

Of course, when forming corporate values, it is impossible to foresee all the nuances that may arise during the work process. But it is the company’s values ​​that serve as the guideline for employees that will guide them in each specific situation.

The correct way out of any non-standard situation will be to take an action that contributes to the achievement of overall strategic goals and meets the established principles of the enterprise. Conversely, if the decision made is contrary to the overall mission and values ​​of the company, then it will negatively affect the entire work of the organization. Corporate culture directly depends on the basic principles of the company.

Development strategy, norms and principles are purely individual concepts for each enterprise, but this does not negate the need to create them. It is the presence of company values ​​that allows employees to feel comfortable in a team and effectively perform their work for the benefit of a common goal.

Strategic profitability is aimed at forecasting demand:

• for the company's products;
• in accordance with the acceptable level of profitability;
• taking into account the customer base, market share and specific sales volumes;
• in niches, industries and regions relevant to the organization.

When making forecasts, it is imperative to take into account socio-economic, political, scientific, technical, environmental factors, the size of the investment fund, advantages over competing companies, as well as trends, risks and possible business development options that depend on them.
Proactivity presupposes the ability of staff to adequately respond to any non-standard situations and overcome them with dignity, as well as structure their activities in such a way that the likelihood of consequences threatening the success of the company is minimized. Moreover, as a company’s value, it implies not only the perception of the current situation, but also assistance in creating the most favorable conditions for the development of the organization (such a policy is also called market-making).

Innovation– the ability to track current trends, predict new trends and introduce fresh ideas before competing enterprises do. Mastering this value also makes it easier to master the skills of proactivity.

Competitiveness includes the creation and development of advantages that give the company the opportunity to occupy a worthy place among competitors in all markets - customers, suppliers, investors and labor. In addition, as a company value, it implies conducting a systematic analysis of the activities of rival organizations, comparing their results with the achievements of one’s own enterprise, as well as studying the main aspects of competition in the context of leading groups of buyers and main investors.

Efficiency– a principle aimed at creating the prerequisites for increasing production and sales growth at or above the predicted level in comparison with the resources expended (finance, time and labor).

Sociality– willingness to invest the company’s funds in improving the quality of life and increasing the level of qualifications of personnel. The level of productivity from the team will depend on how comfortable the working conditions are.

Customer focus– understanding that the interests of the customer, as well as satisfying his requests and needs, are of primary importance for the successful functioning of the company in the consumer market. The main aspects of this principle are:

• satisfying consumer demand and stimulating its growth;
• creating competitive advantages for special groups of buyers;
• deepening demand (increasing the range of goods and services);
• generating interest in innovations introduced to the market prepared by the organization.

Initiative– this is the desire to perform work as efficiently as possible and constantly improve your performance, without being afraid to prove yourself.

Teamwork– these are common values ​​that are aimed at achieving the success of the company, as well as the mutual development of management and rank and file.

Achievability– this is a constant movement forward. It is determined by the number of goals, the level of commitment to their implementation, as well as the speed of setting new tasks.

Mutual obligation implies the fulfillment of promises and undertaken obligations in relation to others: clients, partners, colleagues.

Controllability. The essence of this value lies in the level of control of subordinate units by the commanding staff. Its manifestations include: adherence of individual workers and services to one common goal, administrative orders and the absence of violations of internal regulations.

Quality– compliance of the company’s activities with the needs of its customers, systematic improvement of the properties and characteristics of the products produced (services provided).

Dignity is to respect the personality of each employee of the enterprise (the results of his work, personal problems, etc.).

Non-conflict. This value implies peaceful existence in a team, the desire to avoid conflict situations and the ability to reach a compromise on mutually beneficial terms for both parties.

Orderliness manifests itself in a rational approach to the distribution of working time, labor and material resources.

Competitiveness implies the desire of employees to differ from their colleagues for the better. This value is visible when comparing specialists from the same department with each other.

Synergy– an additional energy impulse, which is the result of the fusion of various success factors inherent in the company as a single whole.

Determination noted in the desire to complete all assigned tasks, as well as demonstrate initiative in developing new ones.

Strategic is to understand the main goals of the company and build your work activities in accordance with them.

Stability– maintaining balance in all areas of the enterprise’s functioning (permanent staff, internal regulations, customer turnover and profit level).

Market leadership– ahead of rival organizations due to the presence of competitive advantages and unique qualities. Many factors contribute to achieving value: an impeccable reputation, the right business development strategy, and the desire to create innovative products.

