One thing these “unprecedented” times has allowed for is introspection. The long lockdowns, particularly in Melbourne, have meant that social interaction and the usual busyness of life significantly curtailed - leaving work and family to deal with. For those unhappy with their working situation, it has been a challenging time to stay either motivated or productive.
Predictions say that 2022 is likely to be the year of the “Great Resignation” or “Reshuffle” depending on which experts you follow. That makes this exactly the time to be figuring out what it is you want from a role and a company to ensure you have a purpose in your career and are authentically living your values. Both help you get satisfaction from a role and feel like you are contributing to a valuable purpose. Without this, there can be a mismatch between your values and where you work.
Defining your values helps you connect to an organisation that understands you, is more likely to support your career and provide an opportunity for you to thrive.
How do you know what your personal values are?
Some people know these intrinsically, and for others it requires some thought. One thing to bear in mind is that personal values can change over time depending on your circumstances. Whilst as a graduate you many have valued ambition, career, and wealth, now you are approaching mid-career these may have changed. The values of growth, contentment and altruism may resonate more with you now.
A great values exercise comes from Brene Brown’s Daring to Lead. It requires you to go through this list and narrow it down to the two that are authentically and innately yours. This is quite a challenging task, as many people will find 10-15 that appeal, and some to which they would aspire! We recommend taking some time to really reflect on this. When you do manage to narrow it down to two, know that you’re identifying the two things that really drive you.
Identifying your core and driving values will assist you in making decisions, managing competing priorities, and help you set goals for the future.
Working for an organisation that does not align with your personal values can start to feel like a tug of war. You might feel out of step with the company or that you are being pushed to perform in a way that does not feel authentic. This is usually a big red flag that it’s time to find a new role and a culture that suits what you want and need in your life now.
How do you identify an organisation’s values?
As part of an employee value proposition, many companies have identified their mission and values and reflect these helpfully on their website.
Well-defined values help a company build a thriving culture and help inform decision making and deliver on the company mission. They also help staff understand exactly what type of behaviours are expected of them. They help define how a company treats its staff internally, but also how it approaches its clients and suppliers.
Company values can attract talent to an organisation and demonstrate what is unique about them.
They key piece of intelligence you need to discover when considering whether a company reflects your own values is whether a company is actually living their values. Have they managed to operationalise them? Can you see them in action in how they work, how they lead, how they support their employees and the causes they support?
It can be useful to talk to people from within the organisation to discover whether the company values are reflected in day to day working life. As an experienced recruiter with more than 45 years of industry experience, we can help you understand the company values of many legal firms. Talking to a specialist recruiter as part of this process and having an in-depth career discussion can help set you on the right path towards a more aligned values match and a happier working life!
An organisation’s values will always inform and contribute to its culture and the behaviour of the individuals within it. Working for a firm that feels like a good fit will mean that you can contribute to that culture and bring your own unique outlook, experience, and mindset to ensure you both deliver on your goals.
Should you be looking for a new role in 2022, contact our team of consultants for a confidential discussion. We have a number of exclusively listed opportunities with legal industry employers of choice. We can help talented lawyers and legal support staff find a role at the firm on the top of their wish list. Contact us on [email protected] to get started!
Are you considering looking for a new role? Legal People are specialists in the legal industry. We recruit lawyers, support staff and HR professionals in Melbourne, Australia. If you enjoyed reading this article, you can follow our Company Page on LinkedIn for regular updates. To browse our currently available roles click here.
