Equality And Loyalty

How Loyalty is Impacted in the Workplace

Janae Sharp

In order to improve productivity, employers should ask themselves what a diverse workforce is looking for. Diversity is a strategic imperative with a strong business case. Diverse perspectives make companies stronger and more profitable. So what are women loyal to?

I am loyal to people who allow for freedom and demand hard work.

I am loyal to a boss that acknowledges my work and trusts my input. I want all of my employers to succeed. When I say I will do something, I do it. I expect an employer to have that same drive. Part of that is understanding what is expected of me. One of my best workplace experiences was with a boss that shared what they thought my strengths were and what problems they needed help within the company. Then they listened and let us come up with ideas. This wasn’t revolutionary, but listening to us was. They tried the ideas that employees came up with.

Respecting diverse input and being willing to try is something I am loyal to. That employer was willing to trust their employees.

I spoke with a few Women in Health IT about what impacted their workforce loyalty.

Kirti Sharma

Loyalty is impacted not only for women but any person at the workplace due to the value he or she gets at his or her workplace

When it comes to giving value to someone we are talking about giving value to one’s opinion, perspectives, work, and personality. Every person is unique and we must value the uniqueness in others. When people get value at the workplace they tend to be more motivated and loyal to their work.

Loyalty is also impacted by how balance is maintained at workplace

A woman will be more inspired and motivated at work if she feels that she is treated equally when it comes to gender. Her opinions and ideas are considered and appreciated irrespective of gender and other factors.

Elena Ivanova

What builds Loyalty?

Two words that come to mind are recognition and flexibility. This isn’t necessarily gender-specific. People don’t (always) leave companies, they leave their bosses. I think recognition is one of the most important parts of management that’s often overlooked. People want to feel appreciated, heard, and empowered to do their jobs. They want to know that their efforts matter. Let’s face it – men or women – we’re all human. We want our work to be recognized by our bosses and colleagues. I think women can empower each other, rather than be threatened by one another, especially at the top.

Since the workweek has historically been designed for men, women, especially working mothers, need flexibility beyond the traditional nine-to-five, especially while raising small children. That means being able to work remotely part-time or when needed, along with flex hours. When I leave work during the days I’m in the office, I sometimes joke around with colleagues “Have a good night, everyone. I’m off to my other full-time job.” I try to leave a few minutes early to pick up kids from daycare on time before getting the penalty fine for being late. From that point on until bedtime, there’s no break – unpacking school bags and repacking them with snacks for the next day, dinner, dishes, bath time, and storytime. All parents know the drill. It’s exhausting, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world. After the kids’ bedtime, I often catch up on work I didn’t get a chance to get done during the day.

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