The holidays are often a time for reflection, as each new year lends itself to thoughts about what comes next personally and professionally.
If you are among those thinking about your professional future, you're probably giving some thought to the values and the culture of where you work or where you hope to work. In the eyes of many, the concept of “values” and “culture” is similar. While they do share similarities, they really are not the same, and it’s important to understand the distinction.
In a nutshell, values are eternal; they never change. For instance, the values that guide our business decisions at Henry Schein have always included integrity, honesty, ethical behavior, and respect for the dignity of others.
Culture, on the other hand, is the way we implement our values. Culture adapts and changes with the times, as it must. The attributes of culture include teamwork, cooperation, speed, persistence, and overcoming adversity.
Here are two quick examples that demonstrate the distinction, one specific to Henry Schein and one that all of us should recognize.
In 1997, Henry Schein decided to close our distribution center in the Long Island town of Port Washington. This was not an easy decision, but customers demanded better service. Our Port Washington facility was located just outside New York City, and our trucks had to spend hours getting through huge volumes of traffic leaving Long Island. To better serve our customers, improve our transportation network, and accelerate product delivery, we relocated our eastern distribution center to Denver PA, almost 200 miles away.
But we were determined not to leave behind our values, culture, and Team Schein Members (TSMs). Many dedicated TSMs moved to Denver from Port Washington to help launch the new distribution center.But we knew that some TSMs would not be able to come along. Those individuals were provided resources to increase their skills and train for new positions – both within Henry Schein and outside. Our culture needed to adapt in order to maintain our values.We made sure to treat TSMs honestly and with the utmost respect as we met the challenges of a changing world.
Technology’s Impact
Another example that is common to all of us can be found in how we use technology. One of our eternal values at Henry Schein is open communications – the freedom and encouragement to discuss issues with any TSM in a respectful manner. While this value will never change, the way we communicate has changed dramatically in the almost nine decades we’ve been in business, as it has for any business as established as ours. We’ve moved from pencil and paper to teletype, then fax machines, and then email. We’re now exploring the latest instant messaging platforms as the next advance in communications.
With each new technology introduction, the culture of communication has changed, primarily by getting faster, which ultimately ensures that we connect to our customers and each other in the most efficient way possible. Yet the value of open communications is eternal, no matter what technology we use.
Perhaps one of the best ways to distinguish between values and culture is to think about our favorite quote from Jay Schein:
“This is what we are really about: A concern for people and a concern for results.”
“A concern for people” – that’s our values. “A concern for results” – that’s our culture. Our concern for people – our values – don’t change and never will change. But how we deliver results, how we work together, what practices we emphasize to reach our goals, can and must change in order to adapt to customers, technology, and society.
Regardless of the industry or profession, find yourself an employer that aligns with your desired values and culture. There will always be changes down the road, but, when they arise, a successful organization adapts its culture to maintain its values.
FAQs
Here's my stab at a definition. Values guide decision-making and a sense of what's important and what's right. Culture is the collection of business practices, processes, and interactions that make up the work environment. A company's values should never really change.
What is an example of values and culture? ›
Cultural values include respect for authority, emphasis on collectivism or individualism, importance of time, views on gender roles and equality, respect for hierarchy, attitudes towards uncertainty, and perceptions of work ethics and success. These can vary widely between different cultures.
Is there a relationship between values and culture? ›
Values are a culture's standard for discerning what is good and just in society. Values are deeply embedded and critical for transmitting and teaching a culture's beliefs. Beliefs are the tenets or convictions that people hold to be true.
What is the difference between cultural practices and values? ›
Cultural practices are shared perceptions of how people routinely behave in a culture (similar terms used are intersubjective perceptions or descriptive norms) and values are shared ideals of a culture (similar terms are injunctive norms). “As Is” are cultural practices, and “Should Be” refer to values.
How does culture affect values? ›
Cultural values and norms get transmitted from one generation to another, and the process ensures continuity of traditions within a group of people. Acquisition of a culture is a learned phenomenon that shapes the customs, beliefs, and behavioral conventions of a society as a whole.
What does cultures and values mean? ›
Cultural values are a culture's core beliefs about what's good or right. We all have cultural values. These are sometimes called 'cultural value preferences'. They're informed by the cultures we most associate ourselves with. These values are neither positive nor negative - they're just differences.
Why is culture and values important? ›
In addition to its intrinsic value, culture provides important social and economic benefits. With improved learning and health, increased tolerance, and opportunities to come together with others, culture enhances our quality of life and increases overall well-being for both individuals and communities.
What is the definition of culture? ›
Culture can be defined as all the ways of life including arts, beliefs and institutions of a population that are passed down from generation to generation. Culture has been called "the way of life for an entire society." As such, it includes codes of manners, dress, language, religion, rituals, art.
Which is the best example of a cultural value? ›
The best example of a cultural value from the given options is Equality for all people. This is as cultural values are guiding principles within a society, and in many societies, equality for all is a key principle.
What is the difference between culture and values in business? ›
Key takeaways:
Company culture describes a company's work environment, informed by the collective interactions of its staff. Company values are the fundamental principles that help companies determine right from wrong.
Value is, in part, based on a person's past experiences and cultural background. A person's values are reflected in their ethics and overall behavior. Cultural values reflect what a society believes is right or wrong.
How do values create culture? ›
An organization's values are its core identity, principles and beliefs. Those values build its foundation, support its vision, shape its culture and reflect what it holds most important. In a value-based culture, a company or organization prioritizes internal values over profit margins to develop a positive impact.
What is an example of my culture? ›
Examples of culture can include language, religious beliefs, traditional clothing, food, music, art, and social customs.
What are three examples of culture? ›
Customs, laws, dress, architectural style, social standards, and traditions are all examples of cultural elements.
What are the four cultural values? ›
Using factor analysis, a statistical method, Hofstede initially identified four value dimensions (Individualist/Collectivist, Power Distance, Uncertainty Avoidance, and Masculinity/Femininity).
What is considered cultural values? ›
What are Cultural Values? Cultural values are a series of principles and values passed on generation after generation by our ancestors. Based on values the entire cultural community decides their way of life. Those ideas decide how a person of that culture will behave and how they will lead their lives.
