Loyal Employees? Employers Need to Contribute Too
27 May 2008
Read by 1475 persons
No text legally defines loyalty in professional relationships, but every employee owes loyalty to their company.
This is based on a mutual exchange of good conduct between employer and employee.
Money isn't the only retention tool; employees want to work in a healthy environment where they can thrive and grow transparently.
Communicating confidential information to competitors, publicly criticizing the company's products and services, disclosing internal problems... All these failings harm the company and are therefore punishable by sanctions, depending on their severity.
Indeed, even if it's not explicitly stated that an employee must give their all to the company, their freedom of action outside of work has limits: those imposed by discretion and loyalty. The former behavior somewhat determines the latter.
This obligation of discretion applies mainly externally, but also internally if the information or data concerned should only be known to a limited circle.
The labor code itself does not define loyalty. In Article 39, the legislator simply lists serious misconduct that can lead to an employee's dismissal. Examples include: "a crime affecting honor, trust or morality that has resulted in a final judgment of imprisonment," "disclosure of a professional secret that has caused harm to the company," or "breach of trust."
Therefore, we can say that loyalty is a legally mandatory behavior. And, in general, signing an employment contract implies a commitment to do one's best to fulfill the assigned mission, that is, without cheating. The same attitude should also be adopted towards partners: clients, suppliers and other service providers.
Loyalty cannot be defined by a contract
However, loyalty cannot be clearly defined in writing, as the number of actions that can be interpreted as a breach of this good conduct is vast.
What about a worker who stops an operation they could finish quickly, arguing that the workday is over? Should a trained employee, who is valued by the company, join a competitor during a difficult period, just because they've been offered slightly better prospects, even if freedom of contract is guaranteed by law? Should one remain silent about the reprehensible actions of colleagues or external partners that could jeopardize the company's survival? Should one turn a blind eye when management doesn't set a good example?
In short, there are actions and situations that challenge an employee's conscience, especially since if the company fails, they won't be spared.
Beyond legal constraints, each employee interprets loyalty according to their own hierarchy of values and the consistency shown by their managers between the values they display and those they implement in action. This means that while loyalty is a personal quality, it is also determined by the behavior of the other party. This leads us to the notion of "mutual exchange of good conduct."
In other words, if the employee commits fully, the employer must in return compensate them or, better yet, create the conditions for this commitment, for this loyalty. Otherwise, frustration will push the employee to seek opportunities elsewhere, without hesitation.
Today, there are several good reasons why employers should show greater loyalty to their employees. Specialists explain that the scarcity of skills means the war for talent is only intensifying. Many companies have found it increasingly difficult to find qualified skills and expect this situation to worsen in the coming years.
This is because local talent is tempted to pursue careers abroad, particularly in Europe, where working conditions are considered better. But it's not only financial reasons that determine the nature of the relationship between employer and employee. The latter wants to work in a healthy environment where they can thrive and grow transparently.
Thus, Ahmed Al Motamassik, a business sociologist, points out that "there are several semantic registers that do not facilitate understanding the term loyalty." And he adds that "nevertheless, and because of its use in the company through employment contracts, loyalty is first of all a moral duty of both the employee and the employer."
Codes of ethics to define the boundaries
In daily life, demonstrating loyalty is less simple than it seems. Indeed, respecting morality is easy when it comes to choosing between right and wrong. It is much less so when faced with difficult choices. It is not for nothing that many companies have published a code of ethics. For the employee, such frameworks immediately help define boundaries not to cross, even if nothing compels them to do so, knowing that they are free to do as they wish, assuming all the consequences of their choice.
On the other hand, this approach compels managers to be transparent in their daily practices, to show more morality and to lead by example to foster greater employee loyalty. In other words, each manager or leader bears a significant responsibility, both through their behavior and the influence they exert on those around them. They are, to a large extent, the guarantor of their employees' morality.
Gradually, companies are understanding that retaining talent is much less expensive than finding new employees. Consequently, they are now resorting to a meticulous recruitment process, incentive bonuses, benefits, employee development programs, and regular sessions where employees are invited to give their opinion on the organization's functioning. So, are employees loyal? Yes, but not under just any conditions. This summarizes the attitude of a thoughtful employee.
