home Interpreter What is employee loyalty? An important factor in the competitiveness of an enterprise is staff loyalty.

What is employee loyalty? An important factor in the competitiveness of an enterprise is staff loyalty.

The basis of any company is competent and reliable employees. Almost every employer dreams of an employee who, even in difficult times, is able to treat salary delays with understanding and, if necessary, work on weekends without additional payment. But if such a thing enters the system, it becomes unbearable to work under such conditions. How to remain a loyal employee without allowing yourself to be ridden? And do you even need to be a loyal paladin of your employer?

According to a survey conducted in 2010 by the international recruitment agency Kelly Services, the crisis had a significant impact on the loyalty of our compatriots to employers. Thus, 21% of respondents admitted that during the period of the economic downturn they became more committed to their company. However, as before, in terms of the level of involvement of employees in the work process, Russia occupies one of the last places. Moreover, unlike representatives of other countries, our fellow citizens are most motivated to pay and career growth. The personality of the manager, on the other hand, has practically no effect on employee loyalty (only for 8% of respondents this turned out to be important, while in the world this indicator ranges from 40 to 50%). So it is quite natural that the attitude to the question of the importance of having loyal employees in the company, the need to implement programs to retain them, etc. rather ambiguous. Moreover, the very concept loyalty employers sometimes interpret in a very specific way.

Loyal employee - who is he?

In the highest manifestation of loyalty, a person perceives the affairs of the company as his own. own business.

If we conduct a survey among managers on the topic “Which employees do you consider loyal?”, then we are likely to get very different answers. For most leaders loyal employee- the one who stays to work overtime readily takes on any social work and is always on the side of management. Some understand this term as ordinary decency. Or they rank as a loyal employee a person who has been working in the company since its foundation, although the reason for his constancy may be inertia or difficult personal circumstances. Nevertheless, staff loyalty has a very specific meaning.

A synonym for the concept of "loyalty" is " loyalty» with its inherent attributes. First of all, such an employee:

adheres to the established rules of conduct in the company,
is the bearer of accepted corporate values and traditions
satisfied with the current working conditions (at least partially), for example, the level wages, schedule, office location, etc., and is ready to work here for a long time,
speaks positively about the company in which he works and is satisfied with the quality of its products,
feels a sense of pride for belonging to the number of employees of the company,
honestly performs the duties assigned to him,
tries to work as best as possible to achieve the best possible result,
worries about the success of the business,
inclined to make sacrifices when necessary,
ready to warn of a danger or problem that has arisen.

In the highest manifestation loyalty man treats the company as if it were his own business. He is ready to spend the night at work, gushing with ideas and does not stop thinking about unfinished business even at home. Willingly performs assignments that are not included in the scope of his duties. Does not expect additional cash incentives for Good work. And, by the way, with less aggression and resentment, he perceives unpopular decisions aimed at leading the company out of a crisis situation. In this way, dedicated employees become the foundation of the organization, infecting newcomers with their enthusiasm. Therefore, it is often loyal employees who are trusted to mentor and are even expected to have a decisive word from them when hiring personnel. “In my practice, I often come across situations when construction managers are interviewed by a foreman who spends his entire professional career built in one company and in one position. And, despite the fact that he remained a foreman, he is respected and revered, ”gives an example Tatiana Novikova, Recruitment Consultant at ANCOR Business Solutions.

At the same time, experts in the field personnel management specify that the level of employee loyalty directly depends on the current system of motivation. Ideally, there should be components such as:

decent compensation package
Opportunity for career or professional growth
good team atmosphere
positive image of the company,
adequate guidance.

And although each of these items will have a different value for a particular employee, the absence of any of them leads to thinking about changing jobs.

Do employers need loyal employees?

To find out your potential level of loyalty, the interviewer will be interested in your feedback on previous places work, about the team, about the employer, the reasons for your departure.

There is no definite answer to this question. Today in the business environment in relation to staff loyalty, there are two approaches that are fundamentally different from each other. Some business owners deny the need to find and cultivate loyalty in ordinary employees. The focus is on retaining top managers and key employees who are interested in increasing profits, whose departure will weaken the company's position.

