Loyal employer. Loyalty to the employer is beginning to become a thing of the past. Loyalty development programs

Loyal employees are ready to put up with the company’s temporary difficulties and accept the necessary organizational changes. Such employees value their workplace in this company. They not only strive to do their job as best as possible, but they often encourage their colleagues to do the same. Only loyal employees are ready to take a creative approach to solving emerging problems, take responsibility, and make every effort to achieve the company's goals.

Loyalty and trustworthiness

According to the famous Russian trainer-consultant K.V. Kharsky, loyalty determines the expectations, attitudes of employees, and the characteristics of their working behavior. Loyal employees use all resources and reserves to achieve maximum work results. They are able to engage in self-education on their own initiative and seek advice from specialists. In addition, loyalty is an important condition for the company’s security, which has a significant impact on the reliability of employees. For example, the secretary, company security officers, and managers at all levels of management cannot be disloyal to the company, and in particular to the management.

The connection between loyalty and company viability

Since the topic of loyalty is quite new for domestic scientific and practical literature, there is a need to define this concept. Loyalty is sometimes identified with the trustworthiness of staff, but these concepts are not synonymous. Theoretical inaccuracy can lead to certain practical errors in working with personnel. An example of such a mistake is an attempt to study the loyalty of a newly hired applicant for a vacant position, instead of focusing on the personal prerequisites of trustworthiness. So, the trustworthiness of an employee is defined as a person’s compliance (desire to comply) with legal and moral norms accepted in a given group. Trustworthiness is sometimes interpreted as law-abidingness. Trustworthiness, therefore, acts as a characteristic, a personality trait.

And loyalty is acceptance, a person’s positive attitude towards something specific. Experts note that the basis of loyalty is the desire to be useful, devotion, and avoidance of what can harm. Staff may be loyal to the company's management, clients - to the company providing the services. If an employee is loyal to the manager, then this implies recognition of the high level of his competence, respect, and the authority of the manager in the eyes of this person. Sometimes such loyalty includes a feeling of sympathy, empathy, and a willingness to sacrifice one’s interests. Loyalty of clients, consumers of a company, is associated with recognition of the high quality of its goods, services, and trust in the personnel of this company. Consequently, loyalty is an indicator of a person’s attitude towards a certain object.

Mandatory loyalty attributes:

Honesty towards the object of loyalty
- sharing basic beliefs and values with the object of loyalty
- worry about the success of loyalty
- open demonstration of loyalty, friendly attitude
- readiness to prevent danger to the object of loyalty
- willingness, if necessary, to make certain sacrifices in favor of the object of loyalty
- a sense of pride in being involved in the object of loyalty
- desire to best perform assigned duties, functions, mission

The difference between the concepts under consideration is that trustworthiness is a largely unrelated to anything (to a specific object) characteristic of a person. And loyalty has an object of focus. However, these concepts are closely related. An employee’s loyalty is one of the factors that ensures his reliability in a given company, i.e. his desire to comply with technological and legal requirements, defend the interests of the company, and not intentionally cause damage to it.

Close in meaning are loyalty and devotion, fidelity. Sometimes they are used as synonyms. But these concepts also have different semantic connotations. Commitment can be considered the highest level of loyalty.

In each specific case, in relation to individual people and in relation to various objects, loyalty and trustworthiness can be combined in different ways:

Trustworthy and loyal (for example, the employee strives to honestly comply with all norms and regulations and has great respect for management)
- unreliable, but loyal (a person who has a penchant for theft, fraud, but for certain reasons recognizes the authority and competence of the company’s management)
- trustworthy, but not loyal (in general, a very law-abiding employee can be extremely disloyal to the company, realizing that management is treating him unfairly)
- unreliable and disloyal (perhaps the most dangerous combination, when the tendency to violate norms is enhanced by a negative attitude towards the company and its management)

Within the same company, it is also possible to combine loyalty and disloyalty of the same employee to various objects. In one of the state law enforcement agencies, I observed a seemingly surprising phenomenon: an employee hated the company in which he worked, but was loyal to his immediate superior, on whom his promotion depended.

Loyalty levels

From the point of view of studying the loyalty of company employees, making forecasts of their behavior, and planning activities aimed at increasing loyalty, an idea of loyalty levels is of great practical importance. The very idea of distinguishing between several levels of loyalty was proposed by K.V. Kharsky. By supplementing the levels of loyalty he described, we can construct a visual scale representing their ratio:

The scale has a zero point, indicating the so-called zero loyalty. Having this point is fundamentally important because it demonstrates that lack of loyalty is not disloyalty. An outsider who has not formed his or her attitude towards a certain object may have zero loyalty. Loyalty to the company may be close to this mark for a person who goes to work there, but is not informed about the features of its corporate culture.

