A strong founding team that develops a trustworthy relationship with their employees from the start will also have an easier time recruiting new talent — which means they'll have more money to invest in infrastructure and expansion and hence grow more rapidly.?
Hence, loyalty can be established as a powerful thing. It's one of the most important things you can have in a workplace because it helps create a positive environment that encourages employees to do their best.?
But what does it mean to be loyal? How do you get your employees to want to stay with your company for years and years??
Here are five strategies for building loyalty among your employees:?
- Be transparent about why you're doing things the way you are. This can be hard—and it's especially true when it comes to policies and procedures. However, if you want your employees to feel like they can trust what they're doing at work and know that they're being treated fairly, then this is crucial. If there's no transparency around why something is done a certain way, then there's no reason for anyone to feel invested or loyal to the company.?
- Give praise and recognition when appropriate—but don't overdo it! Praising everyone all at once will make them feel insecure about whether or not they're getting enough attention from their boss. Instead, focus on those who really deserve it: those who consistently perform well on projects and provide excellent customer service.?
- Give them the freedom to do what they love. If someone on your team loves making music, give them some time to practice by themselves without interruptions—and this can surely boost your employee’s thoughts about being valued.?
- Make sure you're giving them the tools to succeed. This could include giving them new skills or training on how to use existing ones better—or it could be something as simple as making sure that their workspace is comfortable and well-lit so they're not distracted by lousy lighting when they're trying to work.?
- Treat them like family. This is a little more difficult because it means actually taking care of your employees like family members instead of just treating them as employees, but it's worth it for the long-term benefits: trust and loyalty.?
If you want to see loyalty from your employees, remember that it's an investment on both sides. Employees should be invested in what you do and how you do it – if they're not, it may be time for some changes. It's up to you to ensure that your employees have everything they need to succeed and stay happy. The best way to make this happen is to use your common sense and respond positively and quickly when your employees as a group speak with one voice.
