In numerous studies by the Gallup Institute it has been proven several times that emotionally attached employees perform better and switch their jobs less often. This was now confirmed in German studies with regard to stress. Researchers led by Prof. van Dick from the Goethe-University in Frankfurt found out that it is less individual resilience that makes employees feel stressed, but that the stress level is dependent on how strongly employees can identify with their team or their company.
In order to end the "hen-or-egg" debate of whether employees are less stress prone, because they identify themselves more strongly, or whether more healthy employees identify more easily, the researchers selected a study design in which they first measured the degree of identification with the company of a randomly selected group of call-center employees via a test procedure and in the second step confronted them with a stressful situation ("by means of calls from very disagreeable customers"). This revealed that those employees that could identify themselves more with the company suffered less from stress. The cortisol level in saliva of the observed participants was measured before and after these unpleasant calls. Other studies came up with similar results (respective "papers" can be requested from us). This is definitely an interesting insight for executives and HR professionals. But then: how can one´s identification with the company be increased?
Fig. 1: Employee identification
Here are some concrete hints, that are surely not brand new, but that have a verifiable effect:
1) Ensure identity by means of a strong value orientation. A living corporate mission of what the company stands for and which benefits it has for the society and its customers, will promote the identity.
2) Executives should act as role models. Again and again we have seen that employees exactly observe the identification and credibility of their executives and that this has an effect on one´s own identification.
3) Trust in team cooperation and bring people together: "Together we are strong" is a popular saying.
And 4) Celebrate successes, plan to do things together outside of the company and develop and nourish your own company-wide rituals.