Finding the Work You Love

Does Workplace Loyalty Really Matter?

Workplace loyalty. The concept may seem as though it has been relegated to the dustbin of history. A horrific economy, employers that layoff workers with impunity, and bosses that keep employees on a BlackBerry tether 24x7 do little to assuage the belief that it's essential to look out for Number One.

However, according to Timothy Keiningham and Lerzan Aksoy, authors of Why Loyalty Matters (Benbella, July 2009) workers who say they're loyal to their employers experience the highest levels of job satisfaction. The upshot? Loyalty matters, especially in tough times. Moreover, you can learn to increase your loyalty level--and potentially up your happiness in a down economy, they argue.

Keiningham and Aksoy draw from the most comprehensive study of loyalty ever conducted, the landmark Ipsos Loyalty Study, to show why loyalty is critical to our happiness as individuals and our success as a society. Whether you're looking to change jobs, find a new career, or improve your satisfaction level at a current job, consider heeding their advice. When it comes to business success, relationship success, and even our overall happiness, loyalty is the difference maker.

Sam Greengard: These days, most companies display very little loyalty to employees. So, why should employees show loyalty to employers?

Tim Keiningham: Several years ago, this question was entered on Yahoo! Answers: “I was wondering, why should employees be so faithful and loyal to companies who don’t care about them?” The best answer, chosen by voters, began this way: “Employees are not loyal, nor should we be. If we can get $5 more an hour for the same job by switching, most of us would. And why shouldn’t we?”

This exchange demonstrates the quid pro quo of today’s company–employee loyalty. As workers, all too often we find ourselves considered disposable. Not surprisingly, our loyalty as employees to the firms where we work has responded in kind. While this might seem totally fair, it doesn’t make us feel any better. Our loyalty as employees directly impacts our happiness. We are much more likely to be happy if we feel strongly loyal to our work.

SG: What are the benefits of showing loyalty? What does an employee receive in return?

TK: One of the most important domains of our lives is our work. In fact, nothing will take up more of our time as adults than work—not family time, recreation, eating, or even sleeping.  And while we often hear “it’s just a job,” work has the potential to enrich our lives. Our research conclusively shows that the more we can feel loyalty to the work we do, the more likely we are to be happy.

SG: What does it mean to be loyal? What specific actions and behavior translate into loyalty?

TK: It is important to distinguish being loyal from being a sycophant. Being loyal does not mean following something or someone blindly, allowing others to take advantage of you, or undermining yourself for others’ benefit. Any organization or individual that expects this of you under the guise of loyalty has proven that they are not worthy of your loyalty.

Real loyalty at work is about meaningfully connecting with your co-workers to help one another and the organization succeed. Here are some simple ways that each of us can demonstrate loyalty in the workplace:

1.            Provide support and assistance to colleagues.
2.            Take a real interest in workplace projects and challenges.
3.            Recognize and encourage coworkers.
4.            Demonstrate that you are committed to the success of the team.
5.            Be reliable—follow through on what you say you will do.

While this might sound easy, few of us actually do this.  Less than 5 percent of us—fewer than 1 in 20—invest a great deal of time building and sustaining relationships with our colleagues at work. But we spend far too much time at work not to build meaningful connections there.

SG: Is it possible to remain loyal to an employer over the long-run if an employer doesn't show loyalty in return? Or does resentment build if it's not a two-way street?

TK: It is possible, but not likely.  Ultimately, loyalty is about connecting with someone or something. If our work is making us unhappy—and as a result, we cannot bring ourselves to feel loyal—then we need to do some serious introspection. Is it really that the company “doesn’t care,” or is it something else? Clearly, not all work environments are conducive to our happiness. But frequently the problem is not the company per se, but our place in it.

Here are two of the most common problems with our ability to feel enriched at work:

1. The roles expected of the job
a. What is it about my work that drains me?
b. What aspects of my work do I love doing?
c. How can I do more of what I love and less of what I hate?

2. Our connection to others at work
a. What is the quality of my relationships with my peers?
b. What is the quality of my relationships with my direct supervisors?
c. What is the quality of my relationships with those who report to me?

Both of these issues are important. But it is our loyalty to others at work (our peers, supervisors, and direct reports) that most strongly impacts our overall happiness through our work.

SG: What did you find in your research? Any surprises?

TK: One of the most interesting findings in our research was the unique contribution of our loyalties in multiple domains of our life (e.g., work, family, friends, community, etc.). We need to feel loyalty in multiple domains of our life if we are to be happy.  And outside of family and friends, for those of us in the workforce, work is the most important domain impacting our happiness.

