The Value of Values: A Check on the DAX 40

“Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” This sentence from management expert Peter Drucker sums up why corporate culture should be a high priority in every organization. Far too often in the past, it has fallen by the wayside because the focus was on growth and profit rather than the people behind it.

In the meantime, however, a lot has changed in our society and the world of work. Whereas in the past many gratefully accepted every job offer, today’s younger generations in particular place much more value on ideals and their own importance. Above all, this means being more mindful of your own well-being and achieving a healthy work-life balance with contemporary New Work models.

Organizations have been trying to adapt to this trend reversal in recent years. To attract new talent and retain employees in the long term, they need to create attractive working conditions. These are then no longer exclusively linked to higher salaries, but to a healthy and positive culture. Values are at the heart of this.

Everything Stands and Falls with the “Cultural Fit”

If the applicant’s principles match those of the company, this is referred to as a “cultural fit”. This is essential from the outset, not only to bring the right talent on board, but also to retain them as employees in the long term. A survey by Glassdoor, a portal for employer reviews, found that 71 percent of all respondents would seriously consider changing companies if the work culture deteriorated. In addition, 77 percent look into the organization before applying. Two crucial points that prove how important not only values are, but also external communication.

A first point of contact for this is the careers page. It should be designed in such a way that job seekers get an authentic insight into the employer brand. They can then use this as a guide and compare it with their own value system. It is therefore possible for potential applicants to turn their backs on a company at this stage.

How do the DAX 40 present their Values?

As part of our analysis of the career pages of the DAX 40, we took a closer look at the guidelines of the individual companies. The focus here was on prominence and the concrete application of the principles. In an initial overview, we found that only two companies had completely failed to pay attention to their values. All other 38 companies mention their principles more or less prominently on their own websites.

However, the approaches here differ widely. While some clearly name them as Company Values, others merge them with the “About us” section or the general description of the corporate culture, for example. In a good 25 percent of cases, they are listed without further explanation. Presumably to have at least mentioned them or because they are self-explanatory. During the evaluation, we noticed that many companies agree on what they focus on. Yes, there are overlaps in individual values, but each corporate culture stands on its own.

The Golden Triangle of Sustainability, Innovation and Teamwork

If we compare the career pages of the 40 most powerful companies in the country, one word always stands out: Sustainability. A good third of companies pay particular attention to this value. Directly followed by innovation and teamwork. These are central principles that companies repeatedly mention and therefore form an overarching golden triangle. Each of 13 companies have at least one of these words written in capital letters on their own banner. The remaining DAX 40 are either inside or outside these lines.

Above all, it is clear that there are also some industrial differences: Chemical companies, for example, tend to focus on safety as a central value. However, trust is also very important across all industries, which often goes hand in hand with teamwork. In this context, the buzzwords inclusion, respect, openness and equal opportunities come up again and again. In this way, almost every company forms its own nest in which employees can settle and grow.

Prime Examples Henkel and Adidas

“Dare to make an impact?” With this slogan, Henkel, the first-placed company in the DAX 40 ranking, welcomes all interested parties to its careers page. This is immediately followed by “At Henkel, we dare to change things”. Potential applicants immediately get the feeling “I can do something here, I can achieve something here”. The company lives innovation and teamwork. This can also be seen in the one-and-a-half-minute video produced to go with it. Among other things, “challenging the status quo”, “bringing ideas to life” and “leading the way” are mentioned. But sustainability and curiosity are also mentioned here. The way the culture is put into words creates emotions and appeals to job candidates. Henkel’s video is therefore a very good example of how a company can present itself as an employer and arouse the curiosity of talented people.

Fifth-placed adidas also uses plenty of emotional appeals. “Through sport, we have the power to change lives” flashes out to talents right at the start. A guiding principle that can be found again and again in various areas of the career site, but then in German: “Through sport we can change lives.” This is precisely what adidas wants to achieve with its “Winning Culture”. The sporting goods manufacturer focuses on the 3 Cs: Confidence, Collaboration and Creativity.

The value that really takes center stage and gets the most attention on the homepage is also sustainability. In a 20-part “Sustainability Series”, the commitment in this area is documented in an elaborate and clear manner. In this context, talents will also find several videos in which not only the fight against plastic waste is shown, but also innovation is presented as a solution. This appeals to many talented people when it comes to making a lasting impact on the sports industry.

Conclusion: Storytelling, Emotions and Authenticity go a long Way

There are many different ways to score points with job seekers and present your own employer brand in an attractive way. Even if we only take a closer look at two examples here, there are definitely more DAX 40 companies that already understand good, value-based employer branding. However, there are also companies that still have some catching up to do in this area. Just under a third are missing out on a great deal of potential because they do not document their values at all or only weakly.

Overall, it is important to present one’s own culture authentically and to consolidate it with the courage to tell emotional stories. Only those who present themselves transparently will ultimately be in a position to bring the most suitable talent on board and ensure a “cultural fit” from the outset. At the end of the day, companies will only be able to continue to grow sustainably and innovatively if they do so.