Several years ago, my sister was called for jury duty. The plaintiff was standing trial for robbery. During the initial voir dire questioning, the plaintiff’s lawyer told the jurors that the only alibi witness was the man’s mother. He asked the jurors if they could listen to her testimony and weigh it fairly or if they would be biased by the fact that she was trying to defend her son.
Three of the jurors said they could not be impartial because they believed that every mother would lie to protect their child.
When my sister told me the story, I was appalled by these responses. I told her (and promptly also told my daughter) that I would pay for the best attorneys possible if my child got in trouble, but I would never lie for her. My sister laughed and told me I had just set up my daughter for years of therapy– and most parents would bend the rules, if not outright lie for their children.
That was the first time I thought about the difference that a predisposition for loyalty versus fairness makes in the outcome of a situation.
I am thinking about it again today. I see a battle between loyalty and fairness playing out in the culture generally and in the workplace specifically. When we could most benefit from everyone coming together to find aligned solutions, people seem to be firmly standing on their own side.
I don’t have a complete view of how this tension manifests in the culture at large other than in the political arena, but I do know how this tug of war unfolds inside an organization. I hear it now in the disgruntled voices of employees when the layoff lists are revealed and the bitter remonstrations when people believe job openings go to “who you know” rather than “the best candidate”. The tension between fairness and loyalty starts with the behavior of one individual and can radiate through the entire organization. It affects employee engagement, retention, and overall performance.
THE SCIENCE BEHIND LOYALTY AND FAIRNESS
Loyalty and fairness are part of everyone’s moral code. However, at the core, the norms for fairness and loyalty diverge. Fairness requires that everyone be treated equally or equitably. Conversely, loyalty norms demand preferential treatment for one’s own chosen group over all others. [1]
Studies have shown that the brain’s default is to expect a fair deal. This is not merely rational; there are neurons in the brain that respond negatively when we do not act fairly, and others that feel pleasure when we act in an evenhanded manner. [2]
This clip of the Capuchin monkey experiment shows just how fundamental fairness is to our nature. Really, stop now, click the link and watch the video. It’s only 57 seconds long and it will make you smile. MONKEY FAIRNESS EXPERIMENT
We are also wired for loyalty. Our survival against hostile predators and environments in prehistoric times was greatly aided by allegiance. Cave people developed clans to protect themselves and others from these dangers.[3]
Generally, these two norms exist happily side by side in all of us. The scary part though, is what happens when we must make a choice between the two values. Research from 2020 found that “when push comes to shove, loyalty trumps justice”.[4] Researchers found that people were willing to break rules and laws to protect those with whom they had an important relationship. This knowledge should alert us to the fact that we better pay attention to how both these traits play out in our workplaces.
NEGATIVE CONCEQUENCES OF TRUST AND LOYALTY
While both loyalty and fairness are thought of as moral behaviors, there are negative consequences for individuals and organizations if a workplace is over-indexed in either of these areas.
Ironically, instead of being rewarded, loyal employees are often exploited. Whether the behavior is deliberate or subliminal, managers understand that loyal workers are willing to make personal sacrifices to further business needs, and so are routinely asked to do so. As expected, most times the loyal employees comply hoping to be rewarded for their over-commitment.[5] This endless cycle is a horrible unintended consequence of working hard and being devoted to your job. Most of the time this results in burned out and bitter employees. At its worst, loyal employees are coerced into participating in, or tolerating, unlawful behavior. We are all aware of what happened at Enron because the culture demanded ultimate loyalty.[6] There were similar issues at FTX.[7]
Likewise, there are downsides for employees who think narrowly about fairness. We seek fairness so we can feel assured that we are getting what we deserve and deserve what we get. However, in many work situations, what seems fair is open to wide interpretation. For instance, it is not uncommon for an employee to believe they should have gotten a promotion that went to someone else. Understanding when something is not fair as opposed to merely not your desired outcome requires humility, empathy, and judgment. These can be “big asks”, especially in the face of rejection or disappointment. Employees who cannot accept that everything that does not go their way is not unfair lose trust in the organization and their job satisfaction as well as their performance drop.
