Loyalty in employees says more about your business than it does about the employee’s morals, traits, and ethics. According to Donald Trump, the top trait he values in an employee above tenacity, fight, or results is loyalty. When an employee is loyal, it is not just saying something about that person, it is also saying something about your own company.
A company with a high retention rate means you are doing something right and that your company is appreciated and valued by your employees. If a company starts to lose a lot of loyal employees, they need to look at what changed, make adjustments and do it quickly before it begins to effect the bottom line.
Creating loyalty is important from day one when you first hire an employee, but how do you cultivate that loyalty from a company standpoint?
1. Speak to your company’s values when hiring new employees
While you might not remember the first day you hired a new employee, chances are it is a memory they will carry around with them for the rest of their employment with your company. The first impression lays the foundation for the future. If you have an eager and energetic employee, do your best to maintain that energy within them. Speak to your company’s values and company culture at every opportunity. Introduce them to what makes the company special and by extension, them special. Equally, take the time to listen to them and what is important to them in a company.
2. Allow employees freedom to exercise what is “right”
This is difficult for larger companies that are bound by corporate policies, but when you give an employee the empowerment to complete a project, solve a problem or fix a situation using the best recipe for success instead of always abiding by corporate policy, they are able to satisfy a lot more customers as well as feel good about what they accomplished. This also says a lot about your company values! A company that is willing to find the perfect solution for each individual situation is much more likely to have an increased morale within their employees.
3. Recognize your employees and company partners
Hard working employees need to be rewarded for continued motivation and self-worth within a company. An employee that is continually recognized for accomplishing goals and exceeding expectations will continue pushing hard and remain loyal to your company. Even recognizing partnering companies says a lot for your company and shows how you create a positive workplace that everyone wants to be involved in.
Loyalty matters. When loyalty grows naturally and without boundaries, your company always benefits in the short term and long term.