This point of view is consonant with the current stage of market maturity: competition intensifies every year, and the market dictates the need for constant cost reduction. In such a situation, high salaries and the provision of an impressive social package are too heavy a burden for the organization's budget. Therefore, it is not surprising that a significant number of employers, instead of providing good conditions jobs for qualified specialists, it is more profitable to hire yesterday's graduates who are ready to work almost around the clock for a small fee. Such a business model exists and is even quite effective, although such an attitude towards staff provokes a constant turnover of staff. Once in a company in which the leader adheres to the point of view described above, you should be prepared for the fact that you will have to spend a significant part of your working time on intrigues. In addition, according to the observation of Tatiana Novikova, in such companies overtime work is the norm, and various punishments and fines are actively applied in the motivation system.

Other employers, on the contrary, consider the presence of loyal employees in the organization necessary condition for successful functioning companies. According to the expert, in this case, employees do not waste time and energy on empty talk and resistance. The most risky and difficult tasks are solved by the most loyal employees.

In organizations that value loyal employees, a close-knit team will be waiting for you, where one for all and all for one. And at the interview, the HR manager will try to find out your willingness to serve for the benefit of the company he represents. To find out your potential level of loyalty, the focus will be on what you say about previous jobs, about the team, about the employer, about the reasons for your departure. According to Tatyana Novikova, if a candidate speaks negatively about the last three places of work and leaders, then one can hardly expect loyalty from him. At the same time, it is not necessary for the representative of the employer to create a false impression of himself. “As a recruiter, I have a very negative attitude to various pieces of advice about not scolding a former employer, etc. The candidate will be prepared, he will look very loyal, he will like it, he will be made a job offer. What next? The employer will not get what he expected, and the employee will leave for probationary period with a ruined resume and a sediment on the soul. You say that no one needs disloyal employees? No, they also work, but in other companies where the management does not consider loyalty to be a necessary factor in the success of the company,” warns Tatyana.

Thus, the labor market allows for the success of employment of both potentially dedicated workers and flyers who put their own interests above corporate ones. For the applicant, this means the opportunity to be yourself at the interview.

Should you be a loyal employee?

To be or not to be a loyal employee depends on the current strategy of your behavior in the labor market.

The answer to this question depends entirely on the current strategy of your behavior in the labor market.

If your goal is to gain experience or understand what you would still like to do in life, working in one place is not the best the best choice. For a number of professions where stagnation in professional development is critical, a job change every 1.5-2 years may be a necessity. In this case loyalty determined only by your life principles and non-disclosure of trade secrets. The latter is regulated by the No. Civil Code RF (Part IV) and federal law dated July 29, 2004 No. 98-FZ "On trade secrets". In this regard, it should be borne in mind that now the concept trade secret directly related to trade secrets. So if you sign such a document, you are only required not to disclose information about the know-how of the company (their list must be strictly defined).

If you are not an advocate for change and your specialty does not require a wide range of experience and professional growth, working in one place can be quite attractive. Moreover, in companies that are interested in the loyalty of employees, attention is paid to team building events: trainings, corporate parties, the introduction of traditions that unite the team. In addition, there are often pleasant bonuses, such as the 13th salary (the amount of which may depend on length of service), direction for training at the expense of the company, VMI and other benefits. And even in terms of promotion, usually in such organizations, priority is given to long-term employees. “We have employees who have been with the company for 8, 10, 15 and 20 years! These are very successful members of our big team. They have already become gurus, and you can always communicate with them in an interesting and partner-like way. Our company appreciates such employees and raises them, gives them the opportunity to grow career ladder”, confirms Tatyana Novikova.

When loyalty hurts

At the same time, an employee working in one place must be prepared to face several possible problems.

When business relationship smoothly turn into friendly, various kinds of manipulations become an unpleasant surprise.

Firstly, when business relations smoothly turn into friendships, various kinds of manipulations become an unpleasant surprise. It can be very difficult to refuse a manager's request if he has repeatedly given you indulgences and shown understanding in personal situations. And the employer can take advantage of your kindness for their own selfish purposes.
Secondly, if you work in one place for 5-10 years without promotion, then in the future you guarantee yourself serious difficulties when changing jobs.

