Loyalty Is Binary, Until We Redefine It
Why our outdated view of commitment is breaking trust at work and how to build something better
In boardrooms and team huddles, one question keeps coming up:
How do we keep people committed?
Beneath it is a deeper concern… Who’s truly with us? Why are some people disengaged? Who will stick around when things get tough?
We have been taught to see loyalty as binary. You are either all in or you are out. That rigid mindset has created a trust gap between employers and employees, and it is holding companies back. It is time to rethink what loyalty means in today’s workplace.
The Employer’s Lens: Loyalty as Endurance
For many leaders, loyalty equals longevity. Stay for years and you are loyal. Leave, even for good reasons, and your commitment is questioned.
This view mistakes endurance for engagement. Someone can be physically present and still be gone in spirit, disengaged, job hunting, or simply coasting. Compliance often gets misread as commitment.
Real loyalty is not measured in years served. It is measured in trust, alignment, and meaningful contribution. It grows when leaders show fairness, consistency, and genuine care. It erodes when people feel reduced to numbers or cogs.
The Employee’s Lens: Loyalty as Reciprocity
For decades, the unspoken deal was: Be loyal, and we will take care of you. That meant stability, growth, and shared success.
But that contract has unraveled. Layoffs strike without warning. Career paths blur. “We are a family” often translates to unpaid overtime and emotional overreach. When employees leave for their well-being or growth, they are often branded disloyal.
Today’s employees still want to be loyal but not blindly. They have seen that giving everything does not guarantee anything in return. They ask tougher questions about purpose, alignment, and trust. Sometimes, they choose personal health or growth over sticking it out.
That is not a lack of loyalty. It is clarity about priorities.
The Disconnect Over Expectations
Here is the crux:
Employers often expect unconditional loyalty.
Employees expect mutual loyalty.
This mismatch breeds quiet distrust. Leaders ask, “Why won’t people commit?” Employees ask, “Why should I?”
We cannot rebuild trust while playing by different rulebooks. The answer is not to demand more or give less. It is to redefine loyalty in a way that works for both.
When Loyalty Works Both Ways
Loyalty works best when it is built and maintained by both sides. It is not about locking people in or guilting them to stay. It is about creating a relationship where everyone can show up fully, contribute with purpose, and evolve together for as long as it is a fit.
In this view, loyalty becomes a partnership, not a demand. An employee can be loyal and still choose to leave. A leader can invest in someone knowing they may outgrow their role. Loyalty is measured in energy, honesty, and impact, not just time served.
If companies want this kind of loyalty, they have to earn it. That means building a culture where people feel trusted and valued, where work has purpose, and where contributions are recognized. When these elements are in place, loyalty does not need to be chased. It grows naturally.
Practical Steps to Build a Loyal Culture
Redefine Success Metrics
Look beyond retention rates. Measure engagement, collaboration, and innovation.Unlock Open Dialogue
Create spaces where employees can share concerns and aspirations without fear.Invest in Growth
Offer learning opportunities, even if they lead people elsewhere.Model Loyalty
Show up for your people with fair pay, flexibility, and support during tough times.Celebrate Transitions
Honor contributions when people leave to preserve trust and strengthen reputation.
Loyalty feels binary when we oversimplify it. The future of work calls for something more honest and mutual, where commitment is not about staying forever but about showing up fully while you are here.
Stop chasing loyalty.
Build the kind of workplace where it shows up naturally.
Written by Ian Clawson.
Ian is co-founder with Chris Deaver of BraveCore, a consultancy that helps leaders build cultures people love; and co-author of Brave Together: Lead by Design, Spark Creativity, and Shape the Future with the Power of Co-Creation.
From my experience in the corporate workplace from Telecommunications to Big Pharma is that the bigger the company is, the less Upper Management and HR care about the employees.
And If your a contractor, you are only considered the "help" and are pretty much expendable.
Well said!