Do you wish your team would act in the company’s best interest? Then you need to earn your employee’s trust and loyalty. 

We previously talked about employee engagement, and we spoke of the most significant components that affect their engagement. But aiming for loyalty is going one step further. 

We can define Employee loyalty as employees who devote themselves to their organisation’s success and believe that being an employee of this organisation is in their best interest. Not only do they plan to remain with the organisation, but they do not actively seek alternative employment opportunities.

Focusing on employee loyalty is not simply about reducing turnover or making your employees happier within their jobs. It’s about establishing that sense of loyalty, trust and ownership that will drive them to put the company’s interest first. 

A loyal employee will not only work harder but will also be your strongest advocate. Every employee talks about their company, but they don’t all say the same thing.

There are two fundamental factors when talking about loyalty

Reciprocity. You wouldn’t be loyal to someone who doesn’t reciprocate. If you wish for people’s loyalty, you need to be faithful to them. Show that you are consistently looking out for their best interest. 

Authenticity. You can’t fake it; there is no way around this. Loyalty has to be authentic. People don’t need nice words or well-written slogans. They want absolute trust and commitment. They wish to feel like they belong. 

Some big companies spend a lot of time, energy and money on defining their company culture without majoring in the actions to back it up. Without action, these become meaningless words that people see through pretty fast.

Some tips to improve employee loyalty

Make them feel part of the company

Don’t be a dictatorial leader. Ask for their input and take it into account. People love to be heard and be proud of what they do.

• Involve them in the decision-making process. 
• Challenge people to own their duties. 
• Listen to what they have to say. 

Align with their personal goals and purpose

Make sure you act in their best interest and be there to help them achieve their objectives. As a leader, you can help them evolve in many ways. 

Focus on progress and development

Most people want to advance in their careers, so make this a genuine commitment on your part to reinforce loyalty.  

• Offer courses and training that will facilitate their growth and development. 
• Give them access to people or teams in the company where they can learn. 
• Present them promotion opportunities before finding an outsider. 

Nurture your team

The same way you would nurture relations with friends and family, care for your work relationships. Sometimes the whole reason you last longer in a business is that you care for the people you work with. We invest a lot of time into our work, so understandably, we want to spend it with people who we are comfortable with. Provide a safe space where people can be themselves and get to know each other on a more personal level. 

“Don’t push your loyal employees to the point they no longer care”. Even if your employees are loyal to you or the company, it doesn’t mean your job is done. Keep nurturing that relationship every day. Be consistent. 

Offer benefits that align with people’s needs

As a company, you can offer your employees many perks and benefits, but if they aren’t centred around their needs, then they won’t fulfil their purpose. 

There is no one size fits all. For small companies, it may be easier to involve their employees in the decision-making process. Whilst for bigger companies offering promotions may be a more manageable and more meaningful way to help their employees feel more valued and involved in the success of the company.

Different people have different needs; your job is to figure out what they are searching for and assist them however you can. 

You need to think what’s the best way for you to create loyalty between your employees and then commit to them. 

Benefits of employee loyalty

Creating loyalty is complex, and it doesn’t happen overnight, but it will have extraordinary benefits:

• Establishing deeper and stronger relationships.  
• Greater innovation and collaboration. 
• Higher employee advocacy. 
• Reduced turnover. 

My conclusion…

Sometimes it’s easier to believe that we can fix everything with higher salaries or solve the problem with money, but you can’t buy your employees’ loyalty. If their motivation is orientated around that then they will continually move to the highest bidder. 

A team that not only works for you but feels part of the company requires a lot more than money. As a silver lining, it will give you better, longer and more authentic results.