Workers say values matter — but only when a company lives them

Posted by News Room 27 May 2026
Workers say values matter — but only when a company lives them

Dive Brief:

  • When U.S. job seekers were asked to list the core values they look for in a potential employer, the top five answers were integrity, respect, teamwork, growth and honesty, according to a recent survey of more than 900 people by iHire, an employment platform.
  • The survey found that 81% of prospective employees were more likely to pursue a job if the ad discussed an organization’s core values. 
  • Meanwhile, 45% of respondents said they’ve worked for an organization that didn’t adhere to the values it purported to uphold. When that happens, organizations risk betraying employee trust and demoralizing the workforce, the research said.

Dive Insight:

Core values can be an effective way to showcase a company’s mission and intentions, said iHire. However, they’re only effective if they’re put into action.

“A company’s core values should be the living and breathing foundation of everything they do, shaping how they make decisions, treat employees, deliver new products and services, and even hire,” iHire CEO Steve Flook said in a statement. “But when an organization does not practice what it preaches, it can hurt employee engagement and morale, create a toxic workplace, and make it harder to attract and retain top talent.”

When a company doesn’t adhere to the values it espouses, the disconnect can lead to significant workplace problems, iHire said. When existing and prospective workers feel like a company is being disingenuous, they will look elsewhere.

Flook said that companies need to identify what they most value and then make sure those values are enacted “at every level of the organization, from leadership decisions to everyday employee interactions.” When companies do this, they “will build stronger cultures, earn greater employee trust, and establish work environments where everyone can thrive,” Flook added.

In the U.S., 87% of employees surveyed said company reputation was part of the reason they decided to accept their current position, according to an October report from United Culture, a company that specializes in company culture, employee engagement and behavioral change.

Meanwhile, hollow words and phrases such as “winner’s mindset,” “hustle” and “work hard, play hard,” as well as companies that say they’re “like a family,” give job seekers the “ick,” raising red flags and keeping them away, according to a January 2025 report from StandOut CV, a resume-building company.