I frequently hear a discussion around this topic. Most wail and moan about employers today, about how “they” show no loyalty, about how “they” will lay anyone off at any time…
Personally, I believe too many answer this one-sidedly.
It’s not just employers who are not “loyal” anymore; employees seem to always be on the prowl for something new as well. Go to monster.com or careerbuilder.com, and do a search on your current company as employer.
Prepared to be a little surprised. Many — or most — have their resume out there, and are trolling for their next better opportunity. This is neither good nor bad, necessarily, but it does bear further investigation.
I’m going to coin a phrase I believe exemplifies the employment relationship today: “synergistic narcissism.”
Both parties to this deal want and need each other at some point in time. Both need to find ways to stay attuned to those needs, because “loyalty,” as exhibited today by both sides of the equation, is represented by what’s best for me now.
It becomes incumbent, then, to make sure that employees and employers alike maintain an environment where the relationship is always At LEAST equal, and preferably slanted (in some measure) to the other’s needs and desires.
In short, loyalty isn’t dead, it’s just evolved. Both parties NEED each other, but only as far as they play a viable role in their success.
Synergistic narcissism.
