Longevity Does Not Equal Loyalty
Thank you Matt for your article pointing out the difference between the two. There is a distinct and important difference that needed to be explained.
I have seen numerous 5/10/20 year awards given out and half the time I think, “That person isn’t loyal, they’re stupid for still being in that position after all these years.” Even worse is when I see people who are getting these awards because they aren’t talented enough to get another job. Those bother me the most.
On the flip side, I know many employees that work longer, harder, and smarter than most other employees and they don’t get any awards or appreciation. This happens a lot in many jobs but it is especially discouraging to Gen Yers because we see our hard work is not getting the recognition that it rightly deserves. We don’t need to be constantly patted on the back but on the other hand, if all we see is longevity getting awarded and not loyalty, we will get discouraged and start looking for greener pastures.
Reward what matters!
