So many values: when does which concept apply?

Not all values are the same. Many companies have several "value concepts" in use at the same time. There are very different historical and technical reasons for this.

1. Corporate values

are the "oldest" instrument in this list and are still a widespread concept, especially in international SMEs. The aim here is often to reflect the corporate culture. The values describe a common attitude of the employees, sometimes also a kind of performance promise to customers. As a rule, the focus is on the attitude and behavior of employees and/or the nature of products and services. Corporate values are often similar within similar industries.

2. Brand values

ideally describe a partly lived and partly aspired perception in the interaction with external stakeholders, especially customers. This perception is fed by the behavior of employees as well as media communication and the brand's design canon. The brand values support the positioning of the company, which is ideally linked to unique selling points. In contrast to corporate values, brand values should not only have an effect on the behavioral level, but also on media communication and appearance and help to steer them.

3. Employer brand values

are becoming increasingly important for many companies in the context of the employer brand due to demographic developments and the shortage of skilled workers. The values describe the company in its role as an employer and support the employer's value proposition to employees and applicants. Employer brand values can complement and deepen brand values. Like the brand values, they should influence the behavior of employees, especially managers, but also strategically align media communication towards talents and applicants.

What is justified from the perspective of the respective specialist departments sometimes leads to confusion and justified doubts among employees:

"What do the different value concepts mean in practice and which values count for me and my team and when?" "Can three or four values adequately reflect our corporate culture? " "How suitable are values for managing behavior? "

What are your experiences?