In professional terms, the monotony of the work process leads to a narrowing of the profile of activity, the application of which in another organization may not be found. In this case, you will have to take retraining courses and agree to work with less pay than a person is used to receiving. Psychologically, the lack of job search skills is fraught with the loss of a large amount of time, a high number of failures and, as a result, stress. In addition, recruiters themselves are often suspicious of such candidates. The myth about maladjustment, low qualification and lack of initiative of such candidates is too stable. According to the expert, the exception is applicants employed in project work: “In any field, you can find such specialties where employees do not need to grow their careers, because they grow professionally, and this is much more important and interesting for them. Working in the same position but on different projects can be quite interesting. And the candidate is grateful for such work of the company and is 100% loyal to it. This usually happens with project managers in various fields. And it happens in our recruiting too.”

Unfortunately, it is impossible to completely avoid the problems listed above, but it is necessary to try to reduce their influence. To do this, try to adhere to the following recommendations of career development specialists:

do not immediately agree to do what you are asked if the request is unpleasant, inconvenient for you, or can lead to any problems. Ask for time to think. Think about how you can solve the problem without harming your interests. And offer your version to the leader. In any case, give yourself the right to sometimes say “no”, be sure to back up your refusal with serious reasons;
Review job offers regularly. Analyze the development trend of your professional field;
try to constantly develop professionally. This may be reading professional literature, and participation in specialized conferences, and receiving additional education;
expand your network social contacts. Communicate not only with colleagues, but also with potential employers. Sources can be: a list of friends of your acquaintances and interest groups in social networks, professional forums, contacts from events in which your employer's company takes part, etc.;
try to take at your current job additional responsibilities to expand their area of expertise;
find a part-time job that is related to your main professional activity. And when you still have to look for a job, not only Additional income will allow you to hold out for some time, but the experience gained will allow you to consider a wider list of proposals.

Loyalty as a quality of a person is a tendency to stay within the limits of legality, to treat with understanding, correctly and neutrally-benevolently in relation to someone or something.

Parable about the measure of loyalty. A certain Sufi teacher was surrounded by students day and night and his reputation was so high that odes were composed in his honor from Samarkand to Alexandria, and the nobles of the seven kingdoms considered him the Star of the Age and the teacher of teachers on Earth. Once, while talking with the ruler of Bukhara, he remarked: “People are not faithful, even when they think they are. Although one has to accept worship in order to maintain good social relations, in reality there is none. The ruler, however, thought that the Sufi wanted to flatter him by convincing him that these people were not really his followers, and he said: “Oh, Dervish! Vanity, duplicity and hypocrisy are an indispensable attribute of close associates and courtiers, those who surround temporary kings, such as myself. But the Majestic Kings of the Cosmos like you are surrounded by sincere followers, for they have no material benefits from following you. The dervish said: “In all this city, and among all the people who declared their adherence to me and through me to higher matters, there are, according to my data, one and a half people who will not be afraid if it comes to business.

To test this unusual theory, the king had the Sufi arrested for blasphemy and led through the streets of the city to a public execution as an example for the inhabitants of the city. When Sufi was arrested, none of his entourage uttered a word. Crowds gathered in the streets through which he was escorted, but people stood in silent expectation. An hour after they began to lead him through the streets, the man ran up to the guards and shouted: - He is innocent! Then, in the next block, a man blocked the path of the procession and said, "Arrest me." I am guilty of blasphemy, this man only quoted my words in order to refute them! When at the end of the day the Ruler and the Sufi met to discuss the events of the day, the Sufi said: “You see, everything is so. The person who screamed that I was innocent was the other half, and the one who traded his life for mine was the whole person I was talking about!

Loyalty, if you do not mix with it servility, servility and fawning, involves thinking in the mode “Your victory is my victory”, “You win, so I win.” Loyalty is the desire to first understand and only then be understood. It's a craving for synergy. The enemy of loyalty is thinking in the spirit: “I don’t know and don’t want to know what other people think and feel, how they perceive the world. It is not interesting for me. If someone bends in front of someone, demonstrates loyalty, calling it loyalty, I call it stupidity and mediocrity, because loyalty is a willingness to bend lower, to be in time a little earlier, to be dumber than a gray, mediocre leadership. No wonder Bernard Shaw said: “Loyalty is freedom from the need to think.”

