Value Orientation

Value orientation of employees and companies

In order for people to be able to identify with their employer and act in line with company values, it is important that the value orientation of the individual matches that of the company. That's why both Huawei and Zappos can be so successful despite different values and corporate cultures! (More about Huawei and Zappos in a moment)

This adjustment of values or even cultures between person and company leads to a higher job satisfaction and higher commitment vis-à-vis the company. On the other hand, a low fit results in a higher probability of changing jobs in the first two years after hiring! (O'Reilly et al., 1991)

In order to prevent this even before hiring, it can be effective to compare the value system of the company with that of the applicant during the application process. This is particularly interesting when it comes to values that are in conflict with each other, such as:

• Stability vs. flexibility
• Teamwork vs. independence
• Purpose vs. principles
• Selflessness

The sustainable corporate success rises and falls with corporate values or the resulting corporate culture. It determines the self-image of employees, the sense of solidarity and the pursuit of the mission. Corporate culture is like the soul that distinguishes one company from another. It is therefore particularly interesting how different cultures work in different companies.

But what actually is corporate culture?

To answer this question, let's take a look at two quotes from CEOs from various companies:

Have fun. The game is a lot more enjoyable when you're trying to do more than make money. — Tony Hsieh, former CEO of Zappos

We have a wolf spirit in our company. In the battle with lions, wolves have terrifying abilities. With a strong desire to win and no fear of losing, they stick firmly to the goal, wearing the lions down by every means possible.
— Ren Zhengfei, Founder and CEO of Huawei

You can immediately see that there are different ways of thinking and value orientations in both companies. The entirety of the ways of thinking and lived values that company members share with each other is described as corporate culture (e.g. Geertz, 1973). This is shaped primarily by shared values, which guide members' behavior across various situations (e.g. Parsons, 1991).

In addition, there is the individual value orientation of employees. A value is defined here as “a relatively enduring belief that a specific mode of conduct or end-state of existence is personally or socially preferable to an opposite or converse mode of conduct or end-state of existence” (Rokeach, 1973).

Put simply, our personal value orientation describes what we consider right and important.

How is corporate culture measured?

Do you want to record the value orientation of your applicants and find out whether they are a good fit for you? Aivy is happy to support you!

With short mini-games, users receive a very personal profile of their value orientation. Here, we measure the characteristics along several dimensions.

Sources

• Assouline, M., & Meir, E.I. (1987). Meta-analysis of the relationship between congruence and well-being measures. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 31 (3), 319-332.
• Holland, J.L. (1996). Exploring careers with a typology: What we have learned and some new directions. American psychologist, 51 (4), 397.
• Holland, J.L. (1997). Making Vocational Choices: A Theory of Vocational Personalities and Work Environments. Psychological Assessment Resources.