According to K.V. Kharsky, employees whose loyalty does not have a pronounced positive or negative orientation can be considered as employees with zero loyalty. They can sometimes act as loyal, in other cases they can show signs of disloyalty. The main feature of such employees is that they are less predictable than loyal or disloyal employees. The increase or decrease in their loyalty significantly depends on whose influence they fall under at the beginning of their activities in a given company.

Above the zero mark on our scale there will be levels of loyalty, and below - disloyalty. Let's look at this scale, starting from the lowest points, that is, from disloyalty. Here we can distinguish two levels: hidden (secret) disloyalty and demonstrative (open).

Psychologists point to the following signs of demonstrative disloyalty:

Lies, deceit
- sarcasm, ridicule, disregard for values important to the object of loyalty
- consumer attitude, priority of personal interests
- violation of reached agreements, etc.

The danger posed by disloyal employees is related to their influence on other people. They destroy the values and beliefs of their colleagues and raise doubts about the appropriateness of certain actions.

Hidden disloyalty manifests itself as follows: being in plain sight, people regularly follow the prescribed rules and requirements, but the reason for such behavior is not a positive attitude, but fear of punishment or expectation of reward. Often, it is those employees who have hidden disloyalty who spread negative corporate rumors and gossip.

K.V. Kharsky gives several signs that help identify employees who have hidden disloyalty:
- after communicating with such employees, others change their positive point of view and positive attitude towards the company to the opposite;
- disloyal employees never openly challenge the orders and instructions of management, but set up or provoke others to criticism and indignation;
- in the presence of management, these people usually take an emphatically neutral position;
- There are multiple emotional connections between these people and openly disloyal employees.

At the organizational level, the consequence of employee disloyalty is high staff turnover. And this, in turn, increases the cost of searching, hiring and training new employees, increases the risk of leakage of trade secrets and other costs. Therefore, some companies are attempting to implement employee retention programs. The purpose of such events, in essence, is to increase the level of staff loyalty.

Above the zero point on the scale, loyalty levels are represented. The higher the level, the higher the degree of employee involvement and dedication.

The first level is loyalty at the level of external attributes. With such loyalty, a person is ready to wear distinctive symbols and signs of the company, branded clothing, signs symbolizing status in the company (for example, salesman, senior salesman, salesman-instructor). At the same time, as Konstantin Kharsky emphasizes, external attributes do not allow their owner to demonstrate disloyal behavior. As long as it is visible, the person will reproduce the behavior determined by these attributes. Therefore, “if you want temporary staff to be devoted to the interests of the company and praise the product when presenting it at a fair, put on branded T-shirts and caps.”

In companies specializing in the sale of certain goods, this level of loyalty assumes that company employees become active consumers of these goods. The opposite statement is also true: by encouraging the consumption of goods, we increase the level of people’s loyalty. This principle is actively used, for example, in network marketing.

Loyalty at the level of actions and behavior is associated with compliance with rituals, traditions, and customs accepted in the company. Such traditions can be a special tone in dealing with clients, formal and informal meetings (parties), etc. Employees who are loyal to the company at this level participate enthusiastically, or at least without difficulty, in such events. K.V. Kharsky notes that almost no effort or resources are required to create such a level of loyalty among employees.

Loyalty Observation Methodology

When diagnosing observational loyalty, it is necessary to take into account that the list of signs of loyal behavior can be increased or redesigned in accordance with the characteristics of the company’s corporate culture. Additionally, it is important to understand that employee loyalty is dynamic. And it can change significantly when the leadership style changes, for example, with certain management decisions.

Development and increase of loyalty

After determining the real level of loyalty, two questions arise: what level of employee loyalty will satisfy the company and how to increase it if it is not high enough?

Answering the first question, it should be noted that for most companies the first two levels of staff loyalty are quite sufficient. For the lowest executive level of employees, whose activities require strictly regulated and controlled procedures, even zero loyalty is sufficient. But middle and senior managers should have a higher level of loyalty. That is, the higher the position, the more loyalty it requires.

If the hired director does not become loyal at the level of conviction, then the owner should not expect much success in business.

Analyzing modern trends in personnel work, experts note a general decrease in the level of loyalty of people towards their employers. This, on the one hand, is due to the low level of competence of managers and executives, and their inability to purposefully form staff loyalty. On the other hand, the emergence on the labor market of a fundamentally new category of hired workers, who began to be called “knowledge workers” - “knowledgeable” or “workers armed with (possessing) knowledge.” Russian scientist S. Shekshnya emphasizes that the main feature of these employees is their ability to create new value through their own knowledge, rather than material resources. Unlike the proletarian of the industrial era, knowledge workers do not depend on the material factors of production; they already have everything they need to be productive. Therefore, such employees tend to behave more independently, change jobs much more easily, and maintain relationships with several companies at the same time.