Safety consists in resistance to threats of various nature (both internal and external) that can cause damage to the company.

Career– another example of the company’s value, which lies in the opportunity for employees to move up the career ladder. Career is closely related to extra-job development, that is, increasing the influence of an employee in accordance with his role in the organization.

Thrift– reducing the resources expended during work to a minimum, provided that this does not in any way affect the quality and final result.

In many companies, corporate values ​​are like a theory of relativity: everyone knows about their existence, but only a few know what they are. In my opinion, this state of affairs is one of the most unforgivable mistakes a leader can make.

Corporate values ​​perform the same task in a company as morality in society: they allow it to exist and develop. Thus, a company in which corporate values ​​exist only formally will inevitably turn out to be unviable in the long term.

There may be several reasons why some Russian companies have not paid enough attention to corporate values ​​until recently. On the one hand, people who grew up before and during the reforms of the 1990s acquired a strong aversion to the imposition of any moral principles “from above.” On the other hand, everyone was in such a hurry to develop and earn money that there was simply no time to form values, and many probably did not think about the long term.

However, if you look at large global companies, it becomes obvious that corporate values ​​and corporate culture in general are really important to them and play a significant role in organizing employee relations, building business processes, strategic planning and decision making. And in this regard, Microsoft's experience is very indicative. The company's values ​​describe its unique features and the specific work that distinguishes Microsoft and allows it to remain a leader in the dynamic and highly competitive IT market for so many years.

Any person who starts working at Microsoft becomes familiar with the company's values ​​and decides to what extent they suit him personally and whether he is ready to share them. And this is not a formal procedure, but a truly important stage in the work of our HR managers. Of course, any readiness and interest can be imitated. However, experience shows that employees who do not show sufficient sincerity and attention at this stage ultimately face great difficulties in their work. And this is just a good demonstration that corporate values ​​are not just postulated, but also function. Personally, when deciding to work at Microsoft, I considered corporate values ​​as one of the most important selection criteria. And, of course, the coincidence of my personal values ​​with the company’s values ​​could not but inspire.

It is very important that a person is sincerely imbued with values. To do this, they must correlate with his own moral standards, social aspirations and understanding of his personal path of development. It seems to me that anyone who is interested in their work, professional growth and new experience can understand and share the corporate values ​​of Microsoft. And this, in turn, is an excellent description of most good specialists. However, judge for yourself.

Self-criticism

It seems to me that this is one of the key values, since it was the one that did not allow the company to rest on its laurels and forced it to repeatedly change the fundamental principles and directions of business development. By the way, this principle exists at literally all levels. For example, when I write a report, I need to point out weaknesses, areas of improvement, even if the overall results are excellent.

Responsibility

Anyone who works at Microsoft represents the company and is responsible to the company's more than one billion customers and partners. This means that he must be ready for professional hard work. And here we are not talking about that responsibility for show that forces many lazy people to come to work first, but about the fundamental inability to perform their work below a certain professional level.

Willingness to take on complex tasks

The willingness to solve complex problems by setting ambitious goals is not very common. Many people are simply uncomfortable working when they are constantly required to make decisions, improve their knowledge, and master new directions. However, this is exactly what many people like, it does not allow them to get bored and gives them a feeling of satisfaction with themselves and the work done. I myself do not like routine and sincerely admire people who can set grandiose goals like “A computer in every home, on every desktop.” When I joined the company, I started by setting one of these big goals: to double the business in Russia. And today we are confidently moving towards achieving it.

Commitment to technology, interests of customers and partners

Probably, in certain areas you can be a good specialist, doing something that is not very interesting to you. I know that some even see this as one of the signs of a true professional. This can be discussed. But I am sure of the opposite: a person who is not interested in technology cannot work effectively and professionally in a leading IT company.

Honesty and openness

This value coincides with generally accepted moral standards existing in society. However, its significance within the company is that its reputation consists not only of the consumer properties of products and the value of shares, but also of the human and civic qualities that its employees possess.

In conclusion, I would like to say that, as always, I am interested in dialogue. You may not agree with some of what was said. Maybe, in your opinion, corporate values ​​are just a tool for brainwashing, or do you think that they are necessary only for large companies, and medium-sized businesses do just fine without them? Maybe you know examples of successful companies in which the main corporate value is the absence of corporate values, or have you personally encountered original, non-standard ways of forming them?