SG: Why do loyal employees report a higher rate of job satisfaction?

TK: Satisfaction is the seed from which loyalty tends to grow. Typically, enrichment at work leads us to develop stronger, loyal bonds. Therefore, it is up to us as employees to really hone in on those things that make us feel strong/fulfilled at work, and to try and find ways to do those things more often.  Obviously, we can’t do this all the time—it’s called work for a reason.  But if we make the effort, we can improve the percentage of our day spent doing those things that bring value to our lives.

SG: How does the current economic downturn affect loyalty?

TK: Without question, the recession has seriously damaged company-employee loyalty. We read the headlines. Layoffs make the front pages of our newspapers regularly. In essence, employers are telling their employees en masse that their loyalties are no longer economically viable. It hurts!  And employees that survive the cuts are responding by mentally quitting their jobs and seeing them as merely a way to make money.

This situation isn’t good for companies, and it isn’t good for us as employees either. For businesses, long-term success depends on loyal employees. The commitment and ingenuity of a company’s people is the only thing that cannot be replicated by another firm—and this is totally dependent upon their loyalty to the organization.

And for us as workers, a lack of employee loyalty means we spend the bulk of our waking hours trading our time and labor for one thing only—money. Sure, we need to pay the mortgage, keep food on the table, etc. But if the only reward for our work is monetary, then the exchange is likely to leave us unfulfilled. The reality is that our research shows that “feeling a deep sense of belonging to the company where I work” is far more important to most employees in driving their happiness than is pay.  

SG: What are the considerations for older workers trying to navigate the current job environment?

TK: This is a difficult market. And while Americans 50+ have witnessed a dramatic shift in company loyalty towards their employees, it is important not to allow this to jade you. We need to find joy in what we do. And we also spend too much time at work to not develop strong, loyal bonds there. (In many ways it is the work equivalent of not giving up on love because someone has broken your heart.)

For those who are looking for work in this market, it is important to call on those loyal relationships we have developed throughout our lives.  Find two or three people who will be your support team—encouraging you, looking out for opportunities, and providing honest appraisals.  This is the ultimate promise of strong loyalties…building connections that will support you in good times and bad.

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For more information about loyalty, including an assessment tool for understanding relationship styles and what's needed to raise your Loyalty Quotient or LQ, click to: LoyaltyAdvisor (www.LoyaltyAdvisor.com).

Moving from Fired to Fired Up

The days following those fateful words, "We have to let you go," are dismal ones indeed. Some mornings, it's tough to even get out of bed. It's a sobering reality and one that Jon Gordon, speaker, consultant, and author of The Energy Bus: 10 Rules to Fuel Your Life, Work, and Team with Positive Energy (Wiley, 2007) says that unemployed job seekers must confront. "All to often, as one scours skimpy classifieds and job boards, grim scenarios play like an endless over and over: We'll lose the house...We'll have to move in with my parents...I'll never find work in this economy."

How to overcome this downward spiral? How to transform lemons into lemonade? Gordon says that the right approach and a well-defined plan pay big dividends. I recently caught with him and here's his advice for coping with tough times and a challenging employment market:

Q: It's easy to say "stay positive" but it's tough to maintain a bright outlook with a crumbling economy and a tight job market? How can a person really move forward and stay motivated?

A: By knowing that history is on their side. If you study people who thrived during past recessions and even the depression they all shared the same characteristics. They stayed positive. They focused on opportunities, not challenges. They turned misfortune into fortune. They refused to participate in the negative economy. The alternative to staying positive is not an option. It doesn’t mean that you’ll get the dream job you want if you stay positive but I can guarantee that your probability of finding a great job or a job at all is much lower if you are negative. You have to believe in your ability to find a job and you must believe there are jobs to be found. So often the difference between success and failure is belief. Positive beliefs lead to positive actions which leads to great results. Life is often a self fulfilling prophecy.

Q: Individuals who fall into the 50+ category may find it even more challenging to find work in today's environment. What steps can these older job-seekers take?

A: First, they need to believe it’s not too late to create success. If you believe that it’s too late to find a job you love then it is. Next they need to identify their strengths, talents and gifts. They need to identify the need in the marketplace for these gifts. Finally, they need to focus, work hard and improve every day and see themselves as life-long learners. I was speaking at an event in Dallas and Zig Ziglar was taking notes. Eighty-two years old and he’s taking notes. Zig is a life long learner and that is the key to success.

Q: How common is fear, anger, and depression? How can someone avoid being dragged down by these issues?