That same reaction happens on a wider scale when employees feel the company’s decisions are subjective or opaque. If too many of the C-suite’s actions seem random and arbitrary, employees see them as “unfair” and lose faith in leadership. This makes it much harder to operate effectively.
ORGANIZATIONAL FAIRNESS BOOSTS EMPLOYEE LOYALTY
Luckily, research shows that the best way to create a culture where employees are loyal is to ensure your workplace is fair. When employees perceive that they are treated with respect, dignity, and sensitivity, they are more likely to feel a sense of commitment and identification with the organization.[8] Here are some ways to do that:
Promote Transparency and Explain Decisions: When people do not understand why decisions are made, they think the worst. They imagine senior management in a back room making choices that favor only themselves. While not everything can be shared with everyone, you can ensure there is a cadence of activities where you communicate as much as you can. When decisions are made that will not be popular, employees deserve to understand the company’s rationale. You are not aiming to make everyone agree with you, or to like the choice. Everyone should be able to walk away though, understanding your logic.
Explain to Managers that Their Communication is the Key to Employee Trust
Employees understand that their managers are fallible, and many things are out of their control. Tell your managers that it is ok to acknowledge that. Employee trust is built when managers are credible and reliable. Lots of times that means managers will have to concede that they do not know all the answers but will work together with the employee to figure things out. Employees are as attuned to whether their managers communicate and interact with them in a respectful and transparent manner as they are to their manager’s skill set.[9]
Encourage Ethical Behavior and Organizational Citizenship
Establish clear ethical guidelines that prioritize the accountability of all stakeholders. Encourage employees to take initiative and contribute to the organization’s success in ways that go beyond their formal job duties. Another way to say this is: create a culture where if you see a problem, you should not bypass it, but own bringing it to the attention of the appropriate owner.
Implement Effective Conflict Resolution Strategies
Develop robust conflict resolution processes that allow employees to raise concerns early and obtain proper redress if needed. If there are internal resolution avenues, employees will use them rather than taking to social media or the court system.
By creating the right cultural norms, companies can establish an honest workforce that loves their work and cares about each other. This ultimately leads to improved organizational performance and outcomes.
Given the fact that fairness vs. loyalty may be a recurring topic in the political news for a while, it may be a good time to think about how both show up in your workplace. Who demands what of whom? Are your employees loyal and how does that loyalty square with people’s innate need for fairness?
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[1] The whistleblower’s dilemma and the fairness–loyalty tradeoff Adam Waytz a, James Dungan b, Liane Young b Journal of Experimental Social Psychology Volume 49, Issue 6. November 2013
[2] Are Humans Hardwired for Fairness? Association For Psychological Science. April 15, 2008
https://www.psychologicalscience.org/news/releases/are-humans-hardwired-for-fairness.html
[3] The Psychology of Loyalty: Understanding the Motivations Behind It https://shakatribeshop.com/pages/the-psychology-of-loyalty-understanding-the-motivations-behind-it
[4] When Push Comes to Shove, Loyalty Trumps Justice. Society for Personality and Social Psychology. https://spsp.org/news-center/character-context-blog/when-push-comes-shove-loyalty-trumps-justice
[5] Loyal workers are selectively and ironically targeted for exploitation. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, volume 1106, May 2023
[6] Enron’s Culture Fed its Demise. The Washington Post. Jan 27, 2002
[7] Sam Bankman-Fried ‘directed me’ to commit crimes – ex-girlfriend. https://www.bbc.com/news/business-67068611
[8] Why does interactional justice promote organizational loyalty, job performance, and prevent mental impairment? The role of social support and social stressors. Journal of Psychology 2015 Jan-Apr;149
[9] Maister, D. H., Green, C. H., & Galford, R. M. (2000). The trusted advisor. New York: Free Press.
