I’m a Gen Y who has been with my current company for 7+ years. Seems amazing that it is even possible if you read the popular articles about my generation. (Maybe they aren’t completely true?)
This gives me a unique position to think about loyalty to an organization. I have many friends who have jumped around from position to position while also seeing many that have stayed put (even when they shouldn’t have). My first observation is that:
Loyalty is not a generational issue.
There are many reasons to stick around somewhere and not all of them are good. Sometimes people stick around because it is safer, better known, or just plain easier. Few people enjoy taking unnecessary risks. And this is a known trait that many companies capitalize on.
There is a difference between someone who stays at a firm for loyalty and someone who stays to reduce their risk. It can be hard to tell the difference but the difference is big – largely those that stay for loyalty are actively trying to make things better. Those who don’t like risk will similarly not risk bringing too much attention down on themselves internally either by stepping outside the lines.
Loyalty vs. risk here isn’t limited to just Gen Y either. I’ve noticed people who fall into both camps from across the generational boundaries. Risk avoidance is something the impacts people of all ages.
Loyalty does NOT have to be a two way street.
Many believe that you can only be loyal to people that show you loyalty in return. That is not true.
Everyone knows that corporations these days do not offer the same level of safety that they traditionally have. Loyalty from company to employee is at an all time low and has no guarantees.
If we want to prove that loyalty can still exist in this environment just look to pro sports. Many players remain loyal to teams that do not show loyalty generally. It’s sad when that loyalty isn’t returned as seems to happen every year. But sometimes that player’s loyalty is surprisingly returned. Regardless, even in this cut throat world some players continue to show loyalty even though they get none in return.
That loyalty can exist in sports, it can exist anywhere that people are.
Loyalty is not passive, it is active.
Many say they are loyal when their actions don’t reflect the same. Loyalty is not always saying yes, it’s making people uncomfortable, and saying what needs to be said. Yes, sometimes loyalty is holding the company line but not always.
Those that are most loyal do not have to be the most visible or most vocal. Loyalty can be quiet. Think about those people in the back office that keep everything running. The most effective people sometimes break the rules and work outside the line for the betterment of the business. They have learned what works and what doesn’t and actively try to make things better even when they get nothing themselves out of it (and in fact may be making their own jobs harder). Every company has these people and they are showing loyalty.
Gen Y does not have a loyalty issue
This is my biggest conclusion. Gen Y does not have any issue giving loyalty but their conditions for what deserves loyalty is different from prior generations.
Gen Y will not show loyalty to companies that ask them to be passive, put in their time and wait their turn. They will not show loyalty to companies that are not aligned with their view of social standards – for better or worse corporations and society are becoming more and more inter-twined. Gen Y does not view them as being separated.
Definitions change over time and the definition of loyalty for Gen Y has definitely changed. It comes down to how the conversation needs to be framed. We aren’t looking for pensions because we’ve never lived in a world where those are real things. We don’t look to be CEO tomorrow. We’re not needing to make a million dollars in a year.
What we want is opportunity. More than anything else we want to be given the chance to forge our own path. If you give us that, you will be surprised by the amount of loyalty you see in return. It doesn’t have to be a hard and absolute path of “do X and you will be made a Director, do Y and you will get a raise.” It just needs to be real.
I owe a lot to those that gave me my opportunities.
My company has my loyalty because I’ve been given every opportunity to grow. I have had phenomenal managers and mentors along the way. A lot of this comes down to luck but I’m sure some of it is due to my own actions.
Thank you to all of you. You know who you are.