A: Fear, anger and depression are very common. I was depressed and angry when I lost my job. The fact is, we all get down. We are human. The key is knowing how to turn it around so you don’t allow the negativity to bring you down a spiral staircase of despair. I believe one of the best ways to counter this fear is with faith. After all, faith and fear both believe in a future that hasn’t happened yet. Fear believes in a negative future. Faith believes in a positive future. If neither hasn’t happened yet then why not believe in the positive future. One of the habits that really helped me was a walk of prayer and gratitude every morning. I was filled with so many ideas and inspiration and insights during these walks that it lead me to create a much better future for myself after being laid off. 

Q: In the book you talk about people creating their own reality. How do we create our own reality? Can you illustrate what you mean by this?

A: I mean that one person looks at a job loss as the worst event in their life. Another person looks at the same job loss as a blessing and an opportunity to find the job and work they have always wanted. Same event. Two different perspectives. Two difference responses that I bet will lead to very different results. We can’t control the events in our life but we can control how we respond to these events and this so often determines the outcome. Your perception is also influenced by the story you tell yourself and the role you play in the story. You have decide if you are telling  yourself a drama, horror story or inspirational tale. You have to decide whether you are the victim or overcomer in the story.

Q: Why should someone consider a mentor? How can this help?

A: Someone should try to find a mentor in the field of work they want to pursue. These mentors offer a model of success that you can emulate. They show you how success is possible and they provide a blue print for making it happen. If they can do it so can you.

Q: What does it mean to be humble and hungry? What is the net effect of this?

A: Humble means that you see everyone as a teacher and that you are willing to learn new skills, seek new opportunities and be open to change. You are flexible. You are also hungry in that you have a passion to be your best and bring out the best in others. If you are humble and hungry you will always find success.

Q: How can a person who still holds a job help family or friends who have been laid off?

A: You can be there for your friends and family. You can encourage them, support them, love them and let them know you are there for them. You can’t drive anyone else’s bus but you can help people drive their own bus.

How to Locate Possible Employers

The Internet has profoundly changed the way we identify potential employers. To find one--preferably the one--that's right for you in today's job market, you will need to wield a combination of paper and electronic tools.

Opportunities for employment now extend well beyond the résumé banks that reside--and often lie dormant--at major companies. Savvy job seeker can choose from several methods, detailed below, to increase their exposure and improve their odds of landing the job they aspire to.

Print Classified Ads

Although the traditional “help wanted” print ad has not disappeared altogether—yet—it is most commonly used within fields such as engineering or nursing, in which job openings are regular and ongoing. Employers looking to fill positions more quickly usually turn to online classifieds. The Conference Board estimates that U.S. companies now post approximately 4.2 million jobs per month at a variety of online sites, including newspapers, corporate websites, and online job boards. A few job seekers also take a guerrilla job-hunting approach and buy their own ad in a newspaper or trade magazine. It takes guts to go this route, of course. But according to David Perry, co-author of Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters, it can help a candidate stand out and produce positive results.

Trade Magazines

Many employers continue to place ads in highly specialized trade magazines as a way to “narrowcast” their open positions. Whether you’re seeking work as a corporate travel specialist or a university librarian, many trade magazines provide bona fide leads. Finding these magazines may require a bit of creativity; few of them are available at newsstands. In many cases, a Google search, such as “trucking magazine,” will yield results. You can also often find trade magazines by searching for a professional field (such as engineering or accounting) along with the word association. For example, you would search for leads in engineering by typing engineering associations. This search would yield a number of associations, including the American Council of Engineering Companies and the National Society of Black Engineers. Both of these groups display their magazines at their Web sites. You can also check the Encyclopedia of Associations, which is widely available in libraries. After you’ve identified industry associations, venture online and see if they publish a magazine or newsletter.

Corporate Websites

The official website of almost every company—particularly medium and large firms—includes an “employment” or “job seekers” link that’s a rich source of information about open positions, pay and benefits, career development, company information, culture, and education and training opportunities. Many sites also let you submit a résumé directly, as an attachment or via fax.

Submitting an application and résumé directly to a company has both pros and cons. The upside: Your information makes its way into the firm’s database immediately. The downside: Many companies are so inundated with online applications that your chances of being singled out can become a game of “keyword roulette.” After all, a company’s search is only as good as the person searching for the particular terms she opts to enter (see chapter 12 of "Finding the Work You Love" for more information about how to use keywords).

Executive Search Firms

For certain types of positions, particularly managerial-level jobs at medium and large firms, an executive-search strategy can produce winning results. However, as a rule, recruiters don’t specialize in career changers. They seek professionals with loads of experience and the fast-track to a new job (for which they earn a hefty fee). Keep in mind, too, that search firms work for employers and typically have specific job “orders” or “contracts” that they attempt to fill.