When a business is at its nascent stage, and approximate goals begin to take on at least some outline, the question of ideology and philosophy of the project arises, which very often fades into the background. In pursuit of instant profit and increasing turnover, many entrepreneurs forget about content, devoting all their efforts and efforts to creating an attractive image for the audience. This approach very accurately reflects the company’s objectives, which are limited to immediate benefits and do not involve gradual business development. At first, while the process of formation is taking place, you can neglect values ​​and focus on promoting the brand, although the absence of a core can create serious reputational risks in the future.

If you take a closer look at the stories of large companies, you will notice how much corporate values ​​have helped them in the development and popularization of their products and services. Some tried to immediately instill them in all team members, others gradually came to their principles, guided by their own experience and mistakes. There are several examples that best highlight the intersection between a company's philosophy and its market positioning:

Apple

• Our products change people's lives and work
• We do not compromise ethics for profit.
• We count on everyone's passion and achievements.
• Rewards must be moral and monetary at the same time
• Workers must have reason to trust the motives and integrity of their bosses

Google

• Nobody will take care of you but yourself
• Always come up with something new
• Every leader must invest
• Data is very important for the company

Adidas

• Don't play political games
• Rely on the facts
• Interact
• Be efficient

Coca-Cola

Sony

Mars

Biplane

McDonald's

Irina Polyakova, Director of Corporate Marketing Department at 3M Russia:

Any large international corporation faces the task of preserving the core core of values ​​around which the company’s activities are built in different parts of the globe, in different markets, that is, in completely different conditions. Corporate values ​​are what unites the organization into a single whole and serves as the “face” of the company for clients, partners, and the media. And, of course, the main conveyor of these values ​​should be the company’s employees. If employees do not understand or do not share the goals and values ​​of the corporation, then the level of trust in such a company will not be high.

The international corporation 3M, which has existed for more than 100 years, has developed its own corporate culture, the basic principles of which are the same in any division of the company (from headquarters in the USA to the smallest representative offices in developing countries). How is this achieved?

All corporate values ​​can be divided into 2 groups:

1. let's call them " mandatory"(what every employee must follow) and,

2. " incentives"(what the company strives for, the development of which it supports).

TO " compulsory» values ​​include company rules and policies that are publicly declared and binding. At 3M, this is, for example, the Code of Business Ethics. The Company states that all of its business activities in any country are conducted in accordance with the laws and internal corporate policies (which are often more stringent than required by law), and all employees follow business rules. Accordingly, corporate values ​​of this level are communicated to each new employee at the very beginning of his work. All new hires undergo what is known as New Employee Orientation, where over the course of two to three days they learn about the current operations of the company, its goals and values, history, and also learn mandatory policies and procedures. Also, each employee is required to take electronic courses on business ethics and business rules at certain intervals, based on the results of which he answers test questions and receives a confirmatory certificate.

If there is a need to refresh your memory, then the Intranet (internal information site of the company) contains all the information about the mission, company values, key brands and slogans, as well as links to all the basic policies and procedures that need to be applied in work .

The company's mission, goals, and core values ​​are also described in various corporate materials, for example, in corporate presentations, which sales and marketing specialists use as the basis for their presentations to clients and partners.

In any business, consistency is important, so any general communications, employee meetings, etc. are suitable as reasons for “reminding” corporate values. For example, we have a Marketing Forum, where all the company’s marketers gather once every 2 months. And my role as a marketing director is to periodically refresh the employees’ memory of corporate goals, values, brand vision, etc. at such meetings, tying them to current topics for discussion.

As for the second group of values, the so-called. " incentives", then this could include things like

that is, those values ​​whose adherence cannot be prescribed in the form of procedures and restrictions. These values ​​are closely related to the concept of employee involvement in a common cause, when people not only follow the rules written in the documents, but also share common ideas, voluntarily support any common activity, be it holding a cleanup day on the company’s territory, planting trees , collecting waste paper, donating or helping disabled children.

To “implement” these corporate values, we cooperate with the HR department and conduct various programs and events. For example, “Family Day” or “Company Day”, when a holiday with a “near-corporate” theme is organized for employees and members of their families, so that children can better learn where their fathers and mothers work, and the employees themselves can get to know each other better and communicate with a friend, learned something new about those who work next to them. The events feature competitions with prizes, for example, for the best artistic composition from 3M materials, or for the most futuristic new product, or for knowledge of the history of the company and its inventions...

