How to Build Trust at Work

Benefits of Building an Environment of Trust at Work — 4 Tips to Get You Started.

Do you trust your employees? Better yet, do they trust each other…and you? If everyone in the office is walking through a haze of suspicions, it may be time to focus on creating a culture of trust between employees, management, and everyone in between. Explore the benefits of a trusting work culture below, along with four ways you can start to build trust at work.

 

Benefits of a Trusting Work Culture

According to a Gallup study, employees who trust their organization are more engaged. This allows them to focus more on their work and less on what (or who) could be lurking around the corner with ill intent.

 

When employees can trust the people they work with and for, it causes a ripple effect of benefits. As trust builds, stress levels decrease. As employees feel more at ease with their coworkers, teamwork starts to become the norm instead of the exception. With better collaboration, productivity skyrockets.

 

Building trust is excellent for relationships and teamwork. But it also influences a company’s bottom line. Research shows that companies with a reputation for having high trusting work environments are two and a half times more likely than those who don’t to experience superior revenue growth.

 

Whether your motivation is cultural, financial, or both, developing a plan to build trust at work is a beneficial step to take.

 

How to Build Trust at Work

If you’re ready to create a culture of trust at work, start with these three tips.

 

1| Show you’re listening

Management often boasts of their strong communicative skills. However, employees often experience the opposite. Even if your door is open, are you listening?

 

Authentic communication is vital to building trust in the workplace. But many employers find themselves on the wrong end of the conversation. Instead of initiating and dictating workplace conversations, employers should be focused on creating a culture that invites employees to take the wheel. Team members should feel comfortable expressing concerns, setbacks, and constructive criticism to management in the hopes of brightening their future and improving the company as a whole.

 

The next time an employee comes to you, make sure you’re genuinely listening to their concerns. Whatever your response is, live up to it and follow up with your employee down the line.

 

2| Focus on personal growth

Employees know that you expect them to grow in their positions. But do you encourage them to grow outside the workplace as well?

 

When you recognize that employees are multi-dimensional and cater to their desires, both professional and personal, you create a safe culture that encourages growth and trust.

 

How you want to communicate this is up to you. You can provide benefits that promote healthy and strong lifestyles or work from home opportunities that provide employees with better work and life balance. Choose something that says you care more about reports when it comes to your team. Show you want the best for them, at work and beyond.

 

3| Be transparent

Practice professional transparency. You don’t need to spill the details about your personal life but remain transparent about work matters. Rumors spread quickly, and it’s best to be honest before gossip runs rampant. It’s difficult to trust an employer who always seems to be covering up a scandal or holding something back.

 

Whether you need to let your staff know about a data breach that’s about to go public or a new client contract that’s going to catapult growth, share all news that affects employees, positive and negative.

 

4| Lead by example

If you want to build trust in your team, then lead by example and show your team that you trust them and others. This means trusting your team and not micromanaging them. Most micromanagement is rooted in distrust. Productivity has been proven to decrease when you are breathing down your team member’s necks. You did your due diligence when hiring, training and guiding your team, now it’s time to trust your own management skills and trust the people you manage.

 

Never forget that your team members are always watching and taking cues from you so take the opportunity to show them what trust in others really looks like.

 

Remember that trust is built through actions, not words. Just saying that you want to create a trustworthy work environment isn’t enough. Proclaim your intent but act accordingly. As you and your team make progress, you’re sure to reap the rewards of building trust at work.

 

For more information call 630.928.0510 or fill out the form below and one of our Business Development Managers will contact you.

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