Life is precious. Our values act as our inner compass. When we are comfortable in ourselves we experience inner contentment. When our values are compromised or challenged we can become at best irritable and at worst angry or deeply unhappy.
What do you want from your working life? Taking stock of what’s important by exploring your values can help you decide what changes may be desirable.
Values can shape our career choices as well as how we live our lives. If you’re contemplating a change to your current role or applying for new or different jobs, reflecting on your values is time well spent. It will provide you with a lens through which to consider job roles and organisations.
Values activity
Take a look at the list of values below. Select the10 that are most important to you. If you’re not clear how you feel about a value, ask yourself ‘if I was to be denied this value, how strongly would I feel?‘ For example, if you can’t bear to be micro-managed, then Autonomy will be important to you. The stronger your reaction, the more importance you are likely to attach to it. Prioritise your values with the most important at the top.
Sample values list
| Accountability | Achievement | Autonomy | Work-life balance | Reliability |
| Caring | Commitment | Communication | Contribution | Security |
| Co-operation | Competitiveness | Courage | Responsibility | Trust |
| Customer care | Diligence | Empathy | Flexibility | Influence |
| Empowerment | Encouragement | Equality | Independence | Success |
| Expertise | Fairness | Friendliness | Personal Growth | Reward |
| Stability | Honesty | Appreciation | Power | Recognition |
| Security | Trust | Challenge | Challenge | Service |
| Integrity | Innovation | Loyalty | Respect | Adventure |
| Mental challenge | Participation | Creativity | Professionalism |
Ask yourself: ‘How many of my top 10 values are being met?‘ If all 10 are being met- congratulations- our work here is done!
Where there are important gaps ask yourself:
‘What can I change about my current role that would enable me to improve the score?‘ For example if Work/Life balance is important but not being fulfilled, could you request a reduction to your working hours or a change to your pattern of working?
If your contribution is not receiving Recognition, are you able to demonstrate to your employer a positive impact you’ve had in your role? If intrinsic recognition is important -i.e. your manager thanking you and/or publicly recognising your contribution- that may be enough. However if Reward is important (extrinsic recognition) then you may want to consider how best to approach a salary review/bonus conversation at your next meeting/appraisal.
Reviewing your current situation
If you find that very few of your values are being met, perhaps it’s time to consider applying for other jobs more likely to fulfil your values.
Ask yourself the following questions:
- Will changing roles within my organisation be likely to fulfil my values? (i.e. your employer is fine but either the role or your line manager aren’t so good)
- Will doing the same job in a different organisation deliver on my values?
- If you responded ‘no’ to questions 1 and 2- do you need to consider both a different role and organisation?
If you decide to explore alternative job roles, you now have a list of key values as a starting point. You can undertake research into employers to find out what kind of organisation they are- or at least claim to be. Many will have values embedded into their company webpages/marketing information. Do the company’s values resonate with yours?
Do you know anyone who works for the company you’re interested in? If not, sometimes websites such as Glassdoor can provide a useful insight as reviews are provided by former employees.
When you’re asked at the end of an interview whether you have any questions, you could ask the interview panel ‘What do you enjoy most about working for x company?‘ Their responses may provide useful insights.
When your values are clear to you, making decisions becomes easier. Roy E. Disney