The question of how to increase loyalty requires an analysis of its components. A generalization of modern publications on this topic gives grounds to identify at least three components of loyalty:

Staff trust in company management
- fairness of relations between the employee and representatives of the company administration
- job satisfaction

The development of loyalty, therefore, consists in increasing its components. Work aimed at increasing loyalty is cyclical in nature and consists of successive stages. The first stage is diagnostics (study) of the level of staff loyalty. The information obtained during the diagnostic process is the basis for making a decision about the need to increase loyalty and develop a loyalty development program. After implementing the program, it is important to receive feedback, i.e., again diagnose the level of loyalty and make sure of the effectiveness of the implemented program. Naturally, the implementation of such a cycle is extended over time and is designed for the long term.

Work related to the development of staff loyalty is usually assigned either to employees and heads of human resources departments of companies, or to external consultants. But, as experience shows, developing loyalty usually requires a significant change in management style (leadership style), introducing serious organizational changes and improving corporate culture. Therefore, the successful implementation of programs to increase staff loyalty is impossible without the direct participation of the company’s top management.

To successfully implement measures to develop loyalty, K. V. Kharsky suggests observing the following conditions:

1. The owner and senior management of the company should be interested in such work. They are the ones who make the decision to implement the program.
2. The owner of the company must be prepared for subsequent changes, material and intangible costs necessary to implement the plan.
3. The person responsible for implementing the plan must have a status in the company that will allow him to coordinate the efforts of various services and departments.
4. The company is interested in long-term relationships with those employees in respect of whom the loyalty development program is being implemented.

A loyalty development program may include defining or adjusting the company’s long-term and short-term goals and value guidelines. Initially, you need to predict contradictions and obstacles in achieving your goal. In some cases, it may be necessary to get rid of some disloyal employees who are hindering the implementation of activities. Just as with any other organizational change, it is important to create an active support group. It’s sad to admit, but employee loyalty, like customer loyalty, often has its price. Therefore, such work often involves additional financial costs.

Experts are convinced that creating employee loyalty is the best investment that can quickly and significantly increase the company's efficiency.

Turning a neutral employee into a loyal one is not an easy journey. It is impossible to predict in advance how long this process may take. And the strength of the resulting result cannot be verified until someone tries to destroy it. And yet, many companies are making attempts to increase staff loyalty. In any case, this concerns the loyalty of leading specialists, on whose work the viability and very existence of the company depends.

Konstantin Kharsky, expert on loyalty and business ideology

Every leader wants his subordinates to begin their official duties with zeal. Indeed, I want them to come to work with joy, and move mountains during the working day. Therefore, it makes sense to ask what loyalty is. They should work solely for the idea and without worries about increasing wages.

What is the concept of loyalty?

Many managers, dreaming of a loyal employee, mean a trustworthy person. But these concepts are significantly different. Integrity is about following the norms, laws and rules that are accepted in the organization. But such actions may simply be a formality. Loyalty is based on the goals and desires of employees, which must completely coincide with the aspirations of the company.

What is employee loyalty? This is a situation where each employee strives to achieve the company's goals in his activities. This becomes possible if the aspirations coincide with his own vision of the future of the organization. Such a person is ready to put up with the current requirements of the company, as well as accept a number of others. If a company plans to operate in the market for a long time, then it must take care of the loyalty of its staff. This point in the work should be one of the leading ones. It is very important to be able to motivate employees. After all, the success of the company depends to the greatest extent on how deeply the manager understands what the loyalty of his subordinates is. This is a very important quality. And in the absence of one, it needs to be developed.

Undoubted benefits of loyal employees

Why is employee loyalty so important for a company? It is necessary to increase the success of the organization. Loyal employees are people who are highly valued for a number of qualities. They have the following characteristics:

The company is experiencing temporary difficulties.
Accept all organizational changes that occur in the organization.
They value a job in a particular company.
They try to perform their official duties as best as possible.
They use a creative approach in their activities.
Demonstrate responsibility.
They make every effort to improve the company's performance.

The importance of trust in work

The basis of all interpersonal relationships is trust. First you should take care of him, and then figure out what loyalty is. In the workplace, trust is demonstrated between a boss and an employee. Once this quality is lost, loyalty also decreases. Therefore, maintaining trusting relationships between immediate supervisors, top managers and employees is of no small importance.