Published May 16, 2008
Posted online May 21, 2008
lavieeco.com
This is based on a mutual exchange of good conduct between employer and employee.
Money isn't the only retention tool; employees want to work in a healthy environment where they can thrive and grow transparently.
Communicating confidential information to competitors, publicly criticizing the company's products and services, disclosing internal problems... All these failings harm the company and are therefore punishable by sanctions, depending on their severity.
Indeed, even if it's not explicitly stated that an employee must give their all to the company, their freedom of action outside of work has limits: those imposed by discretion and loyalty. The former behavior somewhat determines the latter.
This obligation of discretion applies mainly externally, but also internally if the information or data concerned should only be known to a limited circle.
The labor code itself does not define loyalty. In Article 39, the legislator simply lists serious misconduct that can lead to an employee's dismissal. Examples include: "a crime affecting honor, trust or morality that has resulted in a final judgment of imprisonment," "disclosure of a professional secret that has caused harm to the company," or "breach of trust."
Therefore, we can say that loyalty is a legally mandatory behavior. And, in general, signing an employment contract implies a commitment to do one's best to fulfill the assigned mission, that is, without cheating. The same attitude should also be adopted towards partners: clients, suppliers and other service providers.
Loyalty cannot be defined by a contract
However, loyalty cannot be clearly defined in writing, as the number of actions that can be interpreted as a breach of this good conduct is vast.
What about a worker who stops an operation they could finish quickly, arguing that the workday is over? Should a trained employee, who is valued by the company, join a competitor during a difficult period, just because they've been offered slightly better prospects, even if freedom of contract is guaranteed by law? Should one remain silent about the reprehensible actions of colleagues or external partners that could jeopardize the company's survival? Should one turn a blind eye when management doesn't set a good example?
In short, there are actions and situations that challenge an employee's conscience, especially since if the company fails, they won't be spared.
Beyond legal constraints, each employee interprets loyalty according to their own hierarchy of values and the consistency shown by their managers between the values they display and those they implement in action. This means that while loyalty is a personal quality, it is also determined by the behavior of the other party. This leads us to the notion of "mutual exchange of good conduct."
In other words, if the employee commits fully, the employer must in return compensate them or, better yet, create the conditions for this commitment, for this loyalty. Otherwise, frustration will push the employee to seek opportunities elsewhere, without hesitation.
Today, there are several good reasons why employers should show greater loyalty to their employees. Specialists explain that the scarcity of skills means the war for talent is only intensifying. Many companies have found it increasingly difficult to find qualified skills and expect this situation to worsen in the coming years.
This is because local talent is tempted to pursue careers abroad, particularly in Europe, where working conditions are considered better. But it's not only financial reasons that determine the nature of the relationship between employer and employee. The latter wants to work in a healthy environment where they can thrive and grow transparently.
Thus, Ahmed Al Motamassik, a business sociologist, points out that "there are several semantic registers that do not facilitate understanding the term loyalty." And he adds that "nevertheless, and because of its use in the company through employment contracts, loyalty is first of all a moral duty of both the employee and the employer."
Codes of ethics to define the boundaries
In daily life, demonstrating loyalty is less simple than it seems. Indeed, respecting morality is easy when it comes to choosing between right and wrong. It is much less so when faced with difficult choices. It is not for nothing that many companies have published a code of ethics. For the employee, such frameworks immediately help define boundaries not to cross, even if nothing compels them to do so, knowing that they are free to do as they wish, assuming all the consequences of their choice.
On the other hand, this approach compels managers to be transparent in their daily practices, to show more morality and to lead by example to foster greater employee loyalty. In other words, each manager or leader bears a significant responsibility, both through their behavior and the influence they exert on those around them. They are, to a large extent, the guarantor of their employees' morality.
Gradually, companies are understanding that retaining talent is much less expensive than finding new employees. Consequently, they are now resorting to a meticulous recruitment process, incentive bonuses, benefits, employee development programs, and regular sessions where employees are invited to give their opinion on the organization's functioning. So, are employees loyal? Yes, but not under just any conditions. This summarizes the attitude of a thoughtful employee.
Published May 16, 2008
Posted online May 21, 2008
lavieeco.com