Our company actively supports charitable activities and volunteering. For example, a parallel contribution system has been announced - when an employee’s charitable donation is doubled at the expense of the company. Employees can take the initiative themselves and propose some kind of social action or object for charitable assistance. And, in my opinion, if corporate social responsibility is included in the list of the company’s core values, then this is an ideal option for uniting the team and conveying corporate values ​​to employees. After all, it is important for almost every person to be needed, to feel involved in something good and right. And if your work gives you the opportunity not only to earn money, but also to make this world a little better, then this ensures loyalty and commitment to corporate values ​​no worse than any social package.

Ilya Sternin, managing partner of the consulting company Incorpore:

Corporate values ​​are one of the important elements of strategic management and indicate the ways that a company chooses to achieve its goals. On the other hand, values ​​underlie corporate ideology and serve as the basis for the formation of corporate identity. Only a company with a strong ideology can create in an employee a high level of commitment to the organization in which he works.

In order to convey corporate values ​​to each employee, they must first be understood, verbalize. In large organizations, values ​​should be formulated in some kind of strategic document (Corporate Code, Company Philosophy, Mission Statement, etc.). In small companies, specific statements of values ​​may sometimes reside only in the head of the company leader.

If values ​​are realized, then the second task is to convey. Moreover, they must be conveyed not only meaningfully (so that the employee knows about them), but also psychologically (so that the employee accepts these values ​​and adheres to them in his behavioral models).

The main work on transmitting values ​​is carried out indirectly - by aligning the stated values ​​with corporate practices. In other words, all procedures (work models, training, communication, etc.) must be consistent with the values.

For example, the value of “Openness” should be conveyed both by adequate methods of obtaining information and by the availability of the company’s top officials for communication. Also, values ​​must be supported by the behavioral models of company leaders. Otherwise, their rapid discredit is inevitable.

Finally, the way to convey values ​​is through their live broadcast. At the same time, communication here occurs at the personal level, so it is advisable to broadcast the message on two levels - content and emotional. Therefore, communication based on values ​​should be built using visuals (pictures, illustrations, symbols) or other equally expressive methods of conveying information (for example, parables, metaphors, aphorisms, etc.).

An effective way to convey emotional meanings is through live speech itself. Therefore, building interactive communication with company leaders is essential to communicating values.

Yulia Gubanova, Head of the Human Resources Department of the Representative Office in Russia and the CIS of BBK Electronics Corp., LTD.:

General corporate values- this is what creates trust and unites the organization into a single whole. Shared values ​​are also the “face” of a company, by which it is recognized in all areas of its activities. They can be formulated both as corporate goals and as individual values. Successful values-driven organizations know that employees who do not understand the importance of values ​​will not work hard to achieve them. Values ​​must not only be formulated in the organization, but a policy must also be implemented to establish the priority of values. Until those activities that contribute to the overall corporate objectives are listed, those activities will not be considered a priority. To do this you need:

1) Provide reward employees who care about corporate values. Whatever the incentive (bonus, additional income or something else), if an employee is diligent and adheres to corporate values, then this should always be celebrated.

2) Show example. If an employee does not see anyone other than himself who follows corporate values, then he will not support them.

Vera Ignatkina, career consultant and job search coach at Job Search Coach:

We all studied, let's remember in which lesson - lecture or seminar - more significant learning of the material took place? I am sure that the majority will answer - “at the seminar.” A seminar is a practical lesson in which students, through trial and error, develop their own business plans, economic models, solve problems, etc. This technique (that is, practical orientation) should be used in business. Involving employees in discussions and working together will be more beneficial in the long run than when management decisions are “top-down.” Therefore, in my opinion, before talking about communicating corporate values ​​to every employee, it is necessary to develop the principles themselves. I propose the following technique for creating corporate values ​​and goals:

It is very good if the discussion is recorded on a tape recorder; sometimes it happens that in “heated” disputes something important is missed.

It is advisable to involve no more than 20-25 people to discuss the principles at this stage. If the company is large, then you can invite 1-2 people from each working group (see Step 1).

Unfortunately, at this step in many companies, activities to work with corporate values ​​end. The most that managers of some companies can do is post the received document on the Intranet and notify employees about it. In this case, we can say with 100% confidence that all the work (Step 1-Step 4) was done in vain. To get the desired effect, company management must encourage employees to be guided by accepted principles in their work, in relationships with clients, partners, and each other. To do this, in my opinion, it is necessary:

Any set of phenomena united by certain common properties, with its quantitative accumulation, inevitably raises the need for its ordering. This is how our consciousness is structured, so it is easier to perceive all the diversity of the world around us. Corporate values ​​that are born and exist in the business environment of modern Russian reality are no exception.

