The power of values: a brilliant example
Let’s say you employ 10,000 people at 750 stores around the UK. How can you be sure every one of those employees is giving their best to your customers every day?
One word: values.
A clear set of values acts as a decision-making tool in your organisation. They’re your organisation’s moral compass, governing how your employees treat each other and your customers day in, day out.
And, if you’re a leader, strong employee values give you the confidence to know your people will act in a way that makes you proud, even when you’re not there to guide them.
The power of values became startlingly clear to me during a recent encounter with the staff at the Chester branch of Halfords, the UK-wide car and bicycle store.
We had broken down and a fellow driver who happened to be passing offered to help. As luck would have it, this driver was a Halfords employee on his day off. Sadly, his jump leads didn’t work on our flat battery, so he drove to the store to summon help from colleagues.
A second attempt failed (this battery was never to be summoned from the dead). More to-ing and fro-ing ensued — during which our original Good Samaritan kept in constant touch by text. Finally, we decided the only option was to buy a new battery, which they brought from the store and fitted for us there and then.
Over the course of two hours, four employees — Joe, Carl, Luke and Patrick — went completely above and beyond to help us get our car started. They were calm, friendly and can-do at all times. The words “heroes” and “superstars” may have been used.
Naturally, as someone with a professional interest in values, the first thing I did when we finally made it home was to look up the Halfords values. Here’s what I found:
One Halfords Family: with togetherness and teamwork we have strength and compassion
WOW our Customers: we put customers first and are obsessed with meeting their needs
Be Better Every Day: we act and behave as market leaders
Pride in Expertise: we continually develop our skills to deliver market leading services
These values matched completely with my own experience of the Halfords team — which suggests they reflect what employees genuinely value, rather than being imposed from on high.
Congratulations to Halfords on what’s clearly an exceptional culture. And thank you again to Joe, Carl, Luke and Patrick. We were genuinely wowed by your teamwork, compassion, expertise and obsession with getting our car started.
Want help building a culture like the one at Halfords? Drop us a line!
