Loyalty makes you stick to your job
May 25, 2008
MOST people would like to stay at their companies forever. This is partly because it is a hassle to look for a new job although their jobs may not be perfect.
By Fred Ouma
MOST people would like to stay at their companies forever. This is partly because it is a
hassle to look for a new job although their jobs may not be perfect.
However, there is usually one thing that is bad enough for people to put their resumes back into circulation.
For example, George says that after two years at his job, he needed to start looking again.
“I love the work I do. I just can’t stand my boss.†Then Lynn, who told a friend recently: “I love my boss and the company. I can’t stand the work I do.â€
A recent survey seems to concur that employee loyalty is still alive.
Talking to over 2,600 human resource managers in eight countries and over 1,400 employees in the US and United Kingdom, Manpower Inc. concluded that loyalty has increased in the past three years.
Some interesting highlights from the survey show that loyalty sags noticeably among employees with three to five years on the job.
Women are more loyal towards their employers (76%) than their male counterparts (68%).
The most loyal bunch seems to be government employees, with the lowest turnover. These employees say “strong teamwork†is the most important force that keeps them put.
People in service jobs say “open and honest communication†is most important to them, while workers in manufacturing rank “job interest and variety,†as the most important.
Loyalty comes in a variety of shapes. Fifty three percent of the employees are “mutual loyalists.†They are loyal to their employer and believe this loyalty is deserved. They claim their efforts and performance are rewarded with investment from the company.
“Blind loyalists†make up 19%. They are loyal even though they do not feel the company deserves it.
“Mercenaries†make up 6%. They feel the company deserves their loyalty but have none towards it.
“Saboteurs†make up 21%. They not only feel the company does not deserve their loyalty, but also do not feel any loyalty towards the company. However, one in four of these people criticise the company.
The best way to make everyone happy is strong teamwork, open and honest communication and keeping the job interesting. But if that is not the case where you work, do not give up hope.
Experts say you can influence some issues to some degree.
Say, for instance, like Lynn, you hate your job but like the company. If you are like most folks, says Richard Walusimbi, a customer service trainer, you are waiting for the company to fix that.
“Many people whine all the time that it’s their company’s responsibility to develop their career,†he says.
“Management, on the other hand, insists it’s up to their staff to initiate career development.â€
If you are either George or Lynn, Walusimbi advises that you better become “Mr. Fix It.â€
“If you are not where you want to be in your company, look around and see where you would like to be and work towards that,†he says.
Walusimbi suggests that you ask some of these questions: What job interests you? Why would you be good at it? What job could you create that the company needs? Do you need new skills or education to do it? What would that take?
Develop a proposal with all the details and talk to your boss about it.
“Companies do not want to look for your replacement either,†he notes. “A friend told me recently that her company had gotten wind that she was job hunting. They told her how much they valued her and asked how they could make her happier.â€
Patrick Okee, a workplace researcher with Real Surveys, concurs there is nothing better than having a working relationship between you and your company that is mutually loyal.
“Look at how you can take the lead and turn that dead-end job into a two-way street to another level of satisfaction,†Okee concludes.
MOST people would like to stay at their companies forever. This is partly because it is a
hassle to look for a new job although their jobs may not be perfect.
However, there is usually one thing that is bad enough for people to put their resumes back into circulation.
For example, George says that after two years at his job, he needed to start looking again.
“I love the work I do. I just can’t stand my boss.†Then Lynn, who told a friend recently: “I love my boss and the company. I can’t stand the work I do.â€
A recent survey seems to concur that employee loyalty is still alive.
Talking to over 2,600 human resource managers in eight countries and over 1,400 employees in the US and United Kingdom, Manpower Inc. concluded that loyalty has increased in the past three years.
Some interesting highlights from the survey show that loyalty sags noticeably among employees with three to five years on the job.
Women are more loyal towards their employers (76%) than their male counterparts (68%).
The most loyal bunch seems to be government employees, with the lowest turnover. These employees say “strong teamwork†is the most important force that keeps them put.
People in service jobs say “open and honest communication†is most important to them, while workers in manufacturing rank “job interest and variety,†as the most important.
Loyalty comes in a variety of shapes. Fifty three percent of the employees are “mutual loyalists.†They are loyal to their employer and believe this loyalty is deserved. They claim their efforts and performance are rewarded with investment from the company.
“Blind loyalists†make up 19%. They are loyal even though they do not feel the company deserves it.
“Mercenaries†make up 6%. They feel the company deserves their loyalty but have none towards it.
“Saboteurs†make up 21%. They not only feel the company does not deserve their loyalty, but also do not feel any loyalty towards the company. However, one in four of these people criticise the company.
The best way to make everyone happy is strong teamwork, open and honest communication and keeping the job interesting. But if that is not the case where you work, do not give up hope.
Experts say you can influence some issues to some degree.
Say, for instance, like Lynn, you hate your job but like the company. If you are like most folks, says Richard Walusimbi, a customer service trainer, you are waiting for the company to fix that.
“Many people whine all the time that it’s their company’s responsibility to develop their career,†he says.
“Management, on the other hand, insists it’s up to their staff to initiate career development.â€
If you are either George or Lynn, Walusimbi advises that you better become “Mr. Fix It.â€
“If you are not where you want to be in your company, look around and see where you would like to be and work towards that,†he says.
Walusimbi suggests that you ask some of these questions: What job interests you? Why would you be good at it? What job could you create that the company needs? Do you need new skills or education to do it? What would that take?
Develop a proposal with all the details and talk to your boss about it.
“Companies do not want to look for your replacement either,†he notes. “A friend told me recently that her company had gotten wind that she was job hunting. They told her how much they valued her and asked how they could make her happier.â€
Patrick Okee, a workplace researcher with Real Surveys, concurs there is nothing better than having a working relationship between you and your company that is mutually loyal.
“Look at how you can take the lead and turn that dead-end job into a two-way street to another level of satisfaction,†Okee concludes.