Here’s the hard truth: if your company’s values aren’t reflected in how people work and interact, they’re just words.

The Gap Between Stated and Lived Values

1. Lack of Accountability:
   Values without accountability are meaningless. If leadership doesn’t model company values, employees won’t either.
2. Misaligned Actions:
   Promoting “work-life balance” while rewarding employees who work overtime sends mixed messages.
3. Performative Culture:
   Celebrating values during annual meetings but ignoring them in decision-making creates distrust.
4. Top-Down Disconnect:
   When only leadership talks about values without engaging employees, the culture feels forced and inauthentic.

Why Living Company Values Matters

1. Builds Trust:
   When actions align with stated values, employees trust leadership and feel more engaged.
2. Drives Decision-Making:
   Values should guide decisions—from hiring to customer service.
3. Strengthens Culture:
   A culture built on lived values attracts and retains employees who align with those beliefs.
4. Boosts Performance:
   Employees who feel connected to company values are more motivated and productive.

How to Bring Company Values to Life

1. Lead by Example:
   Leaders must embody company values in everyday actions. Transparency, empathy, and integrity need to be visible at the top.
2. Integrate Values into Hiring:
   Ask value-based interview questions to ensure new hires align with the company’s culture.
3. Reward Value-Driven Behaviours:
   Recognise and celebrate employees who demonstrate company values in their work.
4. Embed Values into Performance Reviews:
   Assess employees not just on results but also on how they achieve them in line with company values.
5. Open Conversations:
   Regularly discuss company values in team meetings and town halls to keep them relevant.
6. Align Policies and Practices:
   Ensure HR policies, business practices, and leadership decisions reflect core values.

Companies Doing It Right

• Patagonia: Their value of environmental responsibility isn’t just a slogan—they lead sustainable initiatives and activism.
• Google: Embeds its value of innovation by encouraging employees to dedicate time to personal projects.
• Infosys: Reinforces its commitment to learning and development through continuous upskilling programs.

Signs Your Values Need Work

1. Employee Disengagement:
   If employees don’t resonate with company values, engagement suffers.
2. Inconsistent Leadership Behaviour:
   Leaders saying one thing but doing another undermines credibility.
3. Poor Decision-Making:
   Decisions that contradict core values lead to distrust and confusion.
4. High Turnover:
   Misalignment between stated values and workplace culture drives employees away.

Final Thoughts

Company values should be more than just slogans. They need to be woven into the very fabric of the organisation—guiding decisions, shaping culture, and influencing behaviour.

It’s not about having values on the wall; it’s about living them in the hall.

Here’s the problem: onboarding isn’t a one-day event. It’s a journey, and when companies treat it as a quick checklist, they miss the chance to fully engage and empower new employees. So, how can companies build an onboarding experience that actually works?

Why Onboarding Should Be a Long-Term Process

A study by Glassdoor found that organisations with strong onboarding improve new hire retention by 82% and productivity by over 70%. That’s huge! Yet, many companies still treat onboarding as a formality.

Imagine joining a new company and being overwhelmed with forms and policies on Day One, then left to your own devices. You’d feel lost, right? Now imagine an onboarding process that guides you through your first 90 days, gradually introducing you to the company culture, your role, and growth opportunities. Which sounds better?

The Pitfalls of One-Day Onboarding

1. Information Overload:
   Bombarding new hires with too much information on Day One leads to confusion and overwhelm.
2. Lack of Connection:
   Without structured follow-ups, new hires struggle to build meaningful relationships with their teams.
3. Unclear Expectations:
   Vague role definitions and performance expectations can leave employees unsure about their responsibilities.
4. Disengagement:
   A cold hand-off after the first day can make new hires feel neglected and disengaged.

