A values-led culture: does it exist and is it driving performance?

This was a question we were recently asked by a prominent defence client. Adapting our proprietary Employer Reputation model, developed in conjunction with Aston University, we deployed our diagnostic survey to dive deep into how their values and culture directly impact business performance.

What was the approach?

The start point was a foundational vision paper to align leadership on the principles of what great looks like. Key take outs: True corporate values are your organisation’s moral compass. They guide how people think and act when nobody is watching. Simply put, purpose inspires, values guide, and culture sustains.

Simplicity is key.

To see how this played out on the ground, we used our model and diagnostic survey to categorise the client’s culture across our six core drivers of employer reputation:

• Physical Environment
• Enablement
• Expertise
• Emotional Environment
• Connection
• Purpose

Structuring the diagnostic this way cuts straight through the noise, simplifies the reporting and provides clarity to the outcomes. It let us see exactly where the client’s positives, negatives, and challenges currently sit.

What did we find?

• The outcomes were highly revealing from a robust 72% response rate.
• The Baseline: There was a visible baseline of values and culture alignment, but it was stuck in a “passive” zone, meaning it was quietly holding back extra discretionary effort, staff retention, and high performance.
• The Good: Physical safety emerged as a deeply ingrained strength, even if its progress had plateaued. Ethics and integrity were on display and belief in the quality of products and services were evident.
• Areas for improvement: Innovation and excellence were being held back by a lack of defined purpose, inconsistent leadership, and a siloed working mentality.
• The Challenge: Everyone knew the company’s core values, but they weren’t being consistently lived day-to-day. The organisation requires a significant shift from simple awareness to genuine belief and action.
• The Missed Opportunity: The organisation’s underlying purpose is inherently powerful, but under-leveraged. Right now, employee pride simply isn’t translating into optimal performance.

What next?

Armed with these targeted insights, the next step is to build a clear, actionable strategic and operational roadmap to show measurable progress when the diagnostic is repeated in 12 months’ time.

The primary goal for now is making sure every single employee clearly sees that their collective voice has been heard and valued. Major initiatives are being put in place and we’re working alongside the business to makes positive steps toward driving sustainable performance, built on a genuine, values-led culture.