10 tips for ensuring employees stay loyal to your company

Blue Lynx is a global recruitment agency with over 34 years of experience in multilingual talent acquisition and HR solutions. To help organisations maintain a healthy working life, in this article Tina Evans explains what makes employees loyal to a company in 2022.

Let’s face it: job opportunities keep growing, and the competition for qualified candidates increases. All of this results in organisations trying hard to find the right people, and they want to keep them when they do. But sadly, there's no guarantee they'll remain loyal to your company in the long run.

So, how can you be sure to keep them as long as you can? Well, you can't. There will always be a chance they want to leave. What you can do, though, is make sure you give them something to stay for and grow along with you.

When a person feels appreciated, they thrive both professionally and personally. That is when they find a sense of purpose. But how can your company give them the drive they search for and need? In today's article, we will spill this secret for you!

#1: Respect, value, recognition

To flourish in the workplace, employees must believe that their efforts are respected. They need to know that what they do matters.

According to a study, the need for encouragement is naturally built into the human nervous system. When we are acknowledged for something that matters to us, our limbic system activates, we experience a surge of dopamine, and we feel compelled to repeat the activity that led to this reward.

Team leaders need to take the time to show appreciation for their employees. It is up to you to determine when and how to express this gratitude. You can do it verbally ("You're doing a great job, I can see the results!"), with a financial reward, a bonus day off, a “Thank you” email or a card - anything you see fit. Communicating, valuing and respecting employees is essential for the success of your business and a healthy work environment, and if you want to keep them around.

Tip: Consider developing a rewarding / bonus system for your team.

#2: Opportunities for career growth

Edward De Bono, a Maltese author and philosopher, once said: “You cannot dig a hole in a different place by digging the same hole deeper.” If your employees see no development working in your company (for example, working in the same position for years and doing the same things), they will most likely leave and search for a better place to grow professionally.

Growth is a significant factor that any employee would consider while deciding whether or not to continue being a part of your company. Workers are less likely to hunt for new employment when they have enough options for development within a company.

Tip: Provide free training programmes, certificates, and tutorials (depending on your niche) for the continuous improvement of employees and reward them for completing each one.

#3: Fair pay & benefits

Compensation may not be the most important aspect, but is nonetheless very crucial. And when equitable remuneration is compromised, and non-monetary rewards just don’t work for that person anymore, money becomes a concern or a reason to leave. Although employees shouldn't choose a job just for the financial benefits, they should be fairly rewarded for doing what they love and devoting their passion and hard effort. After all, they're the ones that help you grow your business and succeed!

Of course, you should consider a few factors when defining what "fair pay" means - the position, the location, the current economic situation, etc. But overall, consistent and determined effort should be paid adequately.

Tip: Consider doing a yearly salary revision and, if possible, and where necessary, a salary increase based on performance.

#4: Supportive work relationships

Strong support can have many positive benefits, such as higher levels of well-being, better coping skills, healthier work and personal relationships, increased motivation and ambition, etc. For example, skilled workers prefer to collaborate with others who share their level of expertise since this provides both a challenge and an opportunity for personal development.

Organisation flourishing is possible when a company does not give up on its pursuit of exceptional employees. When a brilliant person is part of a team of other talented people, the company succeeds, the individuals within it grow and develop, and everyone benefits from the prevailing culture of excellence.

Tip: When hiring someone, ask yourself, is this person suitable for the organisation? Do they fit the mission, vision, and values? Will they be supportive of the team?

#5: Work-life balance

Everyone has heard of the dreaded burnout and the villain known as stress, and prolonged stress is the cause of several physical and mental health problems. Unfortunately, this is one of the most prevalent problems in the workplace: a lack of work-life balance.

While everyone understands this balance differently, employers can maintain a healthier, more productive workforce by creating an environment that prioritises work-life harmony. It’s essential to keep professional life separate from personal for someone to be more productive and satisfied with their work and life.