What Effective Onboarding Looks Like

1. Pre-Boarding Before Day One:
   Start engaging new hires before they even step into the office. Send welcome kits, role-specific resources, and a personalised introduction to the team.
2. Structured 30-60-90 Day Plans:
   Break down onboarding into clear phases. Define short-term goals, provide feedback sessions, and gradually increase responsibilities.
3. Mentorship Programs:
   Pair new employees with mentors who can guide them through the culture, processes, and expectations.
4. Cultural Immersion:
   Introduce company values and culture through interactive sessions, team activities, and storytelling—not just a handbook.
5. Regular Check-Ins:
   Schedule weekly or bi-weekly check-ins with managers to address challenges, provide feedback, and offer support.
6. Cross-Functional Introductions:
   Encourage networking beyond their immediate team. Organise virtual or in-person meet-and-greets with different departments.
7. Celebrate Milestones:
   Acknowledge small wins—completing the first week, finishing a training module, or reaching the 90-day mark.

Companies Leading with Exceptional Onboarding

• Google: New hires (Nooglers) are paired with experienced employees (Buddies) to ease their transition. Google also spreads training over weeks to avoid overload.
• Accenture: Their onboarding includes a mix of virtual learning, leadership talks, and team-building activities to create a well-rounded experience.
• LinkedIn: They focus on cultural onboarding with regular feedback, leadership Q&A sessions, and tailored learning plans.

How to Improve Onboarding in Your Organisation

1. Listen to Feedback:
   Ask recent hires about their onboarding experience and adjust accordingly.
2. Personalise the Process:
   One-size-fits-all doesn’t work. Customise onboarding based on roles, departments, and even individual learning styles.
3. Involve Leadership:
   Senior leaders should actively participate—whether through welcome messages or interactive sessions.
4. Leverage Technology:
   Use digital platforms to automate paperwork and focus more on engagement and learning.
5. Keep It Continuous:
   Onboarding shouldn’t stop after a week. Extend support and development opportunities beyond the initial months.

Final Thoughts

Onboarding is more than a welcome packet and an office tour. It’s the foundation of the employee experience. A thoughtful, extended onboarding process can boost engagement, improve retention, and set employees up for long-term success.

So, let’s move beyond Day One and start building onboarding experiences that truly support and empower new hires—every step of the way.

So, why aren’t these surveys giving you the full story? Let’s dive in.

The Limitations of Traditional Engagement Surveys

1. Generic Questions:
   Standardised survey templates often ask surface-level questions that fail to capture the nuances of employee experiences.
2. Infrequent Feedback:
   Annual or bi-annual surveys are too infrequent to reflect real-time concerns, especially in fast-paced work environments.
3. Survey Fatigue:
   Repetitive or lengthy surveys can lead to disengaged responses or even non-participation.
4. Lack of Action:
   When employees don’t see tangible changes after providing feedback, they lose trust in the process.
5. One-Size-Fits-All Approach:
   A single survey cannot capture the diverse needs and experiences of a multi-generational, multicultural workforce.

What Surveys Are Missing

1. Contextual Understanding:
   Surveys capture what employees think but rarely explore why they feel that way.
2. Emotional Drivers:
   Metrics can’t always measure feelings of belonging, trust, and emotional safety—all critical aspects of engagement.
3. Silent Voices:
   Not all employees are comfortable sharing honest feedback in formal surveys, leading to skewed results.
4. Real-Time Insights:
   Employee sentiment can shift quickly. Annual surveys fail to capture these fluctuations.

How to Get the Full Picture

1. Use Pulse Surveys:
   Short, frequent surveys provide timely insights and reduce survey fatigue.
2. Leverage One-on-One Conversations:
   Regular check-ins between managers and employees uncover insights that surveys might miss.
3. Encourage Anonymous Feedback:
   Anonymous channels can empower employees to share honest feedback without fear of judgment.
4. Implement Focus Groups:
   Small, diverse groups discussing specific topics can reveal in-depth insights into employee experiences.
5. Monitor Employee Sentiment:
   Use tools that gauge mood and sentiment through real-time feedback or digital engagement platforms.
6. Act on Feedback:
   Feedback should lead to visible action. Communicate what changes have been made as a result of employee input.

