The GBE2 prompt for this week is "Loyalty"
In years gone by it was always my belief that employers felt a certain amount of loyalty to their employees for supporting the company, creating strong customer bases, building a great product, doing whatever the company needed to be successful. That the employees who went above and beyond would be given special treatment now and again because they were such a loyal and important part of said company. I was shown this type of loyalty for many years.
I also believed that employees felt loyalty to their employers because they received a pay check from them and that in turn paid their bills and made their life better. I always felt I owed my bosses my best and I gave it. I felt I owed them my loyalty and I gave it.
That was then. Today, working relationships between bosses, owners or managers and their employees is not the same. The loyalty seems to have disappeared. You are a valued employer as long as no one is offering more money for less work. You are a valued employee as long as no one is willing to do your job for less. Loyalty for past performance or dedication on either side, has evaporated for most.
Perhaps, this is why I am enjoying my retirement so much. I last worked for a company that I loved. I mean loved. I wanted the success of that particular salon (one of thousands owned by the corp.) much more than anyone at corporate and more even than the district manager. She had other salons to worry about and I had only this one. I also had no say about anything! Just a chair and a sink, product and skill. I was the business to every person who sat in my chair. No one at corporate existed to my clients. My loyalty was to my clients. My loyalty was not to the faceless voices who sent down orders and rules. My clients were loyal to me. They didn't care who else called the shots, they cared about me and my ability to make them look good. They were loyal to me, because I did that. I was loyal to them because they paid my bills.
I was loyal to them because I liked them.
I think I liked that way of thinking much more than the corporate rules and regulations of how to talk to, how to deal with, how to be a hairdresser in the new millennium. I'm old, but I still know how to respect people and earn their respect. Sadly, that is just not that common now.
The corporate life is good for many people, but I think for me, it was time to hang up my license and not try to build a bridge of loyalty between myself and an entity that could care less about employee number 357206523-Durand. Yeah, that's not for me.
Jo
I find it really sad that to most companies we are just dollar signs. What we contribute financially to their bottom line has become the most important thing, either by what we spend as a consumer or what we save them as an employee. I understand that money is important to the health and success of a company but so is GOOD customer service and there is very little of that anymore. Give me good service each and every time and you will get your money BECAUSE I WILL BE BACK... and I'll tell my friends. Terrible service and you can bet I'll be sure to tell my friends about that too and with Social Media thats even easier than ever.
ReplyDeleteLoyalty... there doesn't seem to be much of that anymore. Wish I could say that about Greed.
Well said, Jo. It's difficult to be loyal to a company where you are simply a number on the payroll. But, as small companies disappear or are taken over by larger conglomerates, that (sadly) is going to be the norm for many future employees. A personal sense of loyalty can't exist where it's not reciprocated by a feeling of being valued.
ReplyDeletePaula...exactly! It is sad and unfortunately, also leads to greater turn over and less customer service and less company pride among workers. All sad things.
ReplyDeleteSBLA...I am with you 100% on this one. It just makes me sad to think that is how the workforce is treated and is treating their employers. I used to say, "If I can't say nice things about the person signing my paycheck, I need to move on." Now, it's unusual to even know the person signing your paycheck! How sad.
ReplyDeleteCouldn't agree more. Velda
ReplyDeleteI don't think I've ever known the person who signed my checks. But I've worked for some really wonderful managers who have made my job fun and satisfying, even in the huge corporation that I retired from.
ReplyDeleteVelda...thanks Honey. It is a sad state we are in, no doubt.
ReplyDeleteAngela...You were lucky Angela. I really haven't had a ton of bad employers, but really one is enough! LOL Very happy to be self-unemployed now.
Ah, sadly this is a familiar story. It makes me long for simpler times. There is a solution, and that is to either work for yourself or work locally at a smaller place. This translates usually to less money and less benefits, but you have to weigh that against your own personal values. Great post!
ReplyDeleteCherie...I agree and did contract work as a hairdresser for many years. It worked for me. It actually made more money for me, but no benefits. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. :)
ReplyDeleteTwo great minds think alike :)
ReplyDeleteI told ya! :)
ReplyDeleteI am fiercely loyal to people and even to certain ideals. To a corporation? Nope. Great job, Jo!
ReplyDeleteBethie...yep, I agree. They never showed me much loyalty either! :) Thank you so much.
ReplyDeleteThat whole dynamic with employers--employees is definitely a fading one. Often corporations will change out those long standing employees--who earn a bit more because of their longevity and also know a bit more because of their wisdom and age--to bring in younger, cheaper, and somewhat less reliable employees to save a buck :(
ReplyDeleteI had noticed--as someone who used to employ people (It was a very small company), is that if I wanted dependability and loyalty--I rarely hired from that younger, cheaper crowd...not to say that there were NOT good people I employed that were younger--because I found a few great gems, but by far and large--most were older, wiser, and understood the industry much better than I still do today. I loved learning from them--even though they worked for me. :) I miss that somewhat!
Cheers, Jenn.
Jenn...I agree totally with you about the older workers being such an asset. I was lucky enough most of my career to have some senior hairdresser to learn from. Then one day I woke up and realized I was the old chick everyone was learning from! lol
ReplyDeleteIt saddens me to see long time employees leave companies because they are no longer appreciated or being 'downsized' because they make too much more money than a younger, inexperienced person will make. But, that is the way of the world right now.
Thx for sharing...I love hearing your brain work.
Good post Jo. My take - if a company won't be loyal to its employees and provide them with insurance, retirement, vacation, education, promotion - no reason to be loyal back! ;)
ReplyDeleteHey Jo, while you were waiting for that one nice word from your employer I hope you did not miss the voices from the choir, your satisfied customers! Stop for a moment and imagine the countless smiles your handiwork created! After the client left your salon, every glance of admiration, every compliment received, every subsequent brush stroke with approval was result of your handiwork! Your points about Bosses and Corporations is "spot on" but their crudeness and failure to acknowledge should never tak the place of the Loyalty that you have to your heart! Great Post! :)
ReplyDeleteSadly that is all to common in the workplace anymore. Great post!!
ReplyDeleteKathy
http://gigglingtruckerswife.blogspot.com/
Alana...It is somewhat about the benefits, but for me, it's more about being valued as a human being who is putting money in the coffers. Thanks for sharing....:)
ReplyDeleteGrains of Sand...I never mistook my value to the people who paid by bills and built my career. Those wonderful people who sat in my chair made my entire career as a hairdresser a sheer and total dream job. THEY were solely the reason I remained behind the chair.
Thank you so much, once again, for your beautiful and encouraging words. :)
Kathy...It is very sad. And very true. Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts.
Sounds like you retired at the perfect time! I liked what you wrote about loyalty and respect. Loyalty gains respect and respect gains loyalty. The thing about a company now a days, it can turn on you on a dime.
ReplyDeleteHope you're enjoying leisurely days!
I loved my previous company and retired at exactly the right time. It's a sad truth, companies do not seem to care about their employees these days.
ReplyDeleteI work for money, get my fufillment elsewhere--I in no way identify personally with whatever company I work for. Not to say I don't do what I'm supposed to.
ReplyDeleteEccentricity...I hear ya! It didn't used to be that way, though. Thanks for sharin'...I love to know what cha think.
ReplyDeleteBeachlover...my answer to you seems to have evaporated! To repeat, I agree with you. And I did retire in the nick of time! LOL
ReplyDeleteLangley...I think it is very sad and not a bonus for customer service either. But we made this world and now we gotta live in it, I guess.