In a word, the black-and-white thinking of disloyalty is based on separation, rivalry, confrontation, while the train of thought and the logic of loyalty calls for cooperation, unity, readiness to provide support, warn about something, help, sacrifice something for the sake of the object of loyalty. . Loyalty implies honesty and loyalty towards the object of loyalty, the same type of attitude towards values, a sense of pride in the object of loyalty and an open demonstration of such an attitude.

In general, a decent person should be strict with himself and loyal to others. In true loyalty, there is no desire to impose on someone their values, principles, their worldview. Loyalty recognizes the right of others to be different. She seeks in a person not what separates, but what unites. Genuine loyalty abhors sticking your nose into someone else's life, interfering and controlling every step of other people. This is also true of loyalty at the level of state thinking. Many countries loudly declare their loyalty, tolerance, democracy, and at the same time, for the sake of their interests and understanding of the world, they unceremoniously interfere in the lives of other peoples, causing them innumerable disasters and suffering.

True loyalty lives and thrives in an environment of selflessness and unconditionality. Where dirty traces of self-interest are visible, loyalty takes on distorted, ugly forms. Therefore, it is easy to confuse loyalty with its surrogates: opportunism, servility and conformism.

The nature of loyalty, its social coloration entirely depends on whom and who represents it. You can be loyal to fascism, nationalism, terrorism and religious fanaticism. A sadist is loyal to his own kind, thieves and bandits are loyal to criminals, pimps are loyal to prostitution.

Let's plunge into history and see what role the loyalty of other people to some quality of his personality can play in a person's life. The talented serf guy Taras Shevchenko was noticed by his countryman Ivan Soshenko. He liked the work of Shevchenko, which he did in the Summer Garden, and he brought Taras to the studio of Karl Bryullov. The great artist immediately saw the talent of the serf boy and said that the young artist should be sent to study at the Academy of Arts. But here's the problem! Serfs were not taken to the Academy. The landowner Pavel Engelhardt, who owned Shevchenko, was categorically opposed to letting go of the young talent, declaring that this was his property, and he did not intend to part with it. No matter how Karl Bryullov and the great artist Alexei Venetsianov asked for Shevchenko, the serf-owner was not inclined to this, as he put it, "philanthropy."

But loyalty to the talent of the young artist has already firmly taken possession of Bryullov's mind. Loyalty is friendly with compassion, she is always ready to support, assist, sacrifice something for the sake of the object of loyalty, and Bryullov hurries for help to his friend - the great poet, educator of the heir to the throne, the empress's favorite, with whom she sobbed together over Schiller's poems - Vasily Zhukovsky. Zhukovsky also became imbued with loyalty to the talent and fate of the young artist. He immediately told Empress Alexandra Feodorovna about everything, and she, in turn, informed her husband about the serf artist.

By order of the tsar, the minister of the imperial court, Pyotr Volkonsky, and the president of the Academy of Arts, Alexei Olenin, intervened in the "carousel" of the artist's release. But Engelhardt was stubborn and uncompromising. In the end, for the freedom of Taras, he asked for 2,500 rubles - a very significant amount for that time, many times higher than the price of ordinary serfs.

Bryullov and Zhukovsky, having estimated their financial capabilities, realized that they could not do without the assistance of the Empress. Alexandra Fedorovna agreed to pay, but on the condition that Bryullov paint for her the long-promised portrait of Zhukovsky. Karl Pavlovich set to work.

Meanwhile, Shevchenko, like many young artists, moonlighted as a portrait painter. Somehow a general ordered a portrait for him and promised a decent sum for it. But, when the portrait was ready, he began to find fault and, in the end, refused to take and pay for his own image.

Taras was offended and decided to take revenge. He smeared his uniform and epaulettes, painted a white shirt, a towel and shaving accessories instead, and sold the painting as a sign to the barber shop where his offender used to go to shave...

