Core values that matter: How they transform modern companies

In this article, Oksana Izmailova, CHRO at RedCore, explores how clearly defined corporate values can shape company culture, strengthen employee engagement, and drive long-term business growth.

Want to know if a company’s values are really strong and actually work in practice? Look at how decisions are made behind “closed doors.”

A quick test to understand whether your company’s values system actually works or is just a set of nice words on your corporate website: ask your managers what these values personally mean to them, and the answer will become obvious very quickly.

Because, at their core, corporate values are the people on your team, the atmosphere in your workplace, the processes and policies your specialists follow, and the principles behind how decisions are made every day.

Why does this matter?

If in your company each manager is guided by their “own set of rules,” the business inevitably loses, and significantly so.

According to Leadership IQ, employee engagement is 115% higher in companies with clear values and increases by another 135% when businesses consistently hire people who align with them.

At the same time, according to the same research, only 21% of companies include corporate values in employee performance evaluations, and only 20% of respondents say their company consistently hires people who strongly align with its values.

But perhaps the most important number is this: engagement increases by 107% when a company clearly defines the specific behaviors required to support its corporate values.

And what is employee engagement? It is your resource for growth, scalability, and efficiency.

Now I want to show you, through RedCore’s experience, how a strong values system can work in practice, drive real business results, and become more than just another slogan on the wall.

Ask yourself what truly matters for your business

Defining a list of values starts with this understanding.

For example, one of our key goals is to remain a market leader and create trends instead of simply following them. That is why “Be The First to Lead” became one of our core values.

And now I would like to show how this works in practice at RedCore.

Let’s take our product Frogo as an example. Today, it is a well-known Anti-Fraud solution on the market. But do you know how it appeared? It was created thanks in part to the work of our specialist, Volodymyr Todurov, who grew from Anti-Fraud Analyst to CEO of Frogo.

Originally, it was just an in-house solution. But at some point, it became obvious that a project with such functionality, adaptability, and innovation could succeed on the external market. And it did.

Once, we asked Volodymyr what he valued most about working within RedCore. His answer was: “If you are focused on results and committed to your goal, you will receive all the resources and support you need from the business group.” That naturally reflects another one of our values: “Be Focused on the Results.”

Results are the key driver of growth, and it is our specialists who scale RedCore. That is why we actively encourage proactivity and provide all the business group resources needed to develop ideas.

Frogo is a great example of this. And not the only one. This is also how some of our other B2B products were created, including Communications Hub, a solution for high-load digital industries. It is a unified platform for bulk messaging and service notifications that combines SMS, messengers, and flash calls into a single system.

At RedCore, if you take on responsibility, consistently deliver results, and demonstrate leadership, it never goes unnoticed. Just last year alone, more than 600 specialists received promotions, including career advancements and internal transfers.

What helps you stay one step ahead?

We constantly raise the standards both internally and across the market. This is what allows us to remain industry leaders.

At RedCore, every team member is expected to “Be an Expert in Your Domain” and never stop developing. For us, expertise is not about “I already know enough.” It is about constant movement: learning new things and immediately applying them in practice.

Just imagine the scale. Last year alone, we launched more than 40 courses in over five languages, covering everything from hard and soft skills to onboarding and leadership tracks.

And our specialists are actively involved not only in learning, but also in sharing knowledge with others. To support this initiative, we created the Knowledge Sharing Space, which includes sharing sessions, a media library, and professional communities. In just six months, we held 50 sessions with more than 1,500 specialists participating.

How do you unite teams?

You may have already noticed how interconnected all our values are. This synergy works on every level. That is why another one of our principles is “Be a Partner in Teamwork.”

We do not believe in the idea of “lone heroes.” At RedCore, we are convinced that strong results are created by teams. Specialists work closely together, support each other, and move toward shared goals.

Our corporate culture team has built a strong engagement and motivation system that includes regular events, internal communications, and self-driven communities. This creates an environment where specialists actively participate in the life of the business group and directly influence internal processes.

They see the value of their contribution, and they want to stay and grow with the company.

How do you not only unite teams but strengthen them?

There is another thing I believe is often underestimated, even though it directly impacts both businesses and teams: transparent communication and processes.

We build open dialogue, speak honestly, provide constructive feedback, and avoid overcomplicating things when they can be made simpler.

“Be Open and Honest in Communication” is one of our foundations. Specialists are not afraid to express ideas or admit mistakes. And one of the manager’s responsibilities is to provide honest feedback regarding work results.

At RedCore, communication always remains open and accessible without exception. Specialists can communicate directly with C-level leadership, ask questions, and suggest ideas.

At the same time, we also have a trust line for safe feedback, ensuring that any issue or concern can be raised openly.

I always tell candidates during interviews: be honest and do not be afraid to introduce yourself. Only then can we truly understand whether this environment is the right fit for you and provide exactly what you need. And in return, you will have the opportunity to fully unlock your potential.

As you can see, everything is much more complex, subtle, and interconnected than it may seem at first glance. Every value is deeply embedded into the life of the entire business group.

And this is exactly what creates an environment where the best products are born, where specialists grow and achieve success, and where people genuinely want to stay.

Now imagine yourself sitting in a meeting room with your team. Close the door. And answer honestly: when making decisions, do you truly follow your corporate values?