Employee Loyalty and the Emotional Gap

Posted by Allan Steinmetz on 11 March 2014

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As a leader, it can be difficult to understand what your employees really want from their jobs. Trying to deliver “happiness” is too vague and intangible, especially when each person’s definition of happiness is different. Marketing Metrix published some interesting research on employee satisfaction in the hospitality industry. The results are quite staggering.

Only 21% of people said that their loyalty was directly linked to their happiness. Not surprisingly, people who felt they had more power were more loyal to their company. Appreciation, pride and importance were the next motivators to loyalty. Interestingly, financial or job security ranks 11 out of 12 on the top priorities list. The top four emotions are linked to autonomy and the inherent value employees experience in their day-to-day jobs.

With this data in mind, the best approach to ensuring your employees remain engaged and feel empowered to provide exceptional customer service is by giving your employees an equal voice, rewarding them for their accomplishments with non-monetary incentives and reminding them that their contributions play a role in your company’s success. Employees who see a direct link between their job contributions and your company’s success will remain loyal brand advocates.