When the general saw himself as a barker at the barber, he almost gave his soul to God, immediately bought a sign, then went to Engelhardt and asked the landowner to sell him a daring serf. At the same time, he agreed to pay much more than 2,500 rubles. Greedy Engelhardt rubbed his hands with joy. One can imagine what would have happened to Shevchenko if he had been in the cruel clutches of the general. But, as we know, loyalty, if it decided to help, it will not give up its intention.

Taras, having learned about his alleged sale, realized the horror of his situation and rushed to Bryullov for help, he immediately told the news to Zhukovsky, and the latter to Alexandra Fedorovna. The highest displeasure was conveyed to Engelhardt from the palace, and the deal fell apart.

Bryullov soon painted the promised portrait of Zhukovsky, he was raffled off among members of the royal family. The proceeds from the lottery tickets were given to Engelhardt, and Shevchenko received his long-awaited freedom.

So the loyalty of a whole group of influential people to the talent of a young artist played a crucial role in his life. Documentary evidence has been preserved of how the artist himself recalled his deliverance from serfdom.

Questions of the investigator and answers of T.G. Shevchenko during interrogation in the III department. April 21, 1847, St. Petersburg

1. Describe your origin, the case by which you were released from serfdom, your upbringing at the Academy of Arts, your studies after graduating from the Academy, trips around Little Russia and the reasons that persuaded you to study more poetry than painting.

2. There is evidence against you that you participated in the plans of the Slavic Society of St. Cyril and Methodius. Explain in detail: when and by whom this society was founded, and if the assumption of its establishment has not yet been carried out, then by whom and when these assumptions were made.

1. I am the son of a serf; in childhood he lost his father and mother; in 1828 he was taken into the yard by a landowner; in 1838 he was released from serfdom by the august imperial family, through Vasily Andreevich Zhukovsky, Count Mikhail Yuryevich Vielgorsky and Karl Pavlovich Bryullov. Bryullov painted a portrait of Zhukovsky for the imperial family, and with this money I was bought from the landowner. I studied drawing and painting at the Academy of Arts until 1844. Upon graduating from the Academy, he was appointed to the Kyiv Archaeographic Commission as an employee in terms of drawing and collecting folk legends, fairy tales and songs in the southern Russian provinces. I loved poetry since childhood and began to write in 1837. My first poem, entitled: "Katerina" is dedicated to Zhukovsky, which aroused enthusiasm in Little Russians, and I began to continue writing poetry without leaving painting.

2. The evidence that I participate in the plans of the Slavic society is not fair.

The litmus test of loyalty is the attitude towards absent people. If a person behind the back of another does not speak badly about him, he thereby shows loyalty to him and expresses his decency. Stephen Covey writes: “Suppose you and I are talking one on one - we are washing the bones of the boss, which we would never have allowed ourselves if he were in the same room. What happens if we fight? You will be sure that I will discuss your shortcomings with others. After all, we did it in relation to the boss! You know my nature. I say nice things to your face and slander you behind your back. This is the essence of duplicity. Can we say that it increases confidence? Now imagine that you began to criticize the absent boss, and I say that I agree with you on some points, and I suggest that we go to his office together and try to explain what we think he is doing wrong. How do you think I will behave in a situation where someone begins to slander him himself?

The reliability of an employee is measured by the level of his loyalty to the organization. There are several levels of loyalty and each subsequent one provides more a high degree company dedication. Loyalty can be at the level of attributes, at the level of behavior, at the level of abilities and at the level of beliefs.

It is clear that loyalty is more valuable at the level when the mission and principles of the organization coincide with the beliefs of the employee. The level of loyalty can also be expressed in the following anecdotal way: - Can I count on the loyalty of your bank to myself when receiving a loan? - Are you a VIP client of our bank? - No, but I did not return loans to several banks - your competitors.

Petr Kovalev

At the very beginning, it should be said that, in general, staff loyalty is loyalty and devotion between the employer and the employee during their employment relationship.

What is actually the loyalty of the staff of the organization?

