You don't owe loyalty to your employer.

You may be thinking there's something wrong with this statement. Surely this isn't something you should follow. But hear me out. There are many valid reasons why there's truth to this declaration. Employers hire employees to trade their time, services, and skills in exchange for monetary compensation. No company or organization can do it all on their own. Thus, they hire employees because they need 'help'....simply put. However, because a company hires an employee, should an employee feel an obligation to their employer by being loyal to them under all circumstances? I would suggest a resounding NO and we'll take a look at 3 of those reasons below.

YOU ARE AN EMPLOYEE, NOT AN OWNER

At one time or another I'm sure you've heard the statement, 'Treat the business like it's your own'. While on the surface this seems like a kind and assuring gesture, the reality is, this statement is flawed. If you are not an Owner, Founder, Stakeholder, Investor, or on the Board Of Directors, it is not your company; you are a hired worker. Even the CEO is considered an employee; just at a much higher rank.

The reason this cliche statement is thrown around so casually, is because it is an attempt to bring unity and obedience to the team members that serve the company needs. If it is not a non-profit or charitable organization, the number one goal of every company, is to make profit... and lots of it. If we're being truthful, no company goes into business not to make money. So, if making money or having a profitable business is the number one intent, many companies will express this sentiment in an effort to make employees do their very best and go above and beyond the call of duty to ensure the company's success; no matter the toll. In their eyes, a good employee is an obedient one.

YOU ARE EXPENDABLE

Although you may want to believe that your skill set, positive attitude, and good work ethics are ways of ensuring your fixed position at the company you work for, reality is, you are replaceable. While these are all great attributes to have as an employee and as a person, they simply don't guarantee that you may never get laid off, fired, or position made redundant. While some employers may truly value the output of their team and care about them as people, understand that their priority is doing what's in the best interest of their business; even if that means conducting mass lay offs without notice. If the company's succession is at stake, you better believe they will choose it over you. This is the harsh truth you have to accept. Their goal is to maintain a thriving business at all costs.

YOU BECOME PREDICTABLE

When you become predictable, you're labelled as the go to person. The person that stays late when asked, comes in on weekends if needed, answers emails past office hours, frequently misses out on special family experiences and the list goes on. Being a reliable person is a great character trait. However, when you spend every waking hour wrapped up in the company's business, it consumes you and you develop a poor work/life balance. Moreover, if you're always making yourself readily available at the beck and call of your employer, your amazing effort stops being exceptional. Employers become accustomed to this behavior and eventually start viewing it as ordinary. Thus, whenever there is a slight departure from this approach, they begin to question your 'loyalty'. If you're always catering to the needs of the company at the drop of a dime, you become less valued. Employers know that if you're willing to put all your time and energy into the company, without having to reward you with incentives or bonuses, the better it is for them. They're essentially 'milking the cow'. Although many companies will deny this, it has been proven time and time again. Again, the number one goal of a company is to become lucrative, and a part of becoming lucrative is cutting costs where needed. Being predictable often causes you to miss out on other career opportunities. When you're so wrapped up in work, you may rarely stop and ask yourself if you're in alignment with where you truly want to be. Is the company serving you? Is it enabling your greatest talents, or giving you complete fulfillment? It's easy to get sucked in and lose the drive for things you may have been passionate about.

So, What Should You Do Instead?

When you start dedicating your life to the company you work for, is when you know it's time to take a step back and analyze your life. When the owner of a company says to you, treat the business as if it were your own, they are subliminally telling you to do whatever it takes to make my business a success. This can be disguised as a manipulative tactic in psychology. Business owners know well, that your voice as an employee has very little effect on their decision making. While they may grant you a platform to voice your concerns, the buck does not end with you. Treating the business as if it were your own, doesn't only incorporate having integrity in your work duties, it also means having jurisdiction when it comes to all aspects of the company; including being a part of important decisions; employees simply dont get to do this.

Therefore, this statement is a gross misrepresentation of what it means to be a good worker.

With that being said, it would be unfair to say that there aren't companies out there that do show appreciation to their team members for their effort. Some companies organize staff appreciation day, award ceremonies, staff parties, and various events to show their gratitude.

So, where should your loyalty lie?

Your Loyalty Belongs To You

The CEO of a mailing company I worked for many years ago, looked me in the eye as he sat across the table from me in the company's boardroom and said to me,

"Charmaine, the company deserves your honesty, but your loyalty is to yourself".

Being naive in many ways, I pondered on this for some time. As I moved on from that job and years passed, I never forgot that intriguing statement. I was pleasantly surprised when out of the blue I received an email from him some 12 years back. As we briefly communicated, I finally asked him to explain the statement he said to me so long ago, and these were his words; "The loyalty to yourself implies that at the end of the day when decisions are being pondered, Charmaine must do what is in the best interest of Charmaine. While everyone should be honest in their dealings/work with his/her employer, you should never feel so indebted to a company that you lose sight of our own personal ambition, goals, aspirations, vision, etc. So loyalty and honesty are not synonymous. And, when the time comes to move on, you need not have a heavy heart leaving an organization that has graciously helped you in one way or another, because at the end of the day only you know whats best for you and how you will obtain it".

This was profound to me... I finally understood. I've always had conflicting feelings surrounding the topic, but it was at that time it became abundantly clear and I finally realized there is a world of difference between being honest and being loyal. Before that time, I saw them as being the exact same. You can be grateful to your employer for giving you a job when you really needed it, appreciate the incentives, promotions and paycheck, but in the grand scheme of things, you shouldn't be so reliant upon a company that you pledge your life to it and put your dreams in limbo for years.

A few years ago, I overheard another employer telling a fellow co-worker of mine, "If the business is not your own, do not give it your all". I understood this right away. He wasn't meaning to be unproductive at work, but what he really meant was, not to engulf all your time, all your energy, and sacrifice your mental health for something that isn't yours. If a company goes bankrupt, and has to close its doors, your livelihood is solely dependent on you.

Here's the takeaway, your loyalty belongs to you. If you are an employee; a salaried worker, you must do what's in your best interest at all times because the company you work for will always do what's in their best interest. If you enjoy your job, love the work culture and feel it's the perfect fit for you, then continue as such. On the other hand, if you are miserable at your current place of employment and it's affecting your sanity, it's time to make a plan and go after what brings you fulfillment.

In the words of my wise mentor, give the company your honesty. Don't perform actions that jeopardize your integrity on the job. Be a productive team member. However, strive to have a healthy work/life balance. Work should not be the entirety of your existence. You may have a plethora of creative ideas that have been dormant and undiscovered. Always remember, if you do something long enough, you attach your name to it and the only way to change it, is to take action.

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