Companies Doing It Right

• Microsoft: Utilises regular pulse surveys and anonymous feedback tools to gather real-time employee sentiment.
• Google: Combines surveys with open forums and Q&A sessions, allowing employees to voice concerns and suggestions openly.
• Tata Steel: Conducts focus groups and uses employee insights to inform company policies and initiatives.

Final Thoughts

Employee engagement surveys are useful, but they can’t do all the heavy lifting. To truly understand and engage your workforce, organisations need to combine data with context, empathy, and real-time feedback. It’s not about collecting more data—it’s about listening better and acting faster.

Because at the end of the day, employees don’t just want to be heard—they want to see that their voices lead to meaningful change.

Let’s dig deeper. Are these policies truly supportive, or are they just another corporate checkbox?

The Stigma Around Mental Health in the Workplace

In many Indian workplaces, conversations about mental health are still met with silence or discomfort. Despite growing awareness, mental health remains a sensitive subject. Employees often fear being judged, labeled as weak, or viewed as less committed to their work if they admit they’re struggling.

A friend working at a leading firm in Mumbai once shared how, despite having mental health leave, she hesitated to take a day off during a particularly stressful period. She worried that her manager would question her dedication. This isn’t a one-off case. It’s a pattern.

Why Employees Hesitate to Take Mental Health Days

1. Fear of Judgment:
   Many employees fear being labeled as unproductive or unreliable if they admit to mental health struggles.
2. Lack of Trust in Management:
   If leadership doesn’t openly support mental health initiatives, policies feel hollow.
3. Unclear Policies:
   Vague or poorly communicated mental health leave policies leave employees unsure about how to use them.
4. Workload Pressure:
   Some employees feel their workload is too heavy to justify taking a day off, fearing they’ll fall behind.
5. Cultural Norms:
   In high-performance cultures, overworking is often glorified, making it hard to step back.

How Companies Can Bridge the Gap

1. Normalize Mental Health Conversations:
   Leadership should talk openly about mental health, sharing their own experiences where appropriate. When leaders lead by example, employees feel safer to be honest.
2. Educate Managers:
   Train managers to handle mental health discussions with empathy and discretion. Managers should encourage their teams to prioritize well-being.
3. Clear and Accessible Policies:
   Ensure mental health leave policies are clear, easy to understand, and communicated regularly. Remove complicated processes for availing leave.
4. Protect Privacy:
   Employees should feel confident that their mental health concerns will be handled privately and respectfully.
5. Promote Work-Life Balance:
   Encourage regular breaks, reasonable workloads, and clear boundaries between work and personal life. Flexible hours can also make a huge difference.
6. Offer Professional Support:
   Provide access to mental health resources—counseling services, helplines, or wellness programs. Companies like Infosys have started integrating such initiatives into their culture.

Real-Life Examples

• SAP India: SAP India offers mental health resources, counseling services, and has mental health ambassadors within the company to create a safe environment.
• Tata Steel: They introduced an employee assistance program offering confidential counseling and wellness services to support mental well-being.
• Swiggy: Swiggy provides mental health leave and has partnered with mental health platforms to offer employees access to therapy and counseling.

What Employees Can Do

1. Know Your Rights:
   Familiarize yourself with your company’s mental health policies and how to access them.
2. Speak Up:
   If you feel safe, have honest conversations with your manager about workload and well-being.
3. Support Colleagues:
   Encourage a culture where taking mental health days is accepted and respected.
4. Set Boundaries:
   Protect your own mental health by setting boundaries with work hours and workload.

Final Thoughts

Offering mental health days is a step in the right direction, but it’s not enough. Companies must actively create environments where employees feel safe and supported in prioritizing their mental well-being. Real support goes beyond policy—it’s about building a culture of trust, understanding, and genuine care.

After all, mental health days are only helpful if employees feel comfortable taking them.