Loyalty According To Your Bosses

Everyone has his own favorites—food, movie, phone brand—almost anything that has variation. We have a favorite and we won’t settle for anything less. But when it comes to the workplace, almost anyone would seem to agree that playing favorites among the employees is a type of favorite that shouldn’t exist. But is it really that unreasonable? Or is there an underlying acceptable reason behind your boss favoring an employee more than the rest.

It’s the same concept in having a favorite phone—we love that kind of phone because of several reasons like it runs apps fast, it has a good battery life, and so on. Bosses favor one employee over the other because of certain qualities one may possess, qualities that may do well for the company or make the working environment lighter. But all these reasons can be summed up in one word: loyalty. Your boss favors that employee because he/she shows loyalty, and it can be shown in different ways:

Length of Service. Employees who have stood the test of time and temptation to shift to the competitor willing to pay higher have shown the very basic way of showing loyalty to the company. It is true that the length of service in the company might only be out of need for a few employees, but the fact that they come to work daily is being loyal. This may be the reason why the old geezer who hangs around beside your cubicle is receiving higher pay than you, or getting the bigger deals.

Honesty in Small Things. Covering for your colleague’s error? Are you sure your boss does not know about it? Lying, of course, destroys loyalty. This is also the reason why your tattletale colleague is favored by your boss. He likes this employee because he knows that he will always tell the truth even if his colleagues will disown him from their mini society in the workplace. Honesty is a sign of loyalty, but a bitter pill to swallow when you are caught between two worlds—the management side and the employees’ side.

Understanding Management Decisions. Loyalty can be defined by the act of showing strong support toward something or someone, and that is why employees who side with the management despite the employee revulsion are favored by the boss. This does not necessarily mean that you have to be a yes-man in every situation. This just means that maybe you can give a bit of time to think about why your boss has decided to do something. Maybe, in the long run, that policy that you abhor will benefit the entire company. Maybe this new equipment will only safeguard the quality of work in the company and not just to punish the tardy. Understand first where your boss is coming from, and see if you still want to be swayed by peer pressure to oppose or agree with him.

Being Productive. Doing your work is also a sign of loyalty, most especially when you do it masterfully, or with minimal errors and always on time. This is because by doing so, you are showing that you do not waste time and see the value of salary paid by your boss. You are showing the company and your boss that the wage they pay you is not going to waste—that you are being loyal with what is expected from you.

Making Sacrifices. In the eyes of the management, doing a small sacrifice like staying for a while to help clean up the office, or being on time for work even if your house is an island away, is a way of showing loyalty to the company. This demonstrates your willingness and determination to work hard and improve the company as if you are part-owner.

You may be the most competent and hardworking employee in the entire company but if your boss doubts your loyalty, it is unlikely that you will get what you think is your proper due. You must learn how your boss defines loyalty so that you would not be disappointed if your efforts are ignored. Keep in mind that for most bosses, loyalty is the most important trait.

*Originally published by the Manila Bulletin. C-4, Sunday, July 19, 2015. Written by Ruben Anlacan, Jr. (President, BusinessCoach, Inc.) All rights reserved. May not be reproduced or copied without express written permission of the copyright holders.