Almost every manager or HR manager who, on duty, was involved in solving one of the most difficult management tasks - the formation of a company’s corporate culture - encountered their terminological diversity and substantive diversity.

Diversity dictates choice, choice gives rise to numerous questions, including:

• Which values ​​should you choose?
• What should be the criterion for our choice?
• Is it possible to form one or another value without other values?
• Without which ones?
• How and on what basis can certain values ​​be formed?
• Or without what is it impossible to form and develop them?

This article is an attempt to find and offer answers to the questions posed.

An express study of the corporate values ​​of 100 companies that are the best employers in Russia was chosen as a way to obtain objective answers. The information base was the 7th annual rating 2017 compiled by the HeadHunter company based on the results of a voluntary assessment of 223 employers.
The reasons for this were the following. The rating was calculated based on 3 components. I quote the authors of the procedure:

1. « External assessment of applicants: applicants select the companies they would like to work for using a methodology approved by VTsIOM.
2. HR department assessment. HR specialists fill out a professional questionnaire developed by HeadHunter taking into account the recommendations of PricewaterhouseCoopers Russia B.V. consultants. This is how the effectiveness of the HR function in the company is assessed.
3. Employee Engagement Research conducted by the company “ECOPSY Consulting”... according to three parameters - satisfaction, loyalty and support for the initiative.”

It should be noted that the opinions of working employees and applicants had significantly greater weight in the final assessment. The credibility of these rating partner companies is beyond doubt. Full information about the rating of “100 Best Employers in Russia” and the methodology for calculating the results is presented on the pages: hh.ru and rating.hh.ru.

It was assumed that companies included in the “Top 100” in terms of the level of development of their own “HR brands” rely in their activities on a developed corporate culture, which, incl. ensures successful business development. And if this is the case, then it’s worth taking a closer look at the formed systems of their internal corporate values, trying to see what they have in common that characterizes and unites the best.

The diversity of companies participating in the rating in terms of scale (from transnational to regional), industry affiliation (from energy and raw materials extraction to business services), as well as the inevitable subjective understanding of certain values, led to a number of assumptions and restrictions that were forced to be used in the processing such a heterogeneous and rather large data array. Namely:

• To obtain meaningful information about corporate values, only official company websites and some documents under the general heading “corporate codes” were used.
• Due to limited time and resources, data from sites where information was contained only in English was not used.
• Companies for which it was not possible to explicitly find specific information on websites about their declared values ​​were removed from the initial “TOP-100” list.
• Some “values” that were difficult to attribute to the concept under study were removed, for example:

– “enjoyment of life” (HEINEKEN);

– “low prices” (LENTA, federal retail chain);

– “we encourage diversity” and “we are original in our desire to exceed expectations” (Danfoss LLC);

– “profit” (JSC Khlebprom);

– “brands (trademarks)”, “company name” (GC “Magnat”);

– “reliability” and “versatility” (VTB 24), which, according to the description, are more likely characteristics of a business, but not values, etc.

• Some very specific “values” were removed, super-abstract concepts and declarative statements that were not meaningfully disclosed and their further typing was difficult (if not impossible, in principle), for example:
  – “we think like Danfoss”, “our corporate culture is reflected in the style of our work” (Danfoss LLC);

– “balance short-term and long-term plans” (PepsiCo);
– “the development of the company largely depends on the development of society” (GC “Ideal Stone”);
– “our employees” (LENTA, federal retail chain);
– “life”, “time”, “private property” (GK “Magnat”), etc.

As a result, the list of companies was reduced to 61 with a total of 301 declared values. A content analysis of a wide variety of formulations made it possible to type values, thereby limiting the initial list of them to 35 positions. Below is summary data, ranked (by frequency of mentions) in descending order (see Table 1).

Table No. 1 List of corporate values

"Top 100" companies by level of development of their own "HR-brands"

For further analysis, the first 20 values ​​of the list were taken, conditionally divided into 3 groups:

1. Business values. These included values ​​that affect the basic interests of any business such as “safety”, “quality”, “partnership”, “innovative development”, etc.
2. Operational values. These included values-means that allow one to effectively achieve business goals. In this regard, such a division is consonant with the classification of the famous psychologist M. Rokeach, who perceived “instrumental” values ​​“as the belief that any course of action or personality trait is preferable in any situation.” “Team spirit”, “initiative”, “responsibility”, etc. determined the composition of this group.
3. Ethical values. These included the values ​​that determine the most effective interpersonal relationships. Namely: “respect”, “honesty”, “openness”, “trust” and “integrity”.

