Cultivating Employee Loyalty

Today’s employees choose their workplace according to different criteria than their predecessors. In the past, the key questions were: what is my career path? What opportunities are there for advancement? How can I get ahead? Fast forward a few years and the factors attracting an employee have broadened, so an employer value proposition has to take into account issues beyond self-advancement. Obviously, career satisfaction remains key – but people are no longer prepared to allow this to come at the expense of personal wellbeing. An article on Hrgrapevine.com reveals that 61 per cent of staff are ready to leave a job if they feel it affects their mental wellbeing. They also demand greater flexibility – a hangover from the work-from-home days of the pandemic. To ensure they can do so, or to do their jobs efficiently, they prefer workplaces that are quick to embrace enabling technologies. Although issues such as company culture and recognition are important to them, they are also interested in how the company treats its larger communities. The Hrgrapevine article states that 70 per cent of employees do not want to work for a company that does not have demonstrably strong values.

BUILDING A FOUNDATION OF TRUST

Against this backdrop, Desiré Pauw, executive: human capital at Momentum Investments, says: “To understand how you nurture loyalty in times of change, you must first understand that loyalty does not equate to one’s tenure or having a meaningful job. If you think about those employees who go beyond what is expected of them to leave a lasting impression on your clients and set up your business for success, they typically have certain things in common. “These include a strong emotional bond with your business, an understanding of the organisation’s purpose and their personal purpose and how this aligns with what you want to achieve and meaningful work that helps you deliver on your purpose.” She adds that creating lasting loyalty hinges on fostering a culture that drives an exceptional employee experience. That’s no small task, but it helps to have constant employee engagement and interactions that build a solid foundation of trust, Pauw says. “If employees trust your intent and know you have their best interests at heart – and your track record shows this to be true- they will continue to be loyal even in the face of significant change.”

Michael Gullan, CEO of G&G Advocacy, agrees that culture is critical, adding that supportive, collaborative cultures are most effective for retention. One way of achieving such an environment is by encouraging mentorship and exposure to exciting opportunities that stretch employees’ skills and to senior members of the organisation. This approach is embraced by John Skelton, chief people officer at The Capital Hotel Group. He explains that the employee of the month has a sit-down breakfast with the CEO to discuss the business. The company has further addressed issues such as quiet quitting by introducing unlimited leave, an employee self-service system and free training without clawbacks.

Training is a serious issue, continues Gullan. Employees want to know the content they receive is of the best quality, easily applied to their everyday situations and delivered through flexible, engaging training sessions. “Above all, you must meet employees where they are. You have to understand that today’s workplace is made up of different generations with different expectations and needs, and address them accordingly.”

Inclusivity has also been shown to enhance loyalty and employee engagement, says Jeremy Bossenger of BossJansen Executive Search. “While we are accustomed to thinking about this in terms of race, age and gender, companies that make accommodations for neurodivergence reap significant rewards – actions such as offering noise-cancelling headphones, reinforcing workplace etiquette and giving advance notice of changes to tasks and roles can go a long way in this regard,” he concludes.

“CREATING LASTING LOYALTY HINGES ON FOSTERING A CULTURE THAT DRIVES AN EXCEPTIONAL EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCE.” – DESIRÉ PAUW