The term "loyal" comes from the Old French word loyal (its source is the Latin word lex), as well as from the Latin legalis - meaning "law-abiding, honest and fair in dealing with people and organizations." Loyalty is evidence of employees' trust in the leaders, mission and goals of the company. This is the state when there is a feeling of having common interests, a common destiny and relations between employees and company management. When loyalty is widespread, we are dealing with the self-motivation of employees, a sense of responsibility for the results and the fate of the company.

Along with the growth of a sense of responsibility, involvement grows, which makes it possible to weaken control over the employee. A loyal employee is willing to work for the company and her success is seen as a personal success. Loyalty is formed mainly due to the personality of the manager, his characteristics or knowledge.

Loyalty is a kind of ethical value. The following factors are important for the faithful worker:

high self-esteem is associated with the positive impact of the work process;
positive experience associated with the functions performed;
satisfaction with wages;
the presence of bonuses not related to functional responsibilities(paid lunches, free travel).

The Labor Code as the main source regulating the rights and obligations of both parties in labor relations, does not attribute loyalty to the obligations of the employer or employee. However, “loss of trust in an employee” may be one of the reasons for dismissal.

The role of the degree of employee loyalty in the work of the organization

Employee loyalty is a variable value and changes over time, as the relationship between employees and the organization develops. An assessment of staff loyalty can help determine its degree, because commitment can be a valuable resource for an organization's strategy, because:

affects the stability of employment, and thus economic sustainability;
promotes customer satisfaction and loyalty;
the ability to work and the return on training are growing;
the costs associated with the search, hiring and training of new employees are reduced;
a large proportion of loyal employees allows for more efficient planning in the organization, and hence ensuring the achievement of economic goals.

Driving motives

Managing the loyalty of the organization's personnel is possible, but first it is necessary to identify motives. What guides a loyal employee? This is a very important question.

Motives may depend on external causes, as well as on the nature and characteristics of a person's personality.

They can be divided into rational-functional and emotional-symbolic.

The formation of rational-functional motives is a direct consequence of being in the organization (the availability of wages as a result of long years of service, easier access to leadership positions possession of organizational knowledge).

Emotional-symbolic - affective motives arising from feelings and emotions (relationships with other employees of the organization, satisfaction with cooperation with them).

The motives of a loyal employee may differ from those listed. For example, the inner desire for obedience, submission and impeccable execution of orders. Employee loyalty is a complex concept, and the main influence on its intensity and nature is exerted by internal mechanisms. Consider their types:

trust - the relationship between the two parties, which is based on the confidence that the tasks will be carried out with full responsibility;
habit - means a habit, a kind of automatism;
commitment to the organization - is understood as the identification of one's goals with the goals and values of the company, the perception of the goals of the organization as one's own.

Based on the above internal mechanisms, it is possible to create a typology for such a complex phenomenon as loyalty. We can distinguish the following types:

conscious - the employee consciously chose the organization and work in it, got used to it, but his commitment to the organization is low;
rational - the employee is used to working in the organization and trusting the employer, but his commitment to the organization is not high;
involved - great trust and participation in the affairs of the organization, taking into account the level of wages and the system of remuneration;
partnership - this is a very high level of commitment to the organization, trust and habit;
routine - lack of commitment and trust, there is just a habit;
forced - there is no possibility to change the employer, lack of trust and commitment;
permissive - limited participation with existing trust and habit.

Formation and increase of loyalty

With monetary motivation, a certain level of loyalty is developed, but it cannot be called true. Therefore, non-financial methods are used to increase staff loyalty, which, depending on the industry, can take various forms. Consider their options:

Using the above can increase employee commitment.

Often we hear the word "loyalty". For example, "loyalty to the ruler", "loyalty to the firm" or "loyalty to the company". What is the meaning of this term in Russian?

What does this term mean

The word "loyalty" came to us from the French language (loyal - "faithful"). To this day, this language unit is present in English and French. This word denotes the commitment and loyalty of the individual to any ideals or people / group of people.

In Russian, the word denoting this spiritual quality also has several meanings, and some of them are constantly heard, while others can be heard quite rarely.

