Loyalty is NOT a thing of the past
A recent article published on the Medium Daily Digest suggested that the days of corporate loyalty are over and employers have no care for their employees. The author quotes numerous statistics naming uber companies that were planning mass staff lay-offs.
I found the article negative, depressing and not representative of all big companies, nor of the more enlightened SME’s that are the majority of employers. In that regard, it was misleading and, potentially, even dangerous.
Thoughtful, strategic and considerate employers know that the relationships they have with their employees are vital to the success of their businesses. In fact, they are the most important business relationships. Employees are customer-facing and, as such, are the primary custodians of the brand of the business; employees are best-placed to know what’s working and what is not; the business cannot operate and grow without its employees.
It was tempting to write a counterargument “Employees Don’t Care About Your Business: The Days of Employee Loyalty Are Over and It’s Time to Control Your Workplace With an Iron Fist.” While there would have been a chorus of agreement from many business owners, such an article would have been equally unhelpful — and inaccurate.
Great workplaces exist where the employer treats employees as colleagues and there is an environment of trust, collaboration and mutual respect. Let’s face it, everyone — be they employee or employer — wants to enjoy their day at work. This can only come about where the employer knows that they can entrust most of the business operations to its employees and employees know their opinions are respected and they will be listened to.
If workplaces do not reflect this type of environment, there are ways and means to correct it.
John Matthew
johnm@switchdirections.com.au
