Company loyalty is not a completely antiquated concept. In today’s world, with it becoming increasingly common for young professionals to change jobs frequently, company loyalty might seem like yesterday’s news. Sure, companies put significant emphasis on employee retention, but retention and loyalty are not the same thing, especially in a growing business. You can retain employees by putting in a moderate effort to keep them happy, but that should be the baseline standard, not the main objective. A company’s objective should be to create an environment where employees are inspired to work harder, to feel invested in the common goal, and to strive for the success of the group as well as their own. Company loyalty can still thrive – but only if conscious decisions are made to get there.
To foster team loyalty, a company must go the extra mile. It is exceedingly rare to gain a loyal team with nothing more than a rally cry – believing in the business plan can only go so far. Loyalty needs to be a two-way street. Businesses must take actions, both large and small, to prove to their employees that they are valued, that their work is important, and that they are an essential part of the company. When an employee feels loyalty from their employer, it’s easier for that employee to return it tenfold. If you expect your employees to go out of their way for the company, you must go out of your way for them.
As an executive at an industrial power company and a military spouse, I’ve realized over the years that businesses can learn an important lesson in generating loyalty from the Unites States Armed Forces. A military life is not an easy one. So much is demanded of our service members and their families. Yet for the last 4 years, the Army has had a reenlistment rate of more than 80% – well past its goal. If there is one group of people that knows a thing or two about the benefits of a unified and devoted front, it’s them.
There are many reasons for the loyalty seen within our military (the largest of course is fighting for a just cause). But one answer I’ve found applicable to the business world is the military’s celebration of wins. In recent years, I have attended numerous elaborate graduation and promotion ceremonies. The time and effort put forth celebrating accomplishments I found peculiar and quite possibly overkill when I first entered the military world. Now, I view them as absolutely necessary to the mission. The pomp and circumstance directly correlate to troop morale, and thus loyalty.
So how can this be adapted for the business world? Should we host galas when an employee is promoted from Field Engineer I to Field Engineer II? Probably not. (After all, the sacrifices of our men and women in uniform are far greater than anything seen in the business world.) But we should take steps to acknowledge the accomplishments of our employees whenever we can.
Whether it’s thoughtful handwritten cards, attending weddings, recognizing promotions, or creating a lighthearted point system to acknowledge daily accomplishments, we must do more if we expect more. We need to treat celebration with the seriousness that we treat deadlines and profit margins. Prioritizing celebrations and rebuking the “nickel and dime” mentality are a couple small actions that One Energy has taken down this path. Loyalty is earned. It can’t be taught or simply expected from any team. If we hope to grow an inspired team, we as executives must create a little more pomp and circumstance within our ranks.
Jessica Grosso is the Head of Project Planning and Technology at One Energy.
