Loyal To Your Employer? That Might Put A Target On Your Back

This originally appeared on Forbes on April 26, 2024.

Research published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology has found that the more loyal an employee is, the more likely they are to be targeted for exploitative practices by their manager. Why? Because managers assume that loyal employees are more willing than others to make personal sacrifices for their job.

While loyalty is often heralded as a desirable trait, this research sheds light on its potential downside when it comes to workplace relationships; namely, creating an expectation that one will be more willing to self-sacrifice for the good of the business. What form does this self-sacrifice take? In the study, researchers looked at several exploitative practices, which they describe as unfair transactions between management and employees where the company reaps the benefits at the expense of the employee. This includes actions such as working late, working while on holiday, or undertaking tasks unrelated to their job duties — without extra reward or pay.

Now, loyalty in the right dose a good thing. It encourages people to help others in their organizations and communities and enhances trust and cooperation. But too much loyalty can backfire. Once someone has a reputation for being loyal and continues to agree to poor treatment, that actually increases the number of times they are asked to self-sacrifice for work. In short, it creates a cycle of suffering.

Read the rest on Forbes.