Do you know the story of the brand Patagonia? Yvon Chouinard began the company out of a need for better quality and reusable mountain climbing equipment. When he branched out into clothing, he knew he wanted to use sustainable materials that lasted a long time. He did not want his clothes to end up in landfills.1
Today, the company will repair any piece of clothing you have, even non-Patagonia pieces. When you are done with a Patagonia item, they will help you sell it to someone else. They actively ask their customers, “Do you really need this item?” because they want to reduce waste and protect the environment.1
If that is not enough, when the surfs up outside of their Ventura, California, offices, they ask their employees to take a break and go surfing. They value the power of nature on creativity and mental health. Despite being the sole owner of the multi-million-dollar brand, Chouinard takes five months off every year to go fishing.2
Putting all of this in place has not been difficult. Chouinard simply created a business that stuck very closely to his values of environmentalist and individualism. He had a clear vision for his business all along and his values always guided his decisions. He created a team that understood his vision, believed in it, and wanted to help build the company by being ambassadors for that vision.
Increasing your employees’ awareness of value alignment will give them a deeper understanding of the company’s purpose and their guiding principles. This connection inevitably leads to increased engagement. Here are some ways to help you create alignment between your business and values.