“Back in the day we were proud to work at a company that was growing and innovating. We didn’t need sustainability missions, game rooms and hybrid work.”
You still see senior leaders who don’t get why today’s early and mid-career professionals aren’t loyal in the ways that they were.
Here’s the thing: People act in their own self-interest.
Here’s another thing: They always did.
“Back in the day,” companies offered lifetime employment, pensions, regular pay raises.
Based on that promise, being loyal was in people’s self-interest.
In contrast, today’s professionals probably saw their parents, or their parents’ friends, experience lay-offs that started in the 1980’s and have become a cyclical norm.
It stands to reason that these professionals will protect themselves.
So how do you gain loyalty? Reduce turnover? Increase engagement?
In my work, I’ve found the best way to do that is to help your team build their own sense of agency.
Help them understand what they’re good at and how it contributes.
Explain how the organization, and the market you work in works, and how to position themselves for success.
Respect their need for a life outside of work and teach them how to put their work down and still be valued by their colleagues and supervisor.
In short, teach them how act in their own self-interest, while being in a mutually beneficial relationship with your organization.
With that sense of agency, they will be at choice. They’ll be more likely to realize that the grass may look greener elsewhere, but it’s not.
Being at choice breeds well-being, and that increases loyalty, engagement and productivity.
Good for you and them.