Nowadays, almost every person who enters the labor market chooses an employer. He independently searches for a suitable vacancy. In this case, a considerable number of criteria apply. As if the applicant should interest the employer with his candidacy. But this is not the only factor. The employer must also be interesting to the applicant. This becomes possible through building mutual trusting relationships. The company's loyalty program is built specifically on them. Moreover, this process cannot occur instantly. It is characterized by long-termism.

In the absence of trust, loyalty actually decreases. Information is also essential in getting dedication from a person. The loyalty program of a successful company should give employees a clear idea of the purpose of their work. A person experiences a desire to stop an action that he finds purposeless. When an employee lacks a sense of the company's goals, the quality of his work is greatly reduced.

In addition, with high rates of staff turnover and lack of initiative among employees, the atmosphere in the team deteriorates significantly. This leads to a decrease in the level of loyalty among colleagues. But if in a company there is external agreement among employees with all existing norms, then this is a signal. It is worth considering that such behavior does not actually indicate a complete consonance of interests. Most likely, such an attitude indicates indifference to what is happening in the office.

Mutual interests of the organization and employees

The management of any company must be, first of all, attentive to its subordinates. In this case, employees see that their opinions are noticed. That is, management values each employee’s vision of the situation. In this case, team members become bolder, think better, and express their point of view. There is no need to accept their wishes completely. It is enough to listen to all opinions and tell what exactly will be implemented. If there is a divergence of interests, you need to voice the reasons and make sure that employees understand everything correctly. Thus, the loyalty system creates in people a sense of involvement in what is happening. As a result, the level of trust increases. And a place to work in an organization where the staff is treated humanely is valued quite highly.

The importance of personal interests

Don't forget about the interests of your employees. They usually work not for an idea, but for the sake of earning money, career growth, a good entry in the work book, and gaining experience. The option of performing familiar duties in a “warm” place also has a right to exist. Therefore, an employer interested in the success of the company must take into account the personal wishes of its employees. Trust in the organization will undoubtedly increase if the manager uses an individual approach to each person. Increasing loyalty fails if cliché techniques are used. Employees see themselves treated as a faceless crowd. They quickly identify the behavior patterns of the company's top managers. And in their behavior they simply adapt to their superiors. There is nothing more behind this.

Employee Relations

When working, you should pay attention to relationships between colleagues. The more united the team is, the better the performance of the department or the entire company as a result. In any organization there are problem employees, as well as employees who are role models. But in this case, there is no need to identify the “axis of evil” and engage in its obvious elimination. This approach usually does not produce the expected result. You need to understand the situation by communicating with people. They must understand that a leader is not an overseer. A good boss is one who knows about the company's goals and how to implement them. Using the professional skills of each employee, a good manager will ensure that the company truly becomes successful. Employees see this approach and trust the organization more. They begin to take an interest in what is happening, reflect and introduce quite original ideas.

Incentive system

If a company has an incentive system, that's just great. Unless it should be monitored to ensure that all promises are actually fulfilled. Otherwise, the manager must go to the people who fulfilled the plan and say that there will be no increase in salary. He needs to explain the reason for what is happening. The immediate supervisor cannot say that the central office decided not to pay this bonus. He must explain the situation, for example, by the harsh machinations of competitors. This moment is very unpleasant. And usually such topics lead to a sharp decrease in employee trust in the company. If everything that the manager promises actually comes true, then employees work better. They trust the organization. Of course, they try harder to earn as many bonuses as possible.

That is, inducing employee loyalty is a very real task for every company. To do this, you need to show only a little attention to each subordinate in order to identify his personal expectations from this company. And based on this information, build relationships between this employee and the organization.

Mention of such a quality as loyalty is not found in every resume. However, it is precisely this property that employers value so much, and HR specialists pay attention to it when meeting a candidate in person. We can say that loyalty is one of the most important components of the “candidate minimum”, that is, the minimum set of skills, abilities and qualities that an applicant needs for successful employment.

Loyalty forarplata?

Millions of interviews are conducted around the world every year. A large number of specialists want to gain financial stability, prospects for professional and career growth, the opportunity for self-realization (all at once or separately) in exchange for their time, professional skill and reliability. At the same time, many companies are striving to hire dedicated specialists. However, it often happens that companies and candidates pass each other by. HR specialists are forced to reject candidates, and job seekers are forced to reject offers. And one of the most important reasons for such discrepancies is the lack of loyalty among candidates. What is hidden behind this word?

What does loyalty give?

In the context of a shortage of jobs in some professional fields, companies have realized that they can afford to be selective, take their time with decisions, carefully test candidates and at the same time pay closer attention to the goals that the specialist sets for himself, his readiness to work in a certain position in this particular organization. After all, for every self-respecting company it is important not just to recruit employees, but to invite specialists into its ranks who will be in their place and will not run away at the first offer from competitors.

