How loyalty to workplace has shifted shape in the age of hybrid and remote jobs

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

Michael Page India’s Talent Trends 2023 study has found that 75% of the 4,000 employees interviewed were “active job seekers”— meaning, they plan to find a job in the next six months. Even among those who started a new job over the past year, 9 out of 10 remain open to new opportunities. The report shows that only 54% are satisfied with their job, and 56% with their remuneration.

“The culture of long-term service to a single company is becoming an obsolete concept,” Ankit Agarwala, MD, Michael Page India, told ET in May. For decades, loyalty at the workplace has been defined by one key factor: longevity. But the concept is more complex today.

“I don’t think longevity has anything to do with loyalty anymore,” says Mayank Kumar, cofounder of edtech firm UpGrad. “In fact, employees are more aware and informed of their priorities and the opportunities available, and their loyalty is more towards self.” Romal Shetty, CEO, Deloitte South Asia, agrees. “What’s happened post-Covid is that people have made choices about where they want to work or where they feel most comfortable working from,” he says.

Loyalty is traditionally underlined by a long service, says Santosh Iyer, MD and CEO, Mercedes-Benz India, but it can be imbibed in short and effective services as well. “We encourage exposure to multiple functions to develop a holistic understanding of the business. We equate value-driven contributions of an individual with loyalty… it’s not just about longevity,” he says.