October 16th is World Values Day! A brilliant opportunity to step back and ask a simple but important question: what do values really mean in our organisations?
For years, many companies have approached values in the same way. They run a big campaign, print posters, create screensavers, add some nice graphics to lanyards, and roll out the “new values” with plenty of buzz.
The problem? A few weeks later, most employees can’t remember them. Why? Because words on a wall, or a cupcake, don’t change how work feels.
Employees don’t judge values by a shiny campaign. They judge them by what they experience every day.
Think about it:
- A poster might say “We value collaboration.” But if teams are rewarded for competing, that poster is meaningless.
- A screensaver might declare “We put people first.” But if employees don’t feel listened to in times of change, the screensaver rings hollow.
- A lanyard might list “We respect each other.” But if leaders dismiss feedback in meetings, the lanyard becomes a symbol of cynicism.
The truth is, values only come alive in moments that matter: when decisions are made, when recognition is given, when difficult conversations happen.
And this is exactly the shift we argue for in People-First Internal Communication (out December 3rd). Communication isn’t just about sharing information. It’s about creating experiences that people feel, remember, and believe in.
From campaigns to experiences
World Values Day is the perfect reminder that values should never be wallpaper. They should be part of how people experience work every day.
That’s why we’ve created the PFIC Labs — immersive, in-person training designed to help communicators move beyond content and start shaping experiences.
Each Lab blends PFIC Explorer foundations with one big leap forward:
- PFIC Strategy Lab (Explorer + Architect): Learn how to create a strategy blueprint that connects values to business outcomes and earns leadership respect.
- PFIC Leader Lab (Explorer + Leader): Develop your human superpowers — empathy, influence, and sense-making — so you can help leaders live values authentically.
- PFIC Design Lab (Explorer + Designer): Master the PFIC Design Loop and tools like journey mapping, empathy mapping, and prototyping to design communication as an experience, not a broadcast.
These Labs are practical, and deliberately small (just 15 people each). You’ll leave not just with new ideas, but with a recognised credential and a personal toolkit you can use straight away.
Why it matters now
AI is already changing the way internal comms works. Content can be drafted and distributed faster than ever. But AI can’t live values. It can’t sense a cultural gap. It can’t design the moments that matter.
That’s where communicators come in. By embracing the PFIC approach, we can help organisations stop talking about values — and start living them.
Join us
This World Values Day, let’s make a commitment. Let’s move away from posters and lanyards. Let’s design communication that makes values real in the moments that matter most.
📅 Nov 12 (Strategy Lab) | Nov 19 (Leader Lab) | Jan 21 (Design Lab)
📍 Central London
💸 £595 early bird / £695 standard
👉 Explore the PFIC Labs and book your seat today
Values can’t be wallpaper. They have to be lived. And we’re here to help you make that happen. 🚀