Elena Tafintseva, Deputy Director of Human Resources of the company Sellwin “Employee loyalty is, first of all, an attitude towards the company, a sincere acceptance of all established and unspoken rules of interaction and relationships that have developed in the company, as well as an attitude towards working in the company not only as an opportunity to secure a source of income. A loyal employee is not in a purely business relationship, but also shows feelings of attachment to it, based on respect for the founders of the company, empathy for the business style and, as a result, implicitly becomes loyal to the company and connects his future with it.

This feeling occurs whenever a company offers more than just a business relationship. Everything here is aimed at creating feelings in this relationship.”

A loyal employee will have a rational approach to his own needs and the opportunities that the employer can provide, will treat the company’s difficulties with understanding, and will be ready to invest in the common cause, and not just pretend from 9 to 18 that he is fulfilling his duties. Ideally, for such a specialist, his own success will be inextricably linked with the success of the company. And one more very important point in the employer’s idea of loyalty: a loyal employee should not put the material issue at the center of his relationship with the employer, since awareness of his importance in achieving common success and good relations in the team are no less important for him than the amount of compensation.

Who evaluates a candidate’s trustworthiness and how?

Assessing loyalty primarily falls on HR specialists. It is the task of HR managers to weed out insufficiently motivated employees so as not to waste management time on them. And for this you don’t even need to use any special techniques or tricks.

“It is possible to predict whether a candidate will be loyal to the company in the future, and this must be done at the dating stage and before the employee gets a job in your company,” says Elena Tafintseva. – The resume itself, which indicates the periods of work in the companies, as well as the motives for the transitions, can tell a lot. At the interview, questions from the “Motivation” block will be able to tell how he evaluates the work in the previous company, what motivates a person when looking for a new job, and also what the person’s true values in life are. I think that we should not neglect the emotional component. At the level of sensations, an experienced recruiter is quite capable of feeling “his person” or not, even if the person’s professional competencies fully meet the requirements. This will be your clue to distinguish a candidate’s healthy interest in a company with a good image for long, fruitful and mutually beneficial relationships from the desire to “skim the cream” in the form of a competitive salary and an attractive social package, and this is the only motive for such an employee to work in your company.” .

Of course, many applicants have become literate enough to come up with some kind of convincing “legend” if everything is not going smoothly in their experience. And also rehearse your speech in order to remove negative connotations from it and describe your transitions in a neutral style. Such specialists give pre-memorized phrases to HR managers. But very few people are able to get into the role enough to believe in their own imagination.

Employers often mention “ sparkle in the eyes”, which they expect from applicants, that is, the candidate’s interest in the work, his motivation for successful work, for development, which benefits both the company and him personally. Of course, every specific employer dreams of seeing such interest in a potential employee. However, some candidates who are not too picky in their searches are ready to tell the employer anything so as not to sit at home, but to get the first job that comes their way. Having settled down, they, without straining too much, receive a guaranteed salary, and actively look around. This is especially true for the so-called jumpers, who often change jobs.

It will be a waste of time for the employer to hire such employees. Therefore, it is so important for experienced HR specialists to distinguish the true “glitter in the eye” from monetary interest or the desire to settle down in a “cushy place” so as not to “stress too much.”

Loyalty exists as a quality not in itself, it important for this particular company. It is the candidate’s inconsistency with the requirements of this particular company, his reluctance or inability to put up with its rules, that become the reasons for refusal in cases where the candidate’s professional qualities fully meet the requirements of the vacancy. After all, such a person may not work well with the manager, may not join the team, which will make both his colleagues and himself feel uncomfortable. However, the same candidate may be more readily accepted by another company that has a different corporate culture and values.

What do job seekers think?

Loyalty as understood by candidates is somewhat different from its understanding by employers. Many employees are ready to work conscientiously and honestly in the organization, spend their strength and creativity to implement the company's plans and be devoted to corporate ideology, but only with reasonable returns from the company. Moreover, this “reasonable return” varies from person to person. For some, it is enough that the company will comply with the material agreements reached and pay wages on time. At the same time, employees may be willing to work overtime without requiring additional payment for it, not go on vacation for years and not qualify for a significant promotion. But let's be honest: the number of such patient employees is rapidly decreasing, and the list of actions that a company must perform in order for its staff to be loyal to it is lengthening. Here are examples of requirements: career advancement, the opportunity to study at the expense of the company, payment of voluntary health insurance, provision of additional leave... Each employee has his own list. If the company meets the requirements, then the employee works in good faith. If a company violates its obligations, loyalty to it may disappear, and it cannot be said that this is not justified, because no one likes to work for half the salary and/or receive their hard-earned money once every six months.