Below are the most typical and interesting semantic formulations that form collective “portraits-definitions” of certain corporate values ​​(see Tables 2,3,4). Despite the obviousness of a number of concepts, each of them, in relation to business, has its own specifics, in contrast to the manifestations of these values ​​in everyday life, politics, family, folk traditions and other social relations and institutions.

The definitions do not pretend to be classical formulations. What is more important here is the meaning laid down by companies that base their corporate culture on certain values. Formulations collected from this angle help in answering the main question of the article.

The following characteristic feature should be noted. As they say at school: “no one copied from anyone.” Each company worked independently to write the foundations of its own “moral constitution.” Although, with modern search engine capabilities, this does not seem difficult.

Table No. 2 Business values

Table No. 3 Operational Values

Involved - Involved.

Committed - Committed.

Table No. 4 Ethical values

By defining essential meanings, people consciously or unconsciously build a hierarchy of their values ​​and establish certain cause-and-effect relationships. To do this, they use expressions such as: “based on...”, “to achieve development goals...”, “our actions are based on...”, “we believe that this is possible provided...”, “it is important to us...” therefore we...", precisely because... we comply with the principle...", "readiness..., so that...." and so on.

A careful reading of the above definitions allows us to draw a definite conclusion: The identified 3 groups of values ​​are in the following cause-and-effect relationships (see Fig. 1). This can also be indirectly confirmed by the simplest statistical calculations (see Table 5) from the above source data.

Table No. 5 Calculation of arithmetic average frequency valuesmentionsby value groups

Fig.1.

Let's take a closer look at the “base” of the constructed pyramid – the so-called. "ethical values".

Respectus or respect

“Respect” turned out to be the leader (49%) in terms of frequency of use as a corporate value. Most likely, this is the component that is most clearly manifested in companies with both plus and minus in the system of interpersonal relations. This is something that the vast majority of employees can, if they wish, emulate by demonstrating recognition, consideration, courtesy, deference, tact, and other characteristics that go with respect. This is the simplest and most natural way of mutual understanding. That is, what is easily understood by everyone and is most acutely felt by each of us when it is in short supply.

Respecting others is very important. At the same time, self-respect, respect for oneself as an individual, is key, since the way each of us treats ourselves is the basis of our attitude towards others. Respect is a very important component of personal identity. Feeling respected is a basic human right and, conversely, respect is a basic responsibility of every member of the human community. People should be respected simply because we are all human. By respecting others, we recognize the equality of people, i.e. we act decently and honestly.

Hence the definition. Respect is a positive attitude towards people associated with recognition of the merits of others, the ability to value and honor any person as oneself and even more.

In the context of the above, the following definition, found in the margins of the study, deserves interest: respect is the company’s position, “putting people above all else, treating everyone with reverence, honestly and ethically.”

In business practice, respect for others determines the effectiveness and comfort of business relationships between people, conducting business, obtaining information, and creates the best conditions for the development of the company and the self-realization of its employees. According to Isaac Adizes, a successful entrepreneur is one who can build mutual respect and trust. What makes us successful is not what we know, but what we are.

Thus, the bases of respect are: openness, honesty, sincere attention, self-respect, goodwill, tolerance, trust.

Honesty

Writing briefly about honesty is both simple and very difficult. Nevertheless, in the context of this article it seems appropriate to say the following.

Honesty is the avoidance of deception, the true correspondence of a person’s words to his actions as a standard of fair behavior that always manifests itself to everyone and in everything.

Honesty and integrity are the basis of trust. One of its main manifestations is expressed in a respectful attitude towards persons who are absent at the time of the conversation. A person who is capable of discussing and speaking poorly about the qualities of people “behind their back” does not deserve the trust of those present.

A person who openly and publicly states his point of view on any issue and at the same time consciously refrains from “discussing” those who are absent is demonstrating honesty. Thus, I form sincerity in communication, without which there is no trust and respect.

As a personality trait, honesty does not accept such qualities as: duplicity, treachery, hypocrisy, a tendency to falsehood, etc. A two-faced person who is unable to follow the principles of decency and honesty will never achieve high trust. Even if he tries his best to adapt, fulfill his promises, be attentive to every little detail and strive for mutual understanding.

