An article was published on July 4, 2011 by Ray Williams in Wired for Success titled: "Is Loyalty Dead?" summarizing that employer and employee loyalty was a thing of the past. This is a growing trend and a concern. It's more important than ever to increase your own personal career confidence so the loyalty scare doesn't keep you up at night.
In the world of marketing, loyalty is everything and satisfaction is meaningless. In the world of employee and employer relations, loyalty is becoming a thing of the past. Key players in organizations are leaving, or the organization is leaving them (the dreaded F word - fired). In truth, if you are looking for someone to make a mistake, they will. Whether the employer or the employee is the cause, the relationship is broken and both parties are left to pick up the pieces.
The employer will find someone to fill the position, the employee will find another job, and the cycle continues. The emotional void is hardest til fill. The employer has others to worry about, the employees co-workers are likely left wondering what went wrong, or they are concerned that they may be next or that they should also start looking. They may also question the solvency of the organization. For the employee, the relationship with the next employer is automatically strained because of the baggage brought to the table. These statements are both true, regardless of who made the decision to break the relationship.
A business relationship is similar in many ways to a dating relationship. There may be comments about the ex, concerns about future compatibility, and the urge to compare the new to the old and the old to the new. The key to overcoming these obstacles is confidence. Confidence is defined as the state of feeling certain about the truth of something. The confidence factor is important for all parties (previous employer, previous employee, current employer, current employee).
The previous employer needs to feel certain that they made the right decision for the right reasons. They cannot go back and change what happened, so second guessing themselves is a waste of time and energy. Similarly, the previous employee needs to feel certain that the decision was made with the best intention of the organization and they need to feel certain their skills and abilities will land them in a better position. The current employer needs to feel certain that their new employee is a good fit for their organization and they have to recognize that no two businesses are the same. They cannot blame the new employee for things that went wrong with their previous post. If they have any doubts, they should be left behind once the hiring decision has been made. There is the current employee who also needs to be confident. They cannot feel that they are a replacement for the previous person. They are not a stand in or a second runner up. They are simply, the best person for the position - no holes barred. The current employee needs to feel certain that they have the right skills and abilities to achieve the organizations expectations. They cannot question the decisions that were made in the past.
Some synonyms for confident are: brave, bold, sure, trusting, fearless, and positive. These are qualities that are sought after in today's job market. An job seeker is looking for a positive and trusting work environment. Employers are looking to hire brave and fearless leaders. All things equal, regardless of employer or employee loyalty, confidence will win out in the end. Increasing your career confidence will get you through the tough spots that are bound to arise in your career. Stop worrying about loyalty and concentrate on something you can control - your confidence!
