Only 42 per cent of employees around the world know their company’s vision, mission and values, according to a December survey of 300 global organisations that yielded 40,000 responses. The survey also found that some companies completely forgo a formal vision or mission statement.
Employee ignorance of employers’ vision, mission and values can often be chalked up to senior managers’ lack of communication with their staff.
Failing to communicate your organisation’s vision, mission and values can lead to a significant drain on employee morale. According to the survey, management transparency is the most important factor in determining employee happiness, which requires ongoing dialogue between management and staff about organisational goals.
When senior management neglects to share this information, employees can feel like their positions are precarious and the company’s direction is off course, leading to low morale and even lower productivity.
Transparency is key. Write a vision or mission statement if your company does not have one. Keep it short—no longer than three or four sentences. Get input from employees during the drafting process to involve everyone.
If your organisation already has a vision and mission statement, start communicating them immediately and watch employee morale rise.