Elena Tafintseva: “Each company takes an individual approach to implementing loyalty programs among its employees. After all, this concept is closely intertwined with the corporate culture of the company. In any case, caring for a person to one degree or another is a common thread. Companies that fail to build employee loyalty are putting themselves at greater risk. After all, a disloyal employee does not feel any special attachment to the company, and leaves the company much faster and easier without unnecessary regrets and remorse.

The areas of loyalty formation can be divided into two: material benefits and employee opportunities.

In the first case, the employee feels that he has a stable salary, the availability of compensation packages, health insurance, payment for fitness, and more. But if there is no second component of loyalty formation, then this will work until a higher offer is received from the labor market. The second nuance sometimes retains an employee more - these are opportunities. This can include anything you want: from functionality that is much more interesting than in other companies, broader powers in this position, the competence of the immediate manager, speed of decision-making on all issues in the company, participation in various projects, opportunities to study at the company’s expense, to real opportunities for career growth and the provision of a share in the business.

Ideally, it is necessary to maintain a balance and provide a complex of these two areas to build employee loyalty, as is currently happening in our company.

Why is this necessary at all? From $3.5 thousand. A company can save up to $50 thousand by increasing the level of employee loyalty. This is the cost range for a business to fire and then recruit and train a new team member.”

Generally speaking, from the candidates’ point of view, everything is simple: loyalty is a product that a company receives in exchange for certain guarantees, primarily monetary ones. It makes no sense to indicate a quality such as loyalty in a resume for posting on a website. After all, as stated above, this word has meaning only in relation to a specific company. If you are thinking of using this word to emphasize your interest when sending your resume to a specific position, then again O You should do this not in your resume, but in your cover letter. Better yet, mention this at the interview.

Reasons for disloyalty

It must be admitted that in the context of the economic recession (and the protracted job crisis in the labor market), the problem of loyalty has become even more acute. And the reason in many cases is the same - the dishonest attitude of employers towards applicants: they switch from official salaries to “envelopes”, incorrectly pay the promised percentage, do not give a well-deserved promotion, refuse to draw up an employment contract, pay full salaries, etc. d.

“An employee will be loyal if he understands that he can trust the company, will feel protection, dignity and confidence, will feel real advantages, as well as privileges in his relationship with the company compared to other employees working in other companies, -- Elena Tafintseva, deputy director of personnel of the company, is confident Sellwin . “He will feel like he is part of one big system in which he occupies an important place.” And employees, in turn, in such a situation will be ready to lend their shoulder to the company in case of temporary difficulties.”

Conscious choice

Reputable employers prefer to have loyal and honest employees in their workplaces. Those, in turn, dedicating their strength and skills, their experience and ideas to one or another company, expect that all their efforts will be appreciated. That is why it is so important for both sides not to make a mistake with the choice: the employer finds his employee, and the employee finds his company.

Even if you had to go through a not entirely pleasant experience, do not despair and believe that you will definitely find your dream company, where your professionalism and your dedication will be rewarded. And in order to achieve this, when accepting a job offer, a decision to move to another company or to create your own business that would allow you to become the one and only ideal employer, do not allow yourself to rely on the will of circumstances. Always make informed choices.

An employee’s loyalty to the employer is expressed in the employee’s positive and trusting attitude towards the company, a sincere desire to work and sometimes do even more than what is specified in the job description. It's no secret that people often don't trust employers and work exclusively within the scope of their duties and to receive the agreed salary. Such employees lack initiative and it is not surprising that every employer dreams of other “loyal” employees. But not all employers understand that employee loyalty begins with significant efforts by the employer to gain trust in itself. In this article I will talk about typical situations in which employers find themselves seeking the loyalty of their employees.

I help companies select qualified IT specialists, whose search is always difficult. Over the past years, I have deeply studied the problems of hiring and onboarding new employees, the reasons for unsuccessful hiring and dismissals, work processes within companies, and provided assistance in the onboarding of new employees. She worked with both Russian and international companies. My experience allows me to compare and understand the problems of employers.

Situation No. 1 - Employee’s expectations do not match reality

When an employee first joins a company, he is as loyal to it as possible. The employee consciously passed the interview and independently decided to work in the company, having studied information about the company and work processes. Next, the new employee begins to work, is actively involved in work processes and develops his own understanding of the company and a sense of himself within its structure.

This usually takes no more than one month. During this time, the employee compares his expectations formed during the hiring process with actual work experience. If the company meets the employee’s expectations, then he is happy to come to work and feels part of the company. Then he is ready to be not just part of the company’s business mechanism, but also ready to take on more than he is obliged to do under the employment contract. The employee believes that the company will reciprocate his loyalty, will be grateful, give him a bonus, and promote him over time.
Generally speaking, an employment contract does not oblige an employee to be loyal. The contract requires you to work within the agreed responsibilities and receive an agreed salary for it. Therefore, any loyal actions of an employee should be rewarded. This is how employees feel about their relationship with their employer.

