New employees are very positive about their employer in the first year of employment. They are proud of the organisation (78%) and satisfied with their work (90%). They’re also quite happy with their new colleagues (89%) and their managers (85%).
Slowly losing enthusiasm
After five years, the enthusiasm for an employer decreases. About 70% of employees are still proud of their organisation, and 84% remain satisfied with the work that they do. Also, 84% are still happy with their colleagues, and 77% with their managers. These rates continue to decline with duration of employment. During the course of an employee’s career, they gradually become less enthusiastic about their employer.
Rose coloured glasses
Guido Heezen, director and founder at Effectory explains this, “The enthusiasm of the first year always makes more room for realism. Employees who enter are overwhelmed by all the new impressions. They see all aspects of the organisation for the first time, and in most cases the reality contradicts with this enormously. In time, less favourable aspects become more visible – and the rose coloured glasses come off. The loyal staff, who really fit within the organisation remain.”

Attracting Talent
Keeping the right talent is becoming more and more integral. “These employees have already completed the selection process successfully. They fit in the organisation, and can properly assess who fits into the organisation within their network,” says Heezen. “They tell great stories and are invaluable ambassadors. We also know that talent that joins an organisation via referral from other employees are often a great fit. For employers, it’s good to be aware of this opportunity. Stay in touch with new recruits. Did they receive all the information needed to do their job properly? Do they understand how the organisation operates and it’s goals? An onboarding survey can help. It’s worthwhile to invest in new staff, so they can get a head start, and share their enthusiasm with the outside world.”
About Effectory
Based in Amsterdam, Effectory is Europe's largest independent employee survey provider, with over 20 years of experience in helping organisations become sustainably successful. We believe the key to sustainable success, is through gathering and listening to employee feedback. To facilitate this, we offer a variety of feedback tools which enable companies to learn from their employees and improve from within. In 2016, Effectory conducted over 600 employee surveys globally, with +1.5 million respondents in over 40 languages. Effectory is mission-driven, and we pride ourselves in having engaged, passionate employees with a very open, honest and trusting working culture.