Let's face the fact, genuinely loyal employees are RARE. However, for most businesses, having a core group of loyal employees is vital to running a sound business. You can trust these people to keep an eye on the business when you're not around and can be invaluable in highlighting issues that may otherwise go unnoticed.
Loyal employees have your back, which is a great safety net for yourself and the business. Loyal employees are loyal to you and your company. They work hard for their pay and are committed to your company's success. Loyal employees may someday leave, but while they work for you, they do their best and often even put the company's interests ahead of their own.
So what is a loyal employee?
Most people think the staff have been working with you a long time. Whilst this can be true, it's not always the case. For example, it's common to have an employee who has been with the business for six months who is more loyal than another employee who has been with the business for years.
So now we know why loyal employees are vital; how can we pick them?
Well, here are five signs that one of your employees is loyal to both you and the business:
1. Tell You the Hard Truth.
Most employees will be yes people. They will agree with every decision you make and tell you everything is fine in the business even when it's not. These employees want to come in, do their job and go home without rocking the boat. Loyal employees are different. They stand out because they are the first ones to come to you when they can see an issue. They believe that telling you the hard truth or pointing out an issue you were unaware of is doing the right thing. This needs to be recognised and encouraged. They'll tell you because they know that though you may not want to hear some information, you care tremendously about doing what is best for your company and your employees. So next time an employee comes with some hard truths that you may not what to hear, stop, listen and thank them.
2. Never Criticise Publicly.
Loyal employees will have the courage to disagree with business decisions or point out our problems, but they will never do it publicly. They do not engage in employee gossip but will observe and quietly come and discuss issues with you privately. This provides a way for you to quickly identify and fix any issues that may be brewing under the surface.
3. 100% Supportive.
Loyal employees are the ones that say, "Look, I don't think this is the right thing to do, but I've been told we're going to do it anyway. So lets at least give it our best shot." Even when they disagree with a decision, loyal employees don't try to prove you wrong. On the contrary, they do everything they can to prove you right.
4. Go Above and Beyond.
Next time you have an emergency in the business and you pick up the phone to your employees to ask for help; chances are loyal employees will drop what they're doing to help you out. Loyal employees respond to a call for help not because they have to but because they want to step up and remove some pressure on you and the business.
5. See You as a Person.
Since you're the boss, most employees see you like that and interact accordingly. However, they don't see that as well as their employer; you are a real human being with dreams and hopes and insecurities and fears like everyone else. This is why loyal employees will pick up if you're worried or stressed and ask how they can help.
Just like loyal people in our personal lives, loyal employees are rare. Make sure you use the above tips to identify who they are, thank them and continue to foster their loyalty. You will sleep better at night knowing they care about the business as much as you do.
Cheers,
Simon
CEO/Founder @ RosterElf
Magically Simply Rostering Software
