Core Values have a reputation for being a \u2018nice list\u2019 on a corporate website, a list that can sometimes be far removed from the day-to-day interactions of the business, or a standard few bullet points about being ethical and having integrity \u2013 something added to a company\u2019s website once, but never revisited.<\/p>\n
Practically every organisation today has a set of Core Values that ideally should inform how the company operates daily. The goal of articulating the Core Values is to inspire and instruct the day-to-day behaviours of everyone who works at your company. However, this is not always the case, and many Core Values don\u2019t capture what is unique about the company, or can\u2019t be translated directly to the day-to-day \u2013 resulting in a disconnect between how the company sees itself and what drives its people.<\/p>\n
To be \u2018Core Values driven\u2019 isn\u2019t \u2018easy\u2019 \u2013 you can\u2019t develop a list that you will be proud of and forget about it \u2013 not if you want to scale your organisation while maintaining what makes you great at the heart of your company.<\/p>\n
Core Values in Our DNA<\/strong><\/p>\n Time and time again, when our employees and our customers are asked about what makes Version 1 so different to them \u2013 we hear about the Core Values they see in action \u2013 this is not accidental. It is through years of unwavering commitment to our Core Values \u2013 we do not compromise when it comes to the inherent values of our people, and our Core Values start in our people\u2019s inherent personalities, they are in their DNA.<\/p>\n Often, people choose a career for all the wrong reasons, and find their responses to the workplace are incompatible with their true\u00a0values. We are highly aware of this and when we hire, we explore our people\u2019s motives, values and attitudes in line with our Core Values \u2013 this way, we learn not only if they will be a fit for us, but ultimately, if Version 1 is going to be compatible with their true drivers and motivators throughout their career.<\/p>\n To get Version 1 to the point of consciously articulating our specific Core Values, it took a lot of looking inwards at what had been working for us and what we felt made Version 1 special.<\/p>\n Defining Our Core Values\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n A decade ago, the Version 1 management team sat down together to brainstorm about our Core Values, including myself. Our then HR Director asked us, \u201cIf aliens came down to earth, who is the person from the company that you would send out to talk to them?\u201d<\/p>\n Most of the group answered Ken MacMahon, a key executive at the time (and our current Head of Oracle Integration, ERP). We were then asked, \u201cWhat are the characteristics that made you choose Ken?\u201d After a further hour and a half, we had our Core Values.<\/p>\n What do Core Values Offer Our People?<\/strong><\/p>\n Living the Core Values is not only the secret to Version 1\u2019s success and longevity, but it also is attributed to our consultants\u2019 success at Version 1. Living our Core Values give consultants the freedom to be entrepreneurs within Version 1 and we deliberately select, empower and trust people who embody our Core Values and foster them every day.<\/p>\n The best thing, in my opinion that comes from our Core Values, is the independence that they offer our people, particularly when faced with challenging decisions. Our Core Values offer the reassurance and reinforcement to refer to in times of difficult decisions, particularly where following these instincts may involve \u2018going against the grain\u2019.<\/p>\n What Does This Look Like in Action? <\/strong><\/p>\n What Do Core Values Offer Our Business? <\/strong><\/p>\n So, why do we believe that we live our Core Values, and that they are more than corporate jargon to Version 1? It all comes down to the Version 1 Difference, our balanced approach to achieving Customer Success, Empowered People and a Strong Organisation \u2013 one that is measured every quarter and keeps our customers with us year on year. We operate to a sustained quarterly rhythm. Each quarter, across our Customers, our People and our Organisation, we set specific goals and survey satisfaction. If our impact flags in any quarter, or satisfaction dips, our teams react immediately with specific actions. Over time this outcome focused approach is guaranteed to make a real difference for our customers and builds strong, long term relationships.<\/p>\n Achieving equal success every quarter for our customers, our people and our organisation is what makes Version 1 unique, but it\u2019s not easy. This is why is why our Core Values can\u2019t be corporate jargon, why they are not \u2018nice to haves\u2019 and why they need to be part of our DNA. Our success depends on every person in Version 1 sharing the same DNA and behaviours at heart, as every single decision we make is governed by these Core Values.<\/p>\n If you are familiar with Version 1, you will know that these values can be seen deeply engrained in our day-to-day operations internally, at our customers\u2019 businesses externally, in our personal interactions, at board level and in our offices, regardless of how much Version 1 has scaled. Most importantly, our customers will tell you this when we are not in the room.<\/p>\n Conclusion: Why Your Core Values Shouldn\u2019t Be Corporate Jargon<\/strong><\/p>\n With the company\u2019s Core Values as a guide, I honestly believe you are enabling your people to be entrepreneurial within a large organisation, no matter how much you grow. By living our Core Values, our people can skip the frustration or confusion of wondering whether they are making the right decisions and jump straight to problem-solving.<\/p>\n In the absence of Core Values, rules and policies are amplified tenfold \u2013 just in case something detrimental happens due to employees not making the \u2018right\u2019 choice. This can stifle Innovation and is an extremely difficult way to \u2018police\u2019 your organisation if you are to scale and grow in the future.<\/p>\n Your Core Values shouldn\u2019t be corporate jargon, because when it comes down to it, where there are no policies, no experience of this problem, or no-one to advise of a route forward. Core Values act as a compass for your people, guiding them to ultimately feel that they made the right decision. Opinions can always differ, but once you are trusting your instinct and the Core Values, you can feel confident that you are doing the right thing.<\/p>\n The DNA of Version 1 <\/strong><\/p>\n This year, as we passed our 1000th<\/sup> employee milestone, we decided that it was time to share our culture guide, <\/em>The DNA of Version 1.<\/a> The range and capability of technology today is truly amazing but, without great people, nothing happens. Those with the ability to see what is really needed, the tenacity to jump all the hurdles and remain customer focused \u2013 they are the ones that make the real difference, and that is why the DNA of our people is so unique. Time and time again our customers reference their unwavering confidence in our values, and in our people. This isn\u2019t a coincidence, and if you want to learn more about what it is like to be a Version 1 employee, or what it is like to work with us as a customer, discover our DNA.\u00a0<\/a><\/em><\/p>\nOur Six Core Values <\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n
\n
![\"dna-version-1-core-values\"](\"https:\/\/www.version1.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/The-DNA-of-Version-1-1.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"