Here, for example, are some meanings of the psychological term in question:

commitment, belonging and good relationship to the principles and ideas of any social institution(for example, "loyalty to the party").
Loyalty to the laws of the country and the actions of the authorities (“this organization is loyal to the current legislation”).
In a firm, respectful attitude of an employee to the established rules and / or certain norms of behavior in the organization (“loyal employee”).
Just a good or at least fairly tolerant attitude towards something (for example, “he is loyal to homosexuality”).
The habit of the buyer to any brand, trademark(“consumer loyalty”).

The meaning of the word "loyal" can be revealed through its synonyms: "faithful", "reliable", "devoted".

There is also a "double loyalty". In this case, we are dealing with an ethical-political term that denotes simultaneous devotion to two warring parties, most often opposite in goals and principles.

Such fidelity is possible, for example, among military doctors, who, having taken the Hippocratic oath, are forced to provide medical care soldiers of both belligerents, of both fighting armies. In this case, moral duty often comes into direct conflict with the duty to one's homeland.

Often this is a conflict between the interests of the state and universal values. And if the so-called dissidents Bradley Manning, Academician Sakharov and Edward Snowden have resolved this dilemma for themselves in favor of universal human values, then another outcome is possible, in which sincere loyalty to state interests will be put in the foreground.

In any case, the meaning of this word is associated with loyalty and devotion to certain ideals.

Advantages and disadvantages

On the one hand, sincere loyalty - adherence to principles and ideals - is a wonderful thing. A loyal person can be trusted without fear that he will betray you. In this case, synonyms for this term will be:

Devotion.
Reliability.
Confidence.
commitment.
Unconditional loyalty.

A loyal person, not in words, but in deeds, acts according to his conscience, honestly doing his job.

On the other hand, the eminent Irish writer and playwright George Bernard Shaw wrote of blind loyalty: "Loyalty is freedom from the need to think." It's hard to disagree with him. Indeed, as a rule, unconditionally trusting someone's judgment or any of the authorities, following all orders, is much easier and calmer than thinking, comparing facts and drawing conclusions, sometimes not very comforting.

Nevertheless, career growth, salary level, as well as many other important points often depend on the level of employee loyalty to the company or to the manager.

So, loyalty, especially sincere loyalty, is a rather ambiguous phenomenon. It can play a positive role in the fate of a person, or it can fundamentally harm him.

That is why it is necessary to think critically, to constantly question one's ideals, so as not to imperceptibly turn into a thoughtless fanatic who does terrible things because of his own blind loyalty; or into a dull performer who is uninitiative and devoted so much that he is not able to offer anything new, original.

Any spiritual qualities, even the most positive ones, must be accompanied by a cold mind, otherwise it’s a disaster: both for the individual himself and for all the people around him. Author: Irina Shumilova

Making a choice in favor of one or another candidate for the position of a hired manager, the business owner relies, first of all, on its functional efficiency, that is, on the fact that under his leadership he will get the desired business result. The experience of interaction with domestic entrepreneurs (owners of enterprises) shows that, in addition to the above, they expect loyalty from a hired manager.

Loyalty is primarily a psychological category, not an economic one. There are various approaches to its consideration. According to most psychologists, loyalty should be considered as a certain emotional attitude of a person (subject) to something or someone (object), manifested in his behavior and activities. In other words, this category is based on the relational component, which leads to further actions of the subject, his behavioral manifestations associated with the object of loyalty. It is customary to talk about the loyalty of an employee, consumer, client, etc.

Many business owners make a serious mistake, believing that a hired manager should be loyal to him, the owner of the enterprise. An ambitious, confident, self-aware hired manager shows loyalty to two things: the business he is engaged in, and the enterprise in which he currently works. The idea of a manager's personal loyalty to the person hiring him for a managerial position is nothing more than an illusion.

Humanly, one can understand the desire of the owner to see in the hired manager a person personally devoted to him (this to a certain extent reduces his master's anxiety and creates the illusion of business security). But he does not understand or, understanding, overlooks the fact that loyalty has a complex mechanism. It is based on dependence, which acts as a trap for both the subject and the object. The trapped subject tries to overcome this uncomfortable state by performing certain, sometimes completely unpredictable, actions. And they are not always constructive. At the same time, externally, the owner is presented with beautiful picture, which up to a certain point gives him a sense of stability and reliability.