As a result, it’s wise to send your résumé to dozens of these companies and look for boutique firms that specialize in your area of expertise. For example, this might include Shelton Associates in science and engineering, the Howard-Sloan-Koller Group for publishing, and the Esquire Group for the legal field. Meanwhile, larger recruiting firms such as Korn/Ferry International and Robert Half now specialize in multiple areas, including medicine, technology, and finance and accounting. You can find numerous executive-search resources and guides online, including RileyGuide.com, Bluesteps.com, and RecruiterRedbook.com, which invite you to view directories, listings, and advertisements for hundreds of search firms. In addition, many industry groups include a roster of members who work as recruiters. If you’re interested in a particular field—accounting, engineering, medicine, you name it—consider checking with the appropriate association (you can search online or check the Encyclopedia of Associations at your local library).

Alumni Networks

Alumni groups have exploded in popularity in recent years for good reason. The Internet has made it easier than ever to leverage the power of the human network. Check past employers to see if they operate an alumni network. If so, create a profile and reconnect with past colleagues. Other professionals often have the inside scoop on top recruiters and employment opportunities.

Also, don't overlook job fairs and social networking sites such as Linked In, Facebook, and Twitter. The right information at the right place can lead to consulting gigs, freelance assignments, even a job offer.

Remember, there's no single way to find the work you love.

Laying the Groundwork for a Career Move

If you’ve ever taken a long road trip, you know how important it is to do some serious planning before you grab the steering wheel and head out on the highway. Your preparation can determine whether you drive on smooth roads, see the sites, stay at nice inns and eat good meals—or wind up on a bumpy road to headache and heartburn. In the recareering arena, traveling from Point A to Point B requires a career map that leads you to your destination with a minimum of detours and breakdowns.  Those who spend the time and energy developing a plan are likely to experience a smoother and more enjoyable journey. Let’s look at how you can move your career planning initiative into the fast lane.

 Use Social networking sites. A virtual network can pay enormous dividends. For example, LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com)  allows you to build a professional network by, you guessed it, linking to others but also viewing their circle of trusted individuals. The idea is that by establishing groups of professional colleagues, it’s possible to create connections that lead to jobs, new clients, business opportunities and more. However, just as it takes time to build a network in the physical world, you must lay the foundation in the virtual world before you need it. Other services, including, ZoomInfo.com and Congoo.com, let you create or edit a profile and search for job leads. Recruiters often use it to spot job candidates. Also, don't overlook Twitter and Facebook. More than a few job offers and professional connections have taken place at these sites.

Connect with a corporate alumni group. More than 500 major companies and organizations now operate alumni groups in one form or another. The list includes Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft and Ernst & Young. Those belonging to an alumni group find that staying in touch with former colleagues often generates new business, enhances networking opportunities and sometimes leads to a new job. Corporate alumni networks operate in much the same way as university alumni groups. Participants hold regular events and meetings, host job-referral programs, publish alumni directories, offer professional training sessions and provide career-placement services. Some groups encourage former employees to attend meetings, parties and other functions that keep them tuned into business developments and industry trends. And many now use newsletters, Websites and social networking tools to ratchet up interaction. You can find more information about corporate alumni groups at: www.corporatealumni.com.

Get involved with an industry association or local business group. Joining a professional organization—and participating in it (especially volunteering to serve on a committee or chair a committee) will likely raise your profile among colleagues and prospective employers. Moreover, attending meeting, mixers and others events will likely make you more visible to others. Although this approach often works best for individuals looking to find a new job in the same field, it can also open up new career vistas—particularly among those looking to reinvent themselves or build on their talents. Another possibility: join your local Chamber of Commerce and get to know others in your community. This approach is particularly effective if you’re considering opening your own business. You’re likely to find instant customers and also find businesses that cater to your  needs.

Look for fast track opportunities.  In a few professions it’s now possible to use existing education, experience and knowledge to transition to a new career—without facing the usual litany of requirements. For example, alternative certification has become commonplace in the teaching arena. Twenty percent of today’s teaching force is comprised of novice teachers from alternative route programs, according to the U.S. Department of Education (DOE). These programs are designed to fill shortages in key areas, such as math, science, special education, and English as a Second Language (ESL). In many cases, they require only a bachelor’s degree and additional coursework, which an individual can tackle part-time and online. This makes it possible to prepare for a career change while working in an existing job or profession. An organization such as the National Center for Alternative Certification (www.teach-now.org) can put you on the right track. In addition, private schools often hire teachers based on experience rather than certifications and credentials, and most schools hire substitutes without  requiring teaching credentials.