In Boston, I've found loyalty and reputation are very important qualities people look for and strive for. People stick with jobs through the muck and the mud. Like we do the winters.
In California, people switch jobs at the drop of a hat, and a long chain of startup gigs of 1 or 2 years each is super common and even seen as great experience. Despite being California born and raised, I much prefer Boston's work ethic and loyalty.
This is a fair point. However, keep in mind that loyalty to companies is generally one-sided: most firms will not hesitate to layoff staff if business goals/economics dictate.
Speaking for myself only, any loyalty I have is to people, not to companies. I'm loyal to my boss, my co-workers, etc. These are people I want to work with in the future, and it protects my reputation. Beyond that, I have no loyalty to a company for just the reasons you mentioned.
As someone who has been an employee and employer, this is false. Sure most companies are not loyal to employees but there are those companies that are. I've worked for 2 in the last 16 years and 8 companies. One I was at for 6 and half years and only let because the economic situation demanded it. The other I currently work at and have been there for a year. There are great companies out there run by good people, it just takes time to find the right ones and sometimes you need to compromise in that it might not be the latest startup or maybe it's a boring manufacturing company job but there are people who run companies that actually care about their employees.
Despite being California born and raised, I much prefer Boston's work ethic and loyalty.
Honest, non-judgmental question: why?
I get the value of loyalty to people. That I can go on board with. I'll gladly work my ass off or suffer to support people or causes I believe in. However, companies deserve no such loyalty. A pile of other peoples' money that will gladly get rid of you on no notice, or make you answer to an idiot, for any reason or no reason at all, is not worth emotional attachment or loyalty. It's just a thing that you should use (to pay bills and advance your career) while there are common interests.
Working hard when it matters is important and a true test of someone's character, but an unconditional work ethic is not a virtue-- just pointless.
Ultimately all meaning is socially constructed. We have basically two givens in life: we're born and we die. Everything you do in between is an arbitrary choice - certain choices are more popular than others because we don't live in a vacuum and people can't help but be influenced by others, but that doesn't make them intrinsically right or wrong.
I'll flip the question around with another non-judgmental question: how do you define "when it matters", and what would you rather be doing "when it doesn't matter"?
This is the essence of real culture. If a company is "just a thing that you should use (to pay bills and advance your career) while there are common interests" then I have no interest in loyalty.
I have worked for a couple companies that are more than just mutual interest, and I feel very lucky for it. This highlights the value of establishing that true culture. So many companies completely misunderstand this type of culture.
In California, people switch jobs at the drop of a hat, and a long chain of startup gigs of 1 or 2 years each is super common and even seen as great experience. Despite being California born and raised, I much prefer Boston's work ethic and loyalty.