What do I actually expect as an employee to want to commit to a company in the long term? I have summarised my requirements in 6 key areas:
- The chemistry between employer, employee and colleagues must be right.
For me, this is the most important thing if I want to commit to a company in the long term. If the atmosphere is not right with one of the parties mentioned, there is very little chance that I would want to be part of the team in the long run. - The passion for the job should be used in the right way.
Therefore, it is even more important that one's strengths and skills are used in the right areas of responsibility. For example, if I am insanely creative, I have no business in accounting and am more likely to go creatively insane. In my example, I would then rather see myself in the marketing department. So it is important to pay attention to the areas in which I feel comfortable as an employee and can properly apply my skills and thus offer added value to the company. - Less control - more freedom
If I as an employee have already proven several times that I am concentrated at work and trustworthy, there is nothing to stop me from getting more freedom to develop. Constant supervision by superiors not only puts a damper on my mood, it also quickly feels like mistrust. That lowers my motivation and would drive me out of the company in the long run. The saying "trust is good, control is better" should definitely not be the order of the day. - Keeping promises strengthens trust.
If I am lured for years with promises such as shareholdings, salary increases, more time off and the like, but these are ultimately only conditionally kept or not kept at all, this would (you can probably already guess) lead to my voluntary departure from the company in the long run. If I receive realistic promises that are also kept, it strengthens my trust in my supervisor and shows me that my supervisor also cares about keeping his word and recognises my long-term loyalty. - The possibility of further training gives me the feeling of being supported.
If I am motivated to bring even more added value to the company, I also want to be supported. If an employee has the desire to further his or her education and is not supported by the company, he or she quickly comes to terms with the situation and gives up trying to get support in this area. - Well, at least until I find the support for further training somewhere else. - The right appreciation can be crucial!
All the points already mentioned are incredibly important to me for a long-term commitment to my employer. However, the right appreciation for what has already been done is the icing on the cake for absolute satisfaction. If I make a huge effort and put all my motivation, time, patience and nerves into my task to achieve the best possible result, I naturally also want this to be valued appropriately. Only when I see that my achievements are also recognised can I maintain my initial motivation in the long term.
So let's summarise again briefly:
- If the chemistry within the company is right,
- the passion and skills are used in the right way,
- I get a sense of trust,
- promises are kept,
- I'm supported in my development.
- and at the end of the day, I still receive the right appreciation for my achievements,
then there is nothing to stop the long-term bond between me and the company.