But, unfortunately, it often happens that expectations do not coincide with reality. For example, in cases where the company initially misled the future employee. During the interview and during employment, they told and promised one thing, but in fact it turned out to be something else. The employee feels that he has been deceived, and then he usually makes one of two decisions. Or he quits immediately. Or, if life circumstances require it, he is delayed for a while. However, as soon as the opportunity to change jobs arises, he does so - unexpectedly for the employer and irrevocably. You cannot build a healthy relationship with an employee based on deception. Loyalty is built on trust.

Do not mislead or deceive candidates regarding working conditions and career prospects.
Be interested in the impressions of employees, especially during the adaptation period.
Demonstrate care and trust in employees in small ways.
Encourage initiative and loyalty.

Situation #2 - Poorly structured and non-transparent work processes

A company is a society in which an employee spends a significant part of his active time. It is important that interaction within the team is comfortable.

This does not mean that the employee comes to work to “relax,” but he is not at all interested in being unnecessarily tense. The employee expects to be shown and explained, given instructions and tools for work, and shown who to contact for advice or in case of problems. All this means that the company has established adequate work processes. An employee can work effectively, showing his potential to fulfill his professional tasks, and not to solve quests - who to contact in what situation.

A typical problem that we inherited from “Soviet” management is that professionals who know their specialty well, but are poorly competent in management issues, are often appointed to leadership positions. This leads to non-transparent work processes, “manual management” and absolutely everything being tied to the person of the manager. If the manager is busy, sick or absent, then none of the employees know what to do. As a rule, such a leader is forced to display authoritarian habits and solve many situations by “personal example.”

Another common option is when the leader withdraws himself from the life of the team and does not participate in resolving disputes and conflicts in the team. His position is “figure it out yourself, the main thing is give me the result.” Then an informal leader usually appears and begins to establish work processes according to his “concepts.” In difficult situations, employees do not know how to behave - either according to official instructions, or according to the rules of an informal leader. And there are many more such examples of poorly organized work processes.

The main thing is that in such unhealthy teams, employees experience daily stress. Even the most loyal employee eventually begins to hate his job and looks for an opportunity to leave the team. This often happens through a change of employer. A sudden dismissal may seem unexpected to top management, but it is quite natural, given the current situation.

What an employer can do:

It is worth paying considerable attention to the professional training of managers.
Leadership positions should be filled by people with both management experience and good communication skills and emotional intelligence.
Work processes must be clear and documented. A job description is not just a formality, but an effective tool to help in your work.
Collect and analyze employee feedback regarding the organization of work processes.

Situation No. 3 - Rejection of criticism from employees

If an employee criticizes the employer, this means that he is still loyal. He believes that his criticism can change something. When an employee stops expressing his attitude towards the employer and “closes down,” this means that his departure is only a matter of time.

In the process of work, an employee notices not only the good, but also the bad. Of course, he may be wrong or not fully understand the situation. However, by listening to criticism, you relieve tension in the relationship. You can also explain the situation and point out factors that the employee did not take into account. By giving the opportunity to speak out and listening to criticism, you definitely increase employee loyalty. Criticism is not always constructive, but after listening to it, you can find opportunities to improve the atmosphere in the team. Questions and wishes left unanswered are always bad. If an employee criticizes, it means he is rooting for a common cause, he cares about the company and wants it to become better.

A common mistake many companies make is to view criticism as “toxic influence.”

Ignoring criticism usually leads to its escalation. Criticism will not be toxic if you have a channel for receiving complaints and suggestions. A dissatisfied employee will not bother his colleagues with his complaints if you have a “box for complaints and suggestions,” and if there is, then any colleague will point the whiner to this channel for sending feedback.

For an authoritarian manager, it is often convenient to “survive” a dissatisfied employee and get him fired. This is how an illiterate manager solves his problem, but for the company as a whole, staff turnover is hardly a profitable idea.

What an employer can do:

Create a channel for collecting criticism and suggestions - a box of complaints and suggestions.
Regularly analyze incoming complaints and requests, publicly respond to them, taking into account some (or all) of them.
Analyze the real reasons for voluntary dismissals.
Train managers in the principles of working with criticism.

In this article I described only 3 problems that, in my opinion, are the most common.
If you have encountered other mistakes made by employers, be sure to write about it in the comments.

I would also be interested to know how your company increases employee loyalty.

