Job Market May Have Tightened, but Worker Loyalty Isn’t Increasing

An uncertain job market hasn’t changed the average U.S. worker’s willingness to jump ship if a better--or friendlier--offer comes along, according to a national labor study released Monday.

Even though corporate America has been trying to keep employees happy, more than a third of workers plan to leave their current job within the next two years. That lack of loyalty is almost unchanged from the economic boom days of 1999, according to the study by Indianapolis-based Walker Information.

“What it says to me is that pool tables and scooters in the employee rec room don’t do a lot for creating truly loyal and committed workers,” said Marc Drizin, one of Walker’s lead researchers.

“Fun and frivolity are nice, but a culture that trains employees for advancement and creates an atmosphere of mutual respect--the feeling that we’re all in this together--is more important, regardless of the economic conditions.”

Walker’s survey was of 2,795 full- and part-time workers across the nation. The survey has an error margin of plus or minus 5 percentage points.

The study found that only 43% of workers believe employers deserve their loyalty and only 45% feel a strong personal attachment to their organization. The results confirm the long-lasting effect of the ruthless downsizings of the late 1980s that severely eroded trust between workers and their employers.

The study suggests several ways companies can reduce costly turnover rates while enhancing workers’ trust, commitment and motivation.

Chief among them is giving employees reason to believe they will be treated fairly during wage negotiations, performance evaluations, workplace disputes and even during bad economic times.

Companies also should demonstrate concern about a worker’s personal needs and provide plenty of opportunities for career development and advancement, the study suggests.