Want to know how to make the most of your job search? The key is finding your workplace values, and this World Values Day, we’re teaching you to do just that! Discover how to dig deep and find the answers to big questions like ‘What career should I choose,’ ‘Which industries will I like,’ and much, much more! All you need to do is keep reading.
What Is World Values Day
World Values Day is an annual campaign that aims to teach us how to choose values and how to act on them! According to the brilliant minds behind this project, values unite us, they reflect our humanity, and they hold together our communities: this is why they’re so important, and this is why World Values Day is such a big deal!
This year’s theme, Bringing Values to Life, showcases the way that values can unite us in an increasingly divided world. By focusing on how we can nurture our values and bring them to life, we can move past anger and division to create a better world. If you ask us, it’s a pretty admirable mission and one we want to get behind 100%!
However, you might wonder what World Values Day has to do with careers. Unbeknownst to many, sticking to your values can take you very far in the workplace! Formulating carefully considered values and sticking to them will help you develop and achieve professional goals and find roles that align with your priorities. In short, workplace values are super important to educate yourself on before entering the workforce.
What are Workplace Values
Before getting into how we can choose and implement workplace values, it’s important that you understand what values actually are!
Your values are the things that you believe are important and that you hope will play a big part in the way you live and work. When you act in a way that aligns with your values, you’re much more likely to feel happy and satisfied, so it’s well worth dedicating a little time to determining what’s important to you and what kind of workplace values you want to live by!
What’s more, a recent study from the University of Colorado found that, in fact, opposites don’t attract, meaning that coworkers mesh better when they hold similar workplace values. Being aware of your workplace values and looking for fitting work environments could make for a much more inviting work environment and result in higher levels of job satisfaction, too.
Discover Examples of Workplace Values
When it comes to choosing and implementing your values, it can be super helpful to look at some examples. After all, knowing where to start is the hardest part! That’s why we’ve put together a list of our top ten values; who knows, you might end up picking a couple from below!
- Altruism
- Integrity
- Creativity
- Assertiveness
- Flexibility
- Accountability
- Authenticity
- Loyalty
- Self-Compassion
- Sustainability
Why Work Values are Important
Whether we acknowledge them or not, values exist. However, when we take the time to acknowledge our values, we can build a life that’s perfectly suited to our own needs and preferences. Essentially, establishing our workplace values is a key step in building our dream careers!
For instance, if you value collaboration and hate competition, a competitive sales environment wouldn’t be for you. Alternatively, if you hate a slow pace of life and value human connection, it could be perfect!
How Do You Work Out Your Values
Usually, personal values are formed organically as a result of your life experiences. In fact, it’s thought that children’s values begin to emerge as early as ages 5 to 7: pretty crazy, right?
However, just because you can’t think of personal values on the spot doesn’t mean you don’t have any (or can’t make some)! The trick is to ask yourself a few personal questions that can illuminate what’s truly important. To do so, just check out our questionnaire below.
#1 What Was Your Proudest Moment
Figuring out what makes you feel proud of yourself is a key step in developing your workplace values. Perhaps you feel your best when helping others, striving for excellence or persevering when times are tough. Any of these can be turned into core values (and applied in the workplace)!
#2 Who Inspires You
Whether you know it or not, those who inspire you most likely abide by your core values. For instance, if your parents inspire you, it could be because of their empathy, selflessness or success. On the other hand, if you feel most inspired by your favourite celebrity, you might prioritise creativity and artistic dedication.
#3 What Makes You Angry
The things that make us the most angry usually reflect the things we want to change (and hint at what our core values should be). An example could be animal cruelty, which could inspire you to prioritise empathy and kindness to all as key values. Alternatively, triggers like laziness and a lack of worth ethic can be linked to a prioritisation of ambition and tenacity as workplace values.
#4 When Did You Feel Most (and Least) Satisfied
Reflecting on times when you felt notably satisfied and dissatisfied can be a great way to work out what’s important to you and what you want to focus your efforts on! Try writing out your memories on a piece of paper and brainstorming what kinds of workplace values you could connect to each!
Start Your Career on the Right Foot
Establishing positive workplace values is one thing, but there’s a whole world of extra career advice waiting for you on the blog! Check out how to build positive workplace relationships, find job satisfaction, perfect your work-life balance and more on our blog!
