What Is the Value of Employee Commitment?

Much like any relationship, commitment is at the heart of a healthy partnership. When employees are committed to their work and place of business, they are more likely to be happy and highly productive. Committed employees take ownership of their work and are ambassadors for their company, both inside and outside of the office doors. They are less likely to job hunt or be tempted by recruiters who seek out passive candidates. They are most likely to pursue advancements and promotions. The value of employee commitment is palpable — in more ways than one. Keep reading to discover what we mean.

What Is Commitment in the Workplace?

Not all employees are committed, and those that are have different levels of commitment. Plus, “commitment” can mean different things to different workers. Overall, it’s the bond employees feel with their place of work. When they’re committed, they tend to have a higher level of job satisfaction and align with the values of the organization. They continuously work towards achieving the goals determined for their department and the overall company success. They don’t constantly complain or engage in employee gossip. They display a positive attitude towards their work, co-workers, and managers. HR experts have identified three types of workplace commitment:

• Continuance commitment. This reflects loyalty to a company because the employee doesn't see any viable work alternatives and/or fears a financial loss from leaving. A continuance committed worker might stay with a company because of the salary and fringe benefits or a stock option plan.
• Affective commitment. This stems from an emotional attachment to an organization. An affectively committed employee really likes working for the company and believes in what they are doing. These employees can be great brand ambassadors.
• Normative commitment. This involves feelings of responsibility and obligation. Normatively committed employees value loyalty. This commitment reflects how much employees feel that the company is loyal to them, as well has how willing they are to stick by the company in a tough time.

Committed employees are generally great assets to an organization and add value in more ways than one. They are supportive and display relatively high productivity compared with non-committed employees. These employees don’t needlessly use sick days and are more prone to adopt the vision of the organization if it’s not already aligned with their own value system. They sincerely believe in the brand and their relationship to its success.

What’s the Difference Between Engagement and Commitment?

Employee engagement and work commitment can have some overlap. Oftentimes, engagement is the visible side effect of being committed. When an employee is committed, they’re going to showcase engagement by their actions. Sometimes these terms are used interchangeably, because both engagement and commitment reflect how invested an employee is in the company. However, engaged employees may appear committed while always searching for a better offer. This could negatively influence other non-committed staff members resulting in disastrous consequences. To get started on measuring the engagement of your employee base, start building your own completely customizable engagement survey.

Examples of Employee Commitment

Committed employees might showcase engagement by heading up activities outside of desk-related duties. They might, for example, lead a volunteering initiative or start a lunch hour walk. However, commitment isn’t always presented in such obvious ways. Committed employees have countless ways to show that they want to be great assets for the company and each other.

• Sharing job posts on their personal social media accounts.
• Referring friends or prior colleagues to new opportunities at your company.
• Proudly wearing company swag.
• Using company hashtags in a positive way.
• Consistently going the extra mile for their team and others.
• Actively seeking out ways to improve their performance, such as signing up for a software class.

As a leader, you won’t have to wonder if an employee is committed—it will be apparent in their attitude and their high productivity. These are the employees you would assign to guiding a new hire on the first day or leading a meeting that a manager can’t attend. They are the employees you can trust to get things done even in a rush. They usually wear numerous hats and tend to rack up company awards. However, committed employees don’t just happen. They are hired because of both company fit, cultural add, and talent/skills. They are retained because their growth is fostered by management. They feel appreciated and reciprocate with what they bring to the business. It’s expensive to onboard a new employee, but also costly to keep subpar employees. By identifying the employees working who are constantly going above and beyond you can ask them for feedback. What makes them feel empowered to do so? Present these employees as good examples while spreading this goodness to staff members who might appear less committed. Simple tactics like regularly saying thanks and calling out great work in meetings are great ways to foster employee commitment. Building a workforce of committed employees is a two-way street. As the employer, you need to offer a competitive salary and comparable fringe benefits. However, the underlying reason for commitment often goes beyond the money. You must demonstrate prioritization of employee growth and acknowledge their successes. Much of their commitment lies in the feeling that they are contributing to the company while being appreciated by their superiors. As an employee, go the extra mile. While providing your own commitment to the success of the company, help inspire your co-workers to do the same. In your annual review, be sure to illustrate your commitment to the company to the reviewers. Extend your appreciation for the opportunity that is provided to you. Be sure they understand your work commitment makes you an asset to the continued success of the company.