Loyalty gets a lot of attention from managers (especially when they’re hurt that someone’s quit).
But we should focus more on commitment, less on loyalty.
Loyalty has the potential to be abused.
It’s often positioned as something that should be prioritised (especially by employees, lest they be seen as ungrateful), irrespective of what’s their working conditions.
Loyalty can be abused by organisations and old school managers to suppress employee mobility. Allowing them to treat them poorly, while at the same time pressuring them to stay (because, “loyalty” 🤷♂️).
I prefer the idea of commitment. I think of commitment as being a willingness to persist with something, even when it’s hard. To take a long term view of the payoff, even if it sometimes requires short term sacrifice. And to problem solve and work on problems together, when they inevitably pop up.
Commitment – in any part of life, whether are work or in our personal relationships – doesn’t ask us to tolerate situations that don’t serve our long term interests. And much less abusive ones.
And commitment in the workplace should go both ways. For example:
- Committed organisations let underperforming employees know early about performance problems and are willing to give them reasonable clarity, support and time to address those issues
- Committed employees speak up about issues they’re experiencing at work, and give the organisation reasonable time to address them
- Committed organisations and employees work together towards better long term outcomes for both parties, with balanced give and take in the short term
Must commitment last forever? No.
But it requires us to be unequivocally “in” until such time we’re not. Until we’ve clearly communicated – on behalf of ourselves or the organisation – that our needs are changing and we’re planning a shift.
