What’s the first secret of being a great place to work?
1: Getting better at getting better is what RiseWithDrew is all about.
Monday through Thursday, we explore ideas from authors, thought leaders, and exemplary organizations. On Friday, I share something about myself or what we are working on at PCI.
The last several Fridays, we’ve been looking at the strategic importance of being a great place to work.
Where do we start if our goal is to have a dynamic workplace culture?
At PCI, we’ve identified four secrets to being a great workplace. Four pillars of our workplace culture.
Pillar number one? A set of shared organizational values.
Why is having a set of shared values so important? What’s the big deal?
Because we all want to work with trustworthy people. Who will do the right thing. People of character. Who have integrity.
Some organizations have classes where they teach their values.
At PCI, we take a different approach. We focus on hiring people who share our values.
After all, there is a reason they are called “core values.” Because they are core to who we are.
By the time someone is 18, 21, or 25, or some age, someone’s core values are their core values.
As we grow older, we can certainly become more precise about our values and why they are important to us. And sometimes, we might discover or evolve into a new value. But, generally speaking, our core values are our core values.
2: So, at PCI, our hiring or selection process begins here.
The first question we ask is: Does this candidate share our values? Is there a values fit? Our initial interview questions focus on learning more about the candidate’s values. We’ve also developed a survey tool that helps us to make sure there is a values fit.
If there is a values fit, then we do a deep dive into the candidate’s background, skills, and experience.
But if the answer to the first question is “No,” there isn’t a values fit, then there is no second question.
3: Next, we do our absolute best to live our values in every facet of our company.
On-boarding is a huge opportunity to bring our values to life. We have one day per month when new hires start. As CEO, I spend most of my day with this group, including leading a meeting where we do a deep dive into our five values and how we aim to bring them to life through our work.
Our performance management process is also values-driven. Each quarter, every PCI associate meets with their manager and reviews their performance through the lens of our values.
We are also intentional about using our values when making big and small decisions.
Hiring, on-boarding, performance management, and decision-making are all influenced by our five core values. This is the critical first step in becoming a great place to work.
More next week!
_______________________
Reflection: Are we intentional about identifying new hires who share our values?
Action: Discuss with my team or with a colleague.
What did you think of this post?
