A key to establishing a high-performance culture that is aligned to your core values is ensuring that the message is heard throughout the supply chain – from CEO down through the warehouse and distribution centers. The value of a strong high-performance culture can be proven with many metrics; such as increased productivity and improved employee morale.
But establishing your company’s core values is only the first step. You must also develop a way to effectively communicate those values to all levels of management and personnel. Without an intentional focus on communication, you risk a breakdown in your company culture.
While it ultimately depends upon the size and organizational structure of your company, finding the right strategy to communicate these values throughout your supply chain company can make all the difference. Here are a few ways your company can begin to create a high-performance culture and implement these core values:
Model core values from the top down
The best way to reinforce the core values your company has established is for those values to be modeled in the behavior and communication from the top down through all levels of operations. At LEGACY SCS, for example, “Servant Leadership” is one of their six core values, and this is modeled in daily behavior, in actions as simple but meaningful as a warehouse manager picking up trash instead of walking by it.
Include as part of the hiring process
Introducing your company’s high-performance culture and core values at the outset gives you a good opportunity to underscore the importance of these core values, thereby ensuring your new hire is aligned to them from the start. Core values are an important element of a company’s “why”, reinforcing these values early on while training a person on the “how” will emphasize just how much the two go hand in hand.
Offer company-wide training
This is perhaps one of the most effective ways of implementing a consistent message within a company culture. Integrating the core values into a dedicated training program is also a great way to show your employees that you’re serious and to ensure the point gets across.
Display values prominently around the workplace
Having your core values constantly visible to employees around the warehouse will keep your values top-of-mind. Descriptions and supporting behaviors for company values will provide visual representation of the vision your company has, and the expectations placed upon each employee.
Measure engagement and alignment to Core Values
Culture is something that can be measured. In a supply chain environment, culture becomes the driving factor between high performing fulfillment warehouse operations and those that maintain the status quo. By measuring how each employee’s individual performance reflects your company’s core values- you can build tangible performance plans that resonate with your people. When people feel aligned and engaged, they feel a responsibility to perform. And what better way to communicate the importance of your company’s values and its culture than to build it into the performance management process?
There are also many other creative ways to communicate your core values throughout the company — such as creating videos, going away on retreats, or designing incentive-based competitions that reward employees who best embody and demonstrate your core values. But in the end, it all comes down to aligning your people to your company’s values, proactively measuring that level of alignment, and ensuring leadership across the organization reinforces the behavior through communications.
Effectively communicating your core values throughout disparate parts of your supply chain can be a challenge, but one that is attainable with a solid strategy.
This article was contributed by LEGACY SCS
