Where Loyalty Laid, Where Loyalty Died (How Quickly You Can Lose a Good Employee)

While doing case study research for my Negativity In The Workplace training, working on the section of toxic versus negative work environments, I came across a screen shot of a text conversation between friends.

In this quick conversation the one friend lets the other know that they are applying for new jobs and will talk with them later. The sharer of the conversation shared with the readers that her friend had been a hard working employee, not only always on time but usually early and stayed late, on more nights then not even taken work home to show his dedication to the job. What could have happened that turned this loyal hardworking employee to the want ads?

He had come into work late, the one and only time that he had ever been late, his boss thought that this one time indiscretion warranted a berating in the open office, in front of all the coworkers, yelling in his face, throwing in the threat of job loss if it ever happens again.

It never did. Instead, this employee started looking for a new job immediately and while he was waiting for the new job to come along he showed up exactly on time and left exactly on time, he also never took work home with him again.

When working in a toxic or negative work environment there comes a moment for many when they have that aha moment, when you realize that you can't possibly work harder, work longer and put in more effort then you are doing and it still isn't enough, will never be enough.

If you are one of the unlucky ones that gets to be the receiver of an open air reprimand in front of all your coworkers, customers, clients or even your family the aha moment hits and you never look at your job the same again, never feel the same way about showing up to work and like many, myself included, have done, walk right out after finishing your day and start applying for a new job. Like the case above, you stay with the unwanted position you are in while you wait for something new to come along, but, you never work the way you did before, never try as hard.

When in a toxic work environment it is hard to tell it is toxic until something so out of whack happens that makes you look around and realize that no one else seems to notice. That it has become so the norm for unwarranted verbal attacks, insane work expectations or deadlines that no one even raises their head anymore.

As managers, the best that we can do for our employees is to be sure that we are paying attention, paying attention to where and by who the work is getting done by. Pay attention to who is putting in the extra effort and not reprimanding if they don't do what they usually do all the time but praising them for the hard work done. Loyalty, like respect from an employee is earned and kept by loyalty and respect to them.