A significant number of people who have succeeded economically value honesty very highly and attach great importance to this value as a factor in their success. It is no coincidence that a third of the companies on the list studied chose honesty as a leading component of their corporate culture. It is honesty, strength of character, respect and an unblemished reputation that are closely interconnected and go hand in hand along the path to outstanding success in business. And historical experience shows that the main asset of an honest merchant and entrepreneur in Russia - reputation - has always been earned over the years and cherished like the apple of his eye. It is no coincidence that the following proverb has been preserved in the Russian language from its most ancient origins to the present day: “You can’t make a profit by cheating.”

Honesty breeds respect - even a dishonest person recognizes the superiority of an honest person.

Honesty is one of the most revered virtues in all religions, i.e., in those “companies” with a thousand-year history (in business parlance), which in their “corporate culture” are based precisely on this value.

Thus, the foundations of honesty are: openness, decency, loyalty to established obligations, conviction in actions, in their correctness, adherence to principles, sincerity regarding the motives that guide a person in his actions. But you can say it this way. Honesty, according to Confucius, is the basic foundation of human relationships and high morality.

Openness

It is hardly possible to define openness more succinctly and simply than explanatory dictionaries of the Russian language. Openness – frankness, truthfulness, trustfulness. Open (person) – sincere, frank, expressing directness.

Interest in this value and its priority are due, in all likelihood, to similar reasons given when considering “respect.” To this we can only add the special advantages of openness.

Openness fuels courage, and through it, honesty and integrity, because it allows you to directly call out unacceptable behavior and inappropriate actions. It is no coincidence that openness is called “the advantage of an honest person over liars.”

Openness ensures independence from negative opinions and hypocritical judgments, and therefore forms the basis of self-respect, which, in turn, promotes respect from others.

By showing openness, we selflessly open the doors of our personal space for others, which means the door of trust opens before us. To a person who is open to the world, the world opens up to him. With this position, the opportunities for constructive interaction with colleagues dramatically increase, the harmonious existence of such values ​​as “team spirit”, “initiative” becomes possible, and “professionalism”, “professional development and internal personal growth” receive acceleration energy. Indeed, if you are open, then you can perceive, and to perceive means to learn. The faster this process goes, the fewer mistakes there are, the more positive results in work, the faster professionalism is formed.

In turn: Can openness exist without respect? Is openness dishonest? Or maybe insincere? Is there openness in the soul of a distrustful person? This is what lies at the heart of openness.

Confidence

Trust is the unconditional foundation of all healthy and long-term relationships.

The emergence of this value in the business environment is quite natural. This is facilitated by at least 3 rational circumstances:

1. First, any activity of people and their energy, frozen in the form of a product of their labor, requires a certain credit and rules for trust on the part of its consumers.
2. Secondly, productive business connections, any creative activity in conditions of safety, which, incl. ensured by trust, more effectively.
3. Trust allows you to simplify business processes. When there is trust, we can act faster and more efficiently. According to Stephen Covey, “When there is no trust, everything starts to cost more. Lack of trust is a kind of tax on relationships.”

Google has introduced trust as an integral attribute of its corporate culture. The company is convinced that creativity and innovation are impossible without this, just as it is impossible to attract and retain the best employees without trust. It is no coincidence that almost 1/5 of companies talk about the value of trust and trust this value.

If you want to gain the trust of another person, talk to him the way you would like to be talked to, i.e. it is necessary to communicate as equals, and to be more precise, respectfully.

If we argue from the contrary, then trust cannot exist in the conditions of: rudeness, unfounded criticism, ridicule, barbs, neglect, inattention to the interlocutor, and other similar signs, i.e. in the absence of respect. Trust can never arise in the presence of double standards, hypocrisy and deception. For it to arise, opposing values ​​are required.

Thus, the bases of trust are: respect for the individual and factors that form a sense of reliability: decency, honesty, sincerity, selflessness, openness.

Decency

At least 15% of companies identified “integrity” as one of their leading values. One of the explanations for this follows from the very essence of this concept. Let’s turn to Ozhegov’s dictionary: “Decency is honesty, inability to engage in low, immoral, antisocial actions. A decent person is honest and conforms to accepted rules of conduct.”

In relation to the topic of corporate values, the key here is “conformity”. What is the use of any correct and useful values ​​for business if their declaration is not followed by employee behavior consistent with these values? This is why “decency” is valuable, because... is a necessary basis for the real viability of all proclaimed values. Only when this condition is ensured does the company’s fundamental competitive advantage arise – a strong corporate culture that cannot be copied or stolen. In this sense, integrity is a practical virtue - a virtue that brings benefits to business in conditions of inevitable competition.