To begin with, it is worth defining the term – what is staff loyalty. Loyalty usually means a high degree of employee devotion to the interests of the organization and decency towards it. In addition, loyalty can be considered the desire to defend the interests of the organization when interacting with clients and partners. Let's talk about loyalty, keeping in mind the first meaning of this term - devotion to the company.

So, what is employee loyalty expressed in? To answer this question, let's consider several important aspects.

1. Is it possible to measure potential loyalty when hiring?

One of the foundations of employee loyalty is the coincidence of his life and business values with the values of the organization. This can be assessed during an interview with a candidate using some projective questions (by answering questions about other people, a person “gives away” himself):

What is a good team?

What should a good leader be like?

What is success?

What is a good job?

The more the candidate’s answers coincide with the reality and values of the company, the greater the likelihood of his motivation and loyalty.

Another tool is a question that allows you to assess how much a person perceives the organization’s problems as his own:

Your colleague, neither a manager nor a subordinate, made a wrong transaction. You found out about this by accident. Only you have the information. Your actions?

The answer: “This is not my problem, not my business - he has his own boss,” indicates that the person does not consider the problems of the organization to be his own. All other answers (“I’ll talk to him,” “I’ll think about what to do,” etc.) indicate that the person, to a certain extent, cares about the organization.

There are many methods, including those that take into account the specifics of the pharmaceutical business, that allow you to diagnose the loyalty of a potential employee at the selection stage.

2. What is the difference between a person's integrity and his loyalty to an organization?

Very often these two concepts are confused. In fact, it often happens like this: a person is honest and will not steal or deceive the company under any circumstances. However, at the same time, he may not value his organization and absolutely calmly watch how others do it. A loyal employee must defend the interests of the organization, so it is very important that he values it, and also understands the “rules of the game” - what is considered right and wrong in the company.

So, you have hired people who are prone to loyalty. But will they actually be loyal?

3. The answer to this question also depends on how effectively you cultivate loyalty. How to do this:

Motivate your employees correctly. Each HR specialist has his own “motivator map” (a set of key motivational factors), the influence of which gives the greatest effect. It is important that managers are able to identify and use these motivators correctly.

Clearly define the “rules of the game.” This gives people confidence and stability, and therefore increases true commitment to the company. It is important to avoid replacing real values with ostentatious ones. You should not assume that those who sit at work until night and demonstrate their zeal in every possible way are loyal. Loyalty is best characterized by achieving positive results for the organization and adhering to the company's values, mission and rules.

Corporate culture, cultivated in the company and understood by the employee, is one of the very effective tools for increasing loyalty. A feeling of involvement in a common cause, pride in one’s team and company makes people more loyal. Clearly defined and shared values, team building work, and general corporate events - all this helps to increase loyalty.

The behavior of the immediate manager, who actually demonstrates dedication to the organization and cares deeply about the results of work, is another important tool for instilling loyalty.

Proper management of conflicts and changes is an essential condition for maintaining staff loyalty.

4. What to do if an employee is disloyal?

First of all, it should be assessed whether it is managed and motivated correctly. If the problem is weak leadership, you urgently need to learn how to manage people. And here again the technique of identifying and using the “motivator map” comes to the rescue.

If everything possible has been done in this regard, then probably the employee is simply not suitable for the organization, and the organization is not suitable for the employee. Or is it a consequence of incorrect selection. In such cases, it is better to part ways peacefully.

If a person is of particular value as a specialist, and the company is extremely interested in him, it is worth monitoring him as carefully as possible - after all, a disloyal employee is not so dedicated to the job and may be slack.

5. What methods exist for assessing the loyalty of working employees?

One of the most important techniques for assessing loyalty is observation. It is worth noting the following points in the employee’s work:

Is he focused on achieving an optimal result, is he ready to sacrifice additional time and effort for this?

Does he show initiative in optimizing business processes in his place;

Is the organization's resources, including financial, economical?

Are you ready to help others in order to achieve a better result?

Does he demonstrate himself in the team (not necessarily very active);

Does he offer something in return, criticizing the existing state of affairs;

When faced with a problem, does he look for solutions or explanations as to why this cannot be done;

Does he often speak poorly about the company and the activities of his colleagues;

How capable and inclined to defend the interests of the company.

Another option for assessing loyalty and motivation, and these concepts are closely related, is anonymous surveys, which may include the following questions:

What is satisfying and what is not about your job, team, company?

What positives and negatives do you see in the company's culture?

What do you consider to be the hallmarks of the team?

How many years do you plan to work in this position? In this company?

You can also use a survey using projective methods, and in the end see how many coincidences there are between employee expectations and reality. The more there are, the higher the loyalty.

A lot can be said and written about loyalty. This article has indicated only the tip of the iceberg - other aspects of this multifaceted topic require a separate, more detailed discussion.