I have observed many firms attempts to create loyalty amongst their staff. The problem: loyalty is not something you can force upon people or manufacture.

But we all want our best staff, teams, and coworkers to be loyal – so how can that be achieved?

Leadership 101, the Hawthorne Effect (study by Harvard)*, and almost all research conducted on workforce development have suggested that the way you create a loyal and inspired workforce is through changing the way employees feel about the organization, not by requiring them do things that already loyal people would be inclined to do.

Studies done over nearly the past 100 years have shown that it is the time and attention individually paid to employees and a valuation of their work through compensation and acknowledged appreciation that causes them to value the work they are doing, like their place of employment and who they are working for, and inspires them to give of themselves in a way that isn’t required.

An example to look at is Walmart. The company culture in the beginning manifested with a morning cheer. It was started by enthusiastic “hog-calling” Arkansas Razorback fans who already liked going to work and had a passion for what they were doing. The key word is: already.

What are you doing to create loyalty? Look at your company culture and consider ways to foster an environment where employees can thrive.