Why Workplace Values Fail — And How Leaders Can Fix Them

Workplace values are everywhere — on posters, websites, onboarding documents, and leadership decks. But are they actually helping people make better decisions? In this episode of Relationships at Work, host Russel Lolacher talks with Yvonne Jackson about turning values into practical tools for leadership, accountability, equity, and culture-building. They explore why values need behaviours attached to them, how leaders can use values as decision filters, why equity must be embedded into systems, and how team norms differ from organizational values. In this conversation, we cover: Why values should be decision-making tools How to operationalize values beyond posters and statements The connection between values and accountability How equity shows up in systems, policies, and talent decisions Why team norms matter, but should not replace organizational values How leaders can start applying values to real work immediately Guest: Yvonne Jackson, resilience educator, strategic alignment consultant, and founder of SocialEDG