Loyalty creates trusting and stable relationships. Here we explain everything you need to know about the topic with examples. Also be sure to check out our video on the topic!
- Loyalty explained simply
- Difference loyalty and solidarity
- Mutual loyalty
- Loyalty Example Relationship and friendship
- Advantages of loyalty
- Loyalty Example State
- Loyalty Example Economy
- Loyalty example employees and company
- Intrinsic motivation
Loyalty simply explained
Loyalty means that you feel connected to another person or group. You trust each other and can also rely on each other.
For example, you are loyal to your friends if you support them, keep their secrets, and stand up for them to others. Imagine a player in your sports club is treated unfairly by the coach. Then you show loyalty by standing up for him – whether you particularly like him or not.
Loyalty (english loyalty, from franz. legal = law-abiding) is characterized by a relationship based on reciprocity, honesty and reliability. The terms sincerity, constancy, loyalty and solidarity are often used as synonyms for loyalty.
Difference loyalty and solidarity
The terms loyalty and solidarity are often used as synonyms. The transition between them is also fluid, but you should still be able to tell them apart.
Loyalty means supporting others in achieving their goals and giving them back-up. You also put your own interests aside for the sake of the other person. Loyalty is therefore an inner attitude or. a self-commitment for another person to rely on you.
Solidarity Describes mutual advocacy of another’s interests, ideas, activities and goals. So it’s about the cohesion of like-minded people especially in an ethical-political context.
Loyalty means, for example, that you support your friends in an idea because you feel an inner bond with them and therefore always support them on principle. If you help them out of solidarity, you do so because you belong to the same community and therefore feel an inner obligation to support them.
Mutual loyalty
With loyalty it is important that it is always on mutuality (=Reciprocity) is based. Relationships in which only one person is loyal to the other are usually over again after a short time. The loyal person feels like they have been betrayed and betrayed.
Whether a person is really loyal to you, you can recognize especially in crises and emotionally stressful situations. Loyal people will support you and help you solve your problems. Disloyal / disloyal people leave you hanging in difficult situations and you are on your own.
In case of a breach of loyalty you feel disappointed in the other person. You are angry. If you have overcome the phase, however, you can learn from the experience and recognize on whom you can really rely.
Imagine having a fight with a friend and feeling very sad about it. You talk about it with another friend. If the friend is loyal to you, he comforts you and cheers you up. If your friend is disloyal, for example, he’d rather go to the soccer stadium instead of taking care of you. In this case, of course, you are angry and disappointed. After you get past that though, you realize which friends you can really rely on.
Loyalty example relationship and friendship
Loyalty is an important factor for functioning partnerships, friendships and relationships. For a long-term sense of connection, you must share the same values and views.
If you tell a secret to your partner or friends, you have to be sure that they won’t tell anyone. In case of problems the persons help you to cope with them. When others talk bad about you, your true and loyal friends stand up for you and defend you. Loyalty in love also usually includes sexual fidelity.
Advantages of Loyalty
When a person has taken advantage of your trust and loyalty, you feel disappointed and wonder if there are any advantages to being loyal.
In the long run, however, loyalty has many advantages for you:
- It is the basis for stable relationships, True friendships and healthy working relationships.
- It gives us the feeling of stability, Reliability, Security and safety.
- Loyal joy make you stronger and more courageously, by supporting you and helping you to go beyond your limits.
- Loyalty makes happy, happier and more successful. You will find it easier to do something you support than to do something you dislike.
Blind loyalty
Despite the advantages of loyal behavior, you should of course not be naively and unthinkingly loyal to any person. If you trust others too much in good faith exploited and exploited Become. Furthermore, you should not make your self-esteem dependent on meeting the expectations of others. A healthy measure of distrust and Reflection is therefore important.
Loyalty example state
Loyal citizens of a state abide by the Laws and rules of a country. When people don’t obey the law, conflicts arise.
In the past, however, the concept of loyalty to the state has been misinterpreted and replaced by unconditional obedience and self-sacrifice. This is called the so-called "Nibelungentreue". Here, the citizens of a state reflect the behavior of the state or. to the authorities anymore, but follow them blindly.
Loyalty Example Economy
In the business world, especially the Customer loyalty important. Entrepreneurs have the goal that their customers are as loyal and faithful to them as possible and do not buy from the competitor. That’s why companies often spend a lot of money to bind you to them.
For example, if you have always had a cell phone from a certain brand and have always been satisfied with it, then you will probably buy your next cell phone from the same brand. So you are loyal to your cell phone manufacturer.
Loyalty example employees and company
However, loyalty and faithfulness do not only play a role in informal friendly relationships. In companies, it is important for employees to be loyal to their boss and their company. Because a company can only be successful in the long term with loyal employees.
Characteristics of loyal employees:
- Employees pursue the same goals as the company.
- You actively try to achieve the goals.
- They don’t talk badly about the company and portray their employer in a positive light.
- They are motivated and do their tasks conscientiously.
- They bring in their own ideas that help the company become more effective and efficient.
But it’s not just employees who should feel loyalty to the company. Mutual loyalty is also important here. A boss should therefore also be loyal to his employees.
Characteristics of a loyal boss / loyal company:
- The boss regularly shows appreciation and recognition for the work employees do.
- He remains fair even when employees make mistakes and does not treat them unfairly.
- Gives consultative, honest and helpful feedback.
- Communicates the company’s goals transparently and in a way that is easy to understand.
- The working atmosphere is characterized by trust and fairness.
- Employees are praised and rewarded for above-average performance.
- The boss encourages employees and offers them further training opportunities.
Are employees less loyal than before?
A large part of the worker (ca. 70%) no longer feels emotionally attached to their employer. About 15% have even quit internally and want to look for a new job. The lack of loyalty of employees results in employees quitting faster (=high turnover rate) and changing jobs more often.
But why is that? On the job market, career opportunities have changed the last years and decades. In the past, employees were the so-called Fireplace career Aimed for. An employee has started his training in one company and has then advanced step by step in exactly this company – in other words, he has made a career in this one company and has therefore also been loyal to this company. In today’s world, the so-called Patchwork resumes More and more widespread. They are characterized by frequent and rapid changes of employer.
The accelerated job cycles, have some advantages for the employee:
- faster and better chances for advancement and career opportunities
- More salary through more frequent salary negotiations
- More responsibility than in the previous job
- More experience and a larger network with contacts
- Increased market value
Often referred to as the employee market, as employees now have many more opportunities to negotiate their working conditions. If they don’t like a job, they have no problem changing jobs. The company, of course, still has an interest in retaining talented employees and is therefore more likely to respond to employee demands. At the same time, the working conditions often "force" the employees to change jobs.
Reasons for the quick job change can be:
- Lack of prospects in the company
- No appreciation of work by co-workers and by supervisors
- Temporary contracts instead of permanent positions
- Poor pay, few vacation days or lots of overtime
- Decreasing job security
But if employees feel a sense of loyalty to the company, they will stay longer in the company. So as the boss of a company, you need to ask yourself how you can increase employee loyalty.
Measures to increase employee loyalty:
- Create incentives for employees through salary increases and promotion opportunities with exciting tasks and more responsibility.
- Encourage employee potential through training opportunities
- Create a pleasant working atmosphere so that employees feel comfortable in the company.
Intrinsic motivation
By the way, if your employees are loyal to your company, they will also be intrinsically motivated to do their jobs. Check out our Video to intrinsic motivation to learn how you can motivate your employees even more.