In practice, some organizations don’t ever talk about purpose, they talk about mission. In others, it is purpose. The terms are sometimes used interchangeably. Should a company be purpose-driven or mis- sion-driven? As I have discovered, the truth reflects purpose, mission and values. When working with clients, I am massively interested in why they do what they do. Equally, I also want to understand what the mission is and how the business is lined up to deliver on it. This naturally leads into an exploration of the values, which have been deemed business critical based on an organization’s purpose and mis- sion. A company without values is like a map without place names. It doesn’t take long for people to get lost, and they will. Now more than ever companies will need to be sure of their values, what they believe in and what they stand for. There is an increasing expectation from consumers and employees that companies have the power, and influ- ence, to effect positive social change. Sitting on the fence or in the middle ground could be a fundamental mistake. Likewise, a company that stands on one side of an issue may risk alienating different groups of its customers and employees. The truth, in this sense, takes on a whole new level of significance for organizations and that’s why you can find it at the heart of the HEX.
Having values is one thing, but living them consistently is an en- tirely different challenge. How many times do organizations fail to live their values, respect their purpose and follow their mission? They stand for one thing, but do the other. If they fail in this regard, every- thing falls flat and cynicism prevails within EX. Why? Because what you stand for and what you claim to value no longer ring true, and employees will spot it immediately. They may give companies the benefit of the doubt and time to correct things, but only for so long.
It is essential that companies spend time making sure that they are prepared for the long haul with their truth. As companies grow and transform, it is common to see the truth evolve, and if it does, it will need to evolve within EX too to prevent a disconnect between people and what matters most to the business.
Within the organizations where EX is celebrated and employees are happy doing great work, you will find a common thread of in- sight; people are all deeply committed to a purpose, a mission, and experience a connection to a defined set of values of the business. It
is sometimes referred to as the ‘DNA’ of the business and through the HEX, companies are codifying, for themselves, the areas that need deliberate and intentional focus. This then translates into everyday practices through targeted work to develop and cultivate high-qual- ity connections within the HEX. Everything is connected. What is notable within EX organizations is that there is very little room for compromise when it comes to building successful businesses through purpose, mission and values. It is often viewed as an imperative to align them throughout every experience. They must be true before, during and after the recruitment process, and in the mind of the em- ployee, they must be even truer as they navigate their way into and through their career in the business. Broken promises and unmet ex- pectations can kill productivity. While there may be pressures to find quick wins, these wins should not be at the expense of neglecting and upholding purpose and values, and delivering on the all-consuming mission. It’s that important. That’s why I call it the truth and employ- ees will be immersed in it from day one.
The opportunity then is for companies to demonstrate that they care about their employees, and the business, by holding firm to its truth. This truth doesn’t just sit on the wall or in a strategy document, but rather it is embedded and aligned throughout the HEX, touching everything and offering a map to achieve great things within the con- text of the business. Employees can feel it; lead through it. From pre- hire to retire, the HEX is the way to install this truth to create valuable relationships and sustainable business results.
In my viral article, ‘Bye, bye, human resources?’ (Whitter, 2015), I presented a case study on Airbnb, a company that pioneered the em- ployee experience function and the role of chief employee experience officer. But driving this was a clear mission, which was based on be- longing. As introduced earlier, this provides a point of reference for everything the brand does across EX – the way they design the offices, the way it structures the team, the technology and digital EX it devel- ops, and the way it focuses on bringing the community together in alignment with CX. What is really happening is that the company is installing the truth into the brand and deeply embedding it into the everyday experience of the business. If we take this into the CX, then
‘moments of truth’ become a powerful indicator of how well our truth
is being lived and breathed throughout the business. The moment when employees interact with the customer, and the outcome of that experience, demonstrate very powerfully that, in effect, every interac- tion with customers is a performance review and a feedback loop. At this moment, we understand how strongly connected EX and CX are, and how well the truth is embedded.
We’ll explore the Airbnb example further as this is a company that realized very early that there is little prospect of fulfilling growth po- tential if the values of the company are not a high priority within a business. What are you prepared to stand for? What do you wish new hires to stand for? What are the expectations being placed on all members of your community on a day-to-day basis? How do people lead through values? Too often, work on values does not effectively filter through into EX and it is an incredible missed opportunity.