An adequate owner must understand that the more professional the manager is, the less the hiring party should count on his personal loyalty.

Loyalty is a heterogeneous category, it expresses a certain emotional attitude of the subject to the object (precisely certain, and not positive or positive, as it is mistakenly believed). Based on this definition, we can say that any manager working at the enterprise with the owner is loyal, only the content or quality of his loyalty is different. Loyalty can be true, pragmatic and forced. Let's take a closer look at the features of these categories.

True loyalty is expressed in the fact that the hired manager sincerely perceives the enterprise he leads as his own, looks at the business through the eyes of the owner. In relation to such an attitude and behavior of a person, the metaphorical expressions “sick in the soul”, “takes to heart” are usually used. He is emotionally attached to the organization, to its workforce perceives them and himself as a whole.

The essence of pragmatic loyalty is that the hired manager clearly knows what he is working for. This type of loyalty can be thought of as a scale: a manager puts his knowledge, skills, experience, time on one bowl, and those material (and not only) benefits that he receives from working for the owner on the other. The ideal option for both sides is when the arrow of the scale is somewhere in the middle. A common mistake of the owner is the idea that the hired manager is only interested in money. The experience of communication with this category of managers shows that the range of their labor motives and interests is much wider. For some, it is important to gain experience in a certain managerial position; someone thinks that "the correct entry in work book and in the resume" will increase its "value" in the labor market and, accordingly, guarantees demand in the future. Some hired managers accept job offers from businessmen who have an unflattering, controversial characterization in the labor market (absurd character, tyranny, etc.). Working for such an owner is a kind of “quality mark”. If a hired manager survived in such conditions, then in a different environment (more constructive and partner-oriented), he will undoubtedly be at his best!

Forced loyalty is due to the fact that at the moment, for a number of reasons, the hired manager has no alternatives, does not see other options in the personnel market and is forced to accept this offer, although it does not quite suit him. These reasons can be both environmental in nature and can be related to the manager's current life situation. But as soon as the situation changes and the market begins to slowly revive, the manager will actively consider other options. As for the personal realities of the manager, these may be issues related to moving, the health of one of the relatives, the need to graduate educational institution a child, etc. The life situation will change - and the manager will look for another, more suitable and attractive job.

An illustration of the above three-component concept of loyalty is the well-known parable of the three masons.

The traveler met on his way three masons who were engaged in the execution construction works. He turned to them with the question: "What are you doing?" The first answered: "I earn money." The second said, "I'm laying bricks." Third: "I am building the Temple."

According to the builders' answers, it is easy to determine the loyalty features of each of them. For the first one, it is purely pragmatic: he understands that he will receive a certain amount of money for his work. monetary equivalent. And that suits him just fine. The second performs actions that he may not particularly like. But another job, most likely on this moment he doesn't have. Therefore, his answer is "stating" in nature. The third has true loyalty: in the answer one feels pride in what this builder is doing.

Which of the three types of loyalty given is the most preferable for the employer? When I ask this question to business owners, eighty percent of the time I get a clear answer: “Of course, true!” Moreover, my interlocutors almost instantly respond to the question posed. Further, I, citing a parable about three masons, invite them to imagine a situation when in a building built by masons (I remind you that this is a Temple!) The customer, for one reason known to him, decided to organize, for example, a warehouse (remembering the recent Soviet past), i.e. i.e. radically reshape the finished object. What will be the possible reaction of these builders to such a decision of the customer? The first two, most likely, will not even be surprised: they received their money for the work done. And what will happen to the constructed building further is not their question.

The reaction of the third will be unpredictable. From the most ardent supporter, in an instant he is able to turn into the most implacable opponent. One can only guess what his actions will be. Stormy verbal protest? Destruction of the constructed structure? A suicidal act of protest? You can be sure of only one thing: he will not be indifferent to such a decision of the owner.

The main criterion when the owner makes a decision about who to entrust his enterprise to manage should be the results of the candidate's performance in previous managerial positions. At the same time, if the owner in the hired manager “is embarrassed by something”, it is better not to make a positive decision. And the leader's loyalty will be manifested in how effectively he will manage the enterprise entrusted to him.