The second key word is “honesty”, decency, which manifests itself:

• in readiness to defend justice, even if it does not coincide with personal interests;
• in the readiness of a person, faced with a choice of what to do, to always act according to his conscience.
  And in the event of an accidental or forced violation of accepted norms - in the ability to experience feelings of shame and guilt.

Decency is inseparable from another of its foundations - respect, since it represents the formed ability to treat one's neighbor as oneself, without doing or wishing for him what he would not want to do or wish for himself. By treating his subordinate, colleague, or client with respect, a manager or employee follows the ethical principle of “presumption of integrity.” According to him, every person should be considered decent until he proves otherwise. On the other hand, as with honesty, integrity ensures respect. Even a lowly person experiences, at a minimum, inner respect for a decent person.

The fundamental nature of this value is emphasized by its historical age. One of the first definitions of decency can be found in the Gospel of Matthew: “But let your word be: “yes, yes,” “no, no”; and anything beyond this is from the evil one.” Plato wrote about decency, defining it as “sincerity of character combined with the right way of thinking.” His student, Aristotle, defined a decent person as never doing anything bad of his own free will.

Thus, decency is a bouquet of virtues, such as: honesty, openness, nobility, sincerity, sincerity, generosity, straightforwardness and self-esteem, which are its foundations.

The above considerations make it possible to present a refined hierarchy of the identified groups of corporate values ​​in the form of the following diagram (see Fig. 2.).

Fig.2.

From here we can draw some useful conclusions:

1. Whatever the list of corporate values ​​formed in a particular company, they will be based on a dedicated ethical group.
2. This group is not a random set of well-known, socially approved characteristics, but has the characteristics of an integral system. Those. such a union, where each of its elements is interconnected with others, mutually determines and is interdependent on others. Where each of the selected values ​​is part of the whole, unable to exist separately, and each of which strengthens the others, thereby forming a coherent whole.
3. In all likelihood, this ethical system is nothing more than the core of the fundamental foundations of human relationships, providing the most effective forms of interpersonal interaction between people.
4. Without this core, it is extremely difficult to form, ensure conscious implementation and consistent implementation of any other corporate values. And in this regard, business is no exception, but an important sphere of human life, confirming the universality of priceless values: honesty, openness, respect, decency and trust.

It would be wrong to give all the answers to the questions posed without giving readers something to think about. In answering some questions, let’s leave the field of doubt open, not completely seeded. We will only formulate a way to independently double-check the conclusions drawn.

Let's assume a completely practical situation. A certain company understands that their corporate culture must necessarily be based on such a value as “team spirit.” The task is to form this elusive “spirit” so that this value, not on paper, but in reality, determines the behavior of employees in the company. We’ll just implement it like this:

• Yes, we will discuss official issues openly, together, but it is better not to bring up sensitive issues and criticism for discussion. It’s better the old-fashioned way, not with everyone and a narrow familiar circle, or even you don’t need to touch it at all and it will resolve. Moreover, not everyone needs to know everything!
• Of course we trust everyone. But not everyone should be given the right to make decisions, otherwise they will make mistakes, and then you won’t be able to sort it out. And these two generally need to be monitored every day!
• In principle, we need to ask, we will be demanding of team members. How else? But some should be treated more loyally for now. We will forgive them for their failure to comply and violation of agreements. After all, they are so busy, so much depends on them now! It’s okay, others will understand and tolerate it.
• We are for keeping our word. You can’t go anywhere without this! But circumstances have changed. Sorry, the market is the market, that's life. Let's return to this issue sometime later.
• Well, come on, give us your suggestions. What kind of nonsense are you talking about! Don’t you understand anything about this at all?! What's the point of inviting him to a discussion, what's the use of him as...

This happens in practice, but in this way a true “team spirit” will not be formed.
Let's assume a completely practical situation...

The infinity of human knowledge forces us to formulate another new question: If the foundations are found, then what lies at the basis of the foundations, at the basis of the identified ethical values? It seems that these are the ideals of love, the search for justice and goodness. But this is another story, with a philosophical taste.

The author does not consider this article as a theoretical panegyric to well-known virtues. The question of the hierarchy of values ​​is not important in itself and is not a refined scientific curiosity. It is of practical interest, because corporate values ​​are useful in the context of real opportunities for their formation and cultivation, and understanding of ways to do this. The article is addressed to those who are not guided by immediate goals and interests, but build business relationships and their business on a long-term basis. This is the position of the author, who adheres to the conclusions drawn in his consulting activities and invites everyone to mutually beneficial cooperation.