A521.5.1.RB_Core Workplace Value Assessment_Wathen_Sandra

A521.5.1.RB_Core Workplace Value Assessment_Wathen_Sandra

It is extremely important to understand and communicate values; both from an organization perspective and our personal values.  As part of determining those, a personal assessment is required to find out where I fall with respect to my values and the values of my company.  I recently conducted an assessment as part of the Quintessentail Careers Quiz which provides a method to identify workplace values.  I rated thirty-three workplace values provided and ranked them from 1 thru 4 with 1 being the most important and for the least important.  Then I identified the ten most important values to me, followed by picking the five core values of those ten.

The five core values that I identified were: (1) mental challenge/mentally demanding/problem solving; (2) opportunity for balance between work life and family life; (3) integrity and truth; (4) using creativity, imagination and being innovative; and (5) respect, recognition and being valued.

I will also need to determine how the five core values match up to my current job, career path and employer.  In addition, I will need to figure out what I am going to do about these results once I have had a chance to further evaluate my life and career path.  I may want to conduct further analysis in my career planning dependent on the final analysis. 

Going back to the five core values, I would like to expand further by taking a quick assessment of those to where I feel I am currently in my career with respect to my current position.  Of the five, I feel good that (2), (3), (4) are rated very high to me and are incorporated in my current workplace values.  Although (1) is very important to me, I am limited at my work to be able to apply my full capacity. Additionally (5) is also very important to me, but in my current position leadership does not follow through with consistent methods by which to show respect, provide recognition, nor do they take that extra step to show that their employees are valued within the organization.

There are certain things that I can do to mitigate those differences.  Core value (1) is something that I could discuss with management and talk to them about possibly offering some new or more challenging work where I could use my critical thinking more in-depth and feel like it is value-added.  It would help to meet my one of my five core values and also assist them with fulfilling a long desired task.  Core value (5), I might be able to diplomatically provide a recommendation for programs that may create and foster increased employee recognition.  If accepted, this would help me with meeting my five core values and also help the company develop a better employee recognition program.

Now, as a supervisor, I think that I must also assess myself to the same standards that I am to the company.  This will also give me ideas of how to improve or where I lack with my core values.  It will also allow me to ensure that I am instilling my core values in those that support me.   

In summary, it is important for people to periodically assess themselves against their values in the workplace.  People need to know their workplace values to see who and where we are now.  When you align your values to the workplace it will assist with becoming better performers in the organization; win/win situation.  It also gives you insight as to whether your company is meeting your values.  As a result, the assessment could determine if you want to make a career change or possibly make recommendations to management in areas of improvement.