Tip: Offer flexible and remote / hybrid working. Advise employees to focus on productivity rather than overtime. Encourage them to close laptops after work and enjoy the rest of the day.

#6: Challenges & curiosity

No one likes digging in the same place for long periods. Yes, some people are perfectly content with their comfort zone, but others might get bored, and as a result their concentration, enthusiasm, motivation and productivity might suffer - and, along with that the organisation's development.

One of the ways to make an employee feel they are contributing to the company's success is to set clear objectives and challenge them with new and exciting tasks or responsibilities that they could employ to help the business grow.

Tip: Challenge, stimulate and engage employees with exciting assignments that can help boost the company's performance. Make sure you're creating demanding but doable objectives via consistent effort and create work that isn't boring. Employees will be more engaged and have less work discontent if they are given opportunities to learn and grow.

#7: Healthy work culture & sense of belonging

A company's values, beliefs, objectives, and behaviours are all examples of aspects that make up its culture. Organisations should strive to foster a culture that employees appreciate, meaning they need to ensure workers get a sense of belonging, high regard, stability, comfort, and enough room for development.

Tip: Prioritise employee well-being, providing help at all levels. Encourage teamwork, organise team-building activities, and reward team development. Celebrate team successes. Establishing a healthy culture may help foster a feeling of belonging among your people.

#8: Trust in leadership

Speaking of a healthy work culture, what is one without great leaders? A company's "well-being" is a reflection of its leaders. And because of that, respect and trust in leadership are essential for every partnership - especially the employer-employee one. Loyal employees stick around when they know their superiors have their backs. They know they can put their faith in management to make the right choices for the organisation, especially when things go wrong.

Tip: Listen more, talk less. Be honest, empathetic, genuine and approachable - employees listen to and respect leaders they like. Even when someone makes a mistake, provide support. Maintain a balance between the demand for success and consideration for others' sentiments.

#9: Emotional investment in company’s mission and future vision

If employees believe in their work, share the company's beliefs and put faith in its future and growth, they are more likely to stay within your organisation. And if both the employer and the employee's passion and vision intersect, the more likely it is for the company to thrive. It's crucial to the success of the business and the well-being of its workers that they believe in the organisation. It elevates the significance of the job being done. When this happens, the company's values become something worth fighting for.

Tip: Reward loyalty. Show how daily responsibilities support and improve the corporate goals. Find managers who will be emotionally invested and provide them with the tools they need to foster exceptional teamwork.

#10: Flexibility, integrity & independence

By outlining what is and is not acceptable behaviour, a company's code of ethics helps workers know how to treat others within the company. This reliable business model has been shown to attract and keep both clients and outstanding professionals. Trust and integrity within a business can also lead to greater morale, which leads to the development of benefits like flexible work arrangements and more autonomy for employees. Furthermore, recognising someone's expertise and asking for their feedback is a great way to show appreciation.

The finest managers solicit employee input and consider it. Fostering a culture where employees feel safe sharing their thoughts and ideas means a healthy organisation. In time, they will start to collaborate in the same manner, seeking guidance from one another and offering helpful suggestions.

Tip: Ensure that no team member receives preferential treatment and that everyone is equally rewarded for their work and accomplishments. Give your staff many opportunities to provide feedback; if you listen to your employees, they will realise how much you respect them.

Let’s review

So, is your company's culture similar or different from the ones on this list? Evaluate how well (or poorly) your organisation is tending to its emotional and relational ties with its employees. Seeking financial reward shouldn't be the only motivation. What matters most is the company's values and the emotional connection it builds with its people.

Employees' decisions to remain loyal to their current employers are ultimately their own. Still, the reason for this loyalty is something companies need to be aware of to help cut down costs, boost output and productivity, and keep their most valuable employees from leaving.

If you want to read more work and career tips or speed up your business growth, get in touch with Blue Lynx via email (thehague@bluelynx.com) or pick up the phone and give them a call (+31 (0)70 311 7822).