I’m Loyal!

I’m sure you’re already imagining a young guy with slim fitted t-shirt on skinny jeans with red sneakers bending his knees as he uses both his hands to shake an older man in Agbada and says, ‘ah, bros, I’m loyal o’. Well, loyalty goes far beyond a handshake and a few words. Most people pledge their allegiance to football clubs and issues like party partisanship that doesn’t add long term value to their lives or the society as a whole. But do you know loyalty is valuable feature in the workplace? Loyalty is more than an act; it’s a character trait to be attained. One that will set you apart as an employee because, without loyalty organizational visions and goals cannot be fulfilled. Loyal employees get motivated beyond monetary rewards, they see the purpose behind the rules and understand the whys behind the systems put in place. When workers are having their happy hour discussions and throwing shade at their boss, a loyal employee won’t participate. Rather than criticize you in public, they would rather defend you and then confront you in private to share their concerns. And when it’s time to leave your organization, they let you down gently, giving you advanced notice because they know the impact their exit will have on the organization. But Loyalty is a two-way street. If people feel their companies do not have their best interest at heart, they will feel no reason to commit whole heartedly. For instance, in Nigeria, it’s typical for work places to not have designated nursing areas for mothers returning from maternity leave. Even the small scale business on the street want to work their staff to death with no break time or a break room. This certainly doesn’t inspire Loyalty to the company’s objectives and you find employees treating the job as a past time. If organizations go the extra mile to provide facilities/resources for their staff, it will endear the staff to that company. To restore sanity to our nation and get the most from our jobs, we need to go back to the drawing board and build a sense of loyalty. Here’s how we can create a culture of loyalty:

As a Boss/Leader

• When recruiting, and occasionally after employment, employers should have a face to face with each employee to discuss goals and expectations of both parties. Keep lines of communication open, it will help identify the root cause of job hopping for employees and plug the gaps in your organization.
• Loyalty begets loyalty so show your employees you have their back by giving out benefits and perks for the work they do. Genuinely care for your staff. Award those who go the extra mile, commend those who improve on their work ethic. Meet employees half way when they demand better facilities or make constructive criticism.Create a system of fairness, equality and justice.
• Invest in employees by encouraging their vision within the confines of the job. Place people in positions where their core competence is, and help them know that what they’re doing directly affects the productivity of the company.

Encourage team building among co-workers. Have a retreat where team building exercises are taught in a fun way and remind them of the objectives of the company.

As an Employee

• Be loyal to yourself by being of good character. Have a good heart, a sense of self-discipline and self-control. Be committed to your vision and seek to connect it to your company’s goals so you can thrive on the job. Avoid suspicion, confusion, pride, and mistrust which makes it hard for your superiors to be loyal to you in return.
• Your allegiance must be undivided. Don’t join or create factions that magnify the short comings of your boss. Don’t become over familiar with your boss. It’s your job to make your boss look good and ensure the company meets its goals. Understand your boss and work to cover up any perceived shortcomings to ensure the team meets the overall objectives of the organization.
• Develop ‘soft’ skills and continually seek to do the right thing. Help co-workers. Don’t abuse or misuse company properties. Ensure projects are completed, and place very high value on customer satisfaction which positively impacts the company’s image.

Most companies will rather have an employee that can use “…fifty percent efficiency to get one hundred percent loyalty.” The value placed on a loyal employee cannot be over emphasized in this season of recession and unemployable graduates. To move ahead in any organisation, be Loyal indeed.

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This article was first published on 22nd June 2017

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