The core values of an organization are meant to be the foundation for all decisions made by that business. They are the lens that we use to define culture, influence our behaviour, and how plan to achieve our goals. Many companies have a vague or arbitrary set of core values that the folks at corporate came up. Most of the operations people don’t have the faintest idea of what core values of their company are.
Right now, could you, with 100% certainty, define your company's core values? Odds are, you might be able to get a small portion of what the core values are. But you wouldn’t be able come up with a fully correct answer on the spot.
At Armour Insurance, our core values are simple, clear, and impactful. Every person in the organization could tell you the Armour core values on the spot at any given moment. It’s rooted in the foundation of the company and every decision that gets made is guided by our core values.
What are the Armour Core Values?
Armour has 5 core values that come together to form the acronym HEART. What does that mean?
H – Humble
A modest approach to work. When things go well, we share the credit with everyone who was a part of it. When things go poorly, we shoulder that responsibility. Being humble is in part about being self-aware and respectful to those around you. Modest when you’re up, modest when you’re down.
The ideas of “I’m too good to do that” or “I don’t matter enough for that” are not in the Armour mantra.
E – Effective
On an individual scale, being effective has a different meaning to everyone in the organization. On a larger scale, effectiveness is about getting things done and measurably moving the needle. Being a resourceful person that sees obstacles as challenges to be conquered and not a problem to deal with. Adding value to any given situation makes you effective.
Being effective can be different for everyone. You don't need to be the top sales person to be effective.
A – Adaptable
In life, it’s not all that often that you can do the same exact thing, the same exact way, over and over again and reach new and greater heights. That’s why at Armour, we are constantly changing to meet what the market demands. If you try something and it doesn’t work, don’t get upset about it. Pick yourself, dust yourself off, and try something else.
Another aspect of adaptability is life-long learning. Business is constantly changing, and Insurance is certainly not immune to rapidly changing environments. Doing webinars, reading periodicals, and taking courses are all supported by Armour to keep everyone up to date. With adaptability as a core principle, it allows us to be agile and create new opportunities for Armour.
R – Respectful
What would the workplace be without respect? At Armour it is core value to respect the time and opinions of both our staff and clients. If you’re a part of a weekly meeting scheduled to end Friday morning at 11:45 AM, that meeting ends at 11:45 AM. It’s a part of showing that we value your time as well as our time.
For our clients, we know how frustrating it can be to call somewhere where you need service and have to wait on hold while you do it. Have you ever tried phoning an airline the Saturday before Christmas? Not a great experience. You’ll probably be waiting on hold for a considerable amount of time before you actually get a chance to talk to a human being. At Armour, we make sure that if you call, you can talk to someone right away, or we will arrange for a call back as soon as possible. We want to make sure that everyone’s time is respected.
T – Transparent
Transparency is not an element that is not usually associated with insurance companies. People usually see them as sneaky, cheap, and sometimes even downright villainous. However, Armour Insurance is trying to change that. At Armour we see transparency as more than just being honest with ourselves and others. Transparency is also being clear to each other and our clients; making sure clear expectations are set and clear communication is made. Additionally, Armour strives for total accuracy in our operations. Using transparency, accuracy, and clarity, we set ourselves apart from the pack.
How do we use it?
At Armour Insurance we try to exemplify our HEART as best as we can. One way that we do this is with our Kudos cards.
Any person in the organization can write a Kudos card for another staff member. If you think that someone that you work with has done an exceptional job of exemplifying the Armour core values, you can write them a Kudos card.
*Kudos cards are entered into a draw to win gift card each and every month.
We proudly display our HEART on our sleeve... And on our walls.
How does that sound to you?
Do you think that this would be a good fit for you? If you think you could be a good match for the culture, why not have a look at our jobs page and see if there's a position you might be interested in.
