Great corporate purge: Rethinking employee loyalty in modern workplace

FOR decades, employee loyalty has been upheld as an unassailable virtue — the mark of a committed worker, a trustworthy leader, and a strong organisational culture. But what if that loyalty, when left unexamined, becomes one of the biggest roadblocks to progress?

- By Nuwan Widyapathige

In today’s fast-moving business landscape, the most dangerous sentence in the boardroom might just be: “This is how we've always done it.” And all too often, that phrase comes from the most “loyal” employees.

When loyalty turns toxic

Loyal employees typically possess institutional memory, deep relationships, and consistent work habits. However, over time, some of these employees begin to:

According to research, nearly 70% of change initiatives fail, often due to internal resistance from within the organisation. What many leaders fail to see is that the very employees they trust most might be contributing to this inertia.

Strategic turnover as a leadership lever

Organisations must start viewing employee turnover not as a failure, but as a strategic lever for renewal.

This doesn’t mean purging for the sake of attrition — it means thoughtfully evaluating whether long-tenured employees are aligned with the future, not just the past.