Organizational Reciprocity

Recently I was reminded about how many employers and organizations expect complete loyalty from their employees.

I thought to myself that having an assumption and expectation of loyalty is an example of an organizational blind spot.  Loyalty, like respect, is earned; it is neither a right nor a given and it must be reciprocal.  Loyalty and respect are fragile and can never be demanded; both must be built and nurtured through constant care and attention. 

I have seen and continue to see organizations that fail to recognize this truism.  Ironically, because of organizational blind spots many owners and managers fail to realize that it is largely their actions that are responsible for morale issues, inability to retain people, and for underperformance.  They will say, “They can’t find workers,” or, “People today just don’t want to work;” when in fact it is their lack of loyalty and respect that causes many of their problems.

Owners, managers, supervisors, executive directors, and senior people are not by default good leaders.  Leadership is a complicated skill that is part science and part craft.  Failure to consider reciprocity can undermine anyone’s organization.  Consider these examples,   

• Having the expectation that people will work longer than scheduled without being asked or being asked to work longer very late in their shift.  Neither example respects people’s right to have a life outside of work.
• A manager or owner resenting an employee who purchases from a competitor without understanding what the circumstances were for the purchase.  This organizational blind spot is quite common and should be a valuable lesson for the organization rather than a punitive lesson for the employee. 
• Doubting or being upset when a person calls in sick.  Effective leadership is built on developing and fostering trust.  As a leader, if you don’t trust your people, your attitude may be more at fault than theirs. 
• An employee or volunteer doesn’t seem to respect you or care as much as you think they should.  Ask yourself, “What reasons have you provided to make them want to care about your organization.”
• Making last-minute or significant changes to schedules without considering the impacts on your people.   People have lives and families that are precariously balanced between the needs of their jobs and the needs of their families; upsetting that balance can result in significant added stress and strong resentment towards you and your organization.
• Times that you feel personally insulted when your people question your decisions or do not react as you thought they should.  Your people have ideas and opinions, and organizations should strive to encourage and develop feedback with an open mind, and listen to their reactions when implementing change.  The failure to at least consider their ideas can seriously undermine any loyalty that presently exists. 

Therefore, the question is, “What can you do to build and develop loyalty?”

If an organization expects loyalty and respect, then the organization needs to be loyal and respectful to its people.  One way to accomplish this task is to genuinely be interested in people and to learn about them.

Consider this approach. 

Identify who your top three key people are.  Start with your top three and then expand to include all of your direct reports.      

How many times in the past month have you publicly praised their work?  Telling people that you appreciate their work is important, but doing it publicly and sharing praise for the success of the organization improves morale.  Keep track of the number of times per person.

Know the name of their spouse, partner, or significant other and write down at least one unique aspect of their partner’s personality.  Taking the time to learn about the important people in their lives not only makes them more human to you, but you are also more human to them.     

How many children do they have and what are their ages?   Learning about their families will help you and them stay focused on their work/life balances.  You expect your people to know about your organization, reciprocity requires the organization knows about its people.  If they don’t have any children, ask about any pets that they might have as a way to build bridges and learn about their lives.

Are they caring for an elderly parent or anyone with a disability?  This is increasingly more common and can dramatically increase the strain on your people.  Knowing, appreciating, and making accommodations when necessary is a very human thing organizations can provide to strengthen loyalty.

When was their last raise?  Interactive performance conversations drive progress for the organization and for the person. (For more information, see PERFORMANCE CONVERSATIONS)  Too many organizations focus on growing their business or goals without growing the rewards for their individuals.  People who feel forgotten and/or underpaid may find loyalty a difficult concept to embrace. 

When was their last cost of living increased?  Inflation is always present, although it is spiking in 2022.  I am familiar with some organizations, which have never paid their people extra to offset inflation.  Failing to pay the cost of living means people are actually worse off with each passing year and actually encourages them to seek employment elsewhere.

Have they taken all of their holidays?  Ensuring your people actually take their holidays is a good way to ensure they have a good work/life balance.  In addition, by monitoring their overtime hours you can appreciate their dedication but also be aware of concerns that they may be overstressed. 

How old is their car?  As a way to build loyalty this may seem obtuse; however, noticing if a key person driving an old and dilapidated vehicle might indicate some financial stress that is affecting that person.

Do you know where they live?  Learning about where and how your key people live can provide helpful insights into their perspectives.    

What are their top three current frustrations?  Building loyalty through effective performance conversations is an important management strategy.  Every performance review should include at least three frustrations that the person has about their job.  Too many organizations fail to utilize this tool, which makes performance reviews much less effective and undermines loyalty, respect, and trust in the organization’s processes.

What is their current goal or objective?  Helping to enhance personal growth is another great way to build and nurture loyalty.  Write down specifically how you have helped or are helping them.

Do you have a regularly scheduled “vent” meeting for your people?  Having meetings where people can speak freely, suggest ideas, complain, and generally “vent” can be a very useful “pressure relief” valve.  These meetings can dramatically help to build your organization, develop fresh ideas, expose weaknesses, and make the organization seem “more inclusive.” 

Learn what sports team they like or what kind of hobbies they have.  Many people are very passionate about their sports and/or hobbies and knowing this can be a great way to build connections.  For example, if a key person coaches a minor sports team, they might need special scheduling accommodation, sponsorship, or even just recognition; all things organizations could accommodate or assist with.

Do you say “hello” and “thank you”?  Perhaps the easiest tool to build loyalty and show respect is often the most overlooked one.  If your organization is built on “first names” then this, must permeate right to the top of the organization and back down.  “Hello,” in a bright, genuine way should also be a habit for everyone whether staff, client/customer, or suppliers. 

What is the price of loyalty? 

Quite simply it is having the ability to know the answers to these questions.  As an owner or manager, if you expect loyalty, ask yourself, “What have I done to earn it?” 

The cost of not knowing your people can be reflected in absenteeism, turnover, lost opportunities, poor morale, and the frustration between you, your managers, and the people in your organization. 

Loyalty works, but loyalty only works if it is reciprocal.  Loyalty really is a two-way street.

Good luck,,

Paul