Work commitment: the best weapon when things go downhill

Monday, 28 september 2020 | Redacción CEU

The lockdown experience has served as a big magnifying glass, by revealing both the hidden weaknesses and strengths that companies have so far. Work commitment is one of these characteristics that is less visible in good contexts –but not for that reason it is less harmless–. In complex and turbulent times, the strongest companies are generally those that have the most engaged employees. By contrast, the weakest companies are usually those that have a lack of responsibility and unsatisfied workers. Any company may go under when things go downhill. Nevertheless, they will face adversity better if they can count on employees who are willing to deal with whatever comes their way. Without the help and determination of employees, the future may even be more threatening and uncertain. That is why, today, on the CEU IAM’s blog, we make a point on an important topic: the boost of employee commitment within companies.

Resilience is the ability of an individual or an entity to adapt to adverse situations, obtaining, at the same time, results that can be considered positive. In the current pandemic scenario, resilience is a very valuable quality for any organization. However, according to the data recently published in the Aon Resilience Report, only 30% of workers in major European countries are resilient. This data is closely related to the concept of work commitment, since workers with low resilience have a 55% lower engagement and are 42% less likely to wish to continue staying in their companies.

The figures of this report also point out other interesting data, such as that 42% of respondents do not feel safe at work, 52% do not feel proud of belonging to their companies or 55% do not feel that they will reach their potential in them. All this data shows the need to make a greater effort to promote commitment at workplace.

What does work commitment consist of?

Work commitment does not exactly mean the degree of responsibility that employees have in their companies. Undoubtedly, engaged workers will make an effort so that the tasks they are responsible for are correctly performed before the deadline expires. However, people who are committed to themselves, have a strong sense of work and are highly responsible may worry for this very reason without necessarily feeling a real commitment to the company. Companies count on committed employees only when there is a real link between them and their employees, when they have achieved a real connection. In other words, committed employees are not only interested in doing their jobs well, they also want their companies to achieve their goals and be successful, since they feel this success as their own as well. They share it.

Achieving this level of commitment in companies requires a clear effort, as work commitment is linked to other abstract and intangible concepts such as job satisfaction and motivation. Although they are immaterial aspects, they are quantifiable and reachable.