Trust in the workplace is essential for companies and teams to thrive. It’s a concept that refers to the mutual respect and psychological safety that exists between employees and management. Without it, workers are demotivated and less productive. In fact, research published in Harvard Business Review shows that compared with individuals at low-trust companies, employees at high-trust companies report 74% less stress, 50% higher productivity and 106% more energy at work.
When employees have confidence in their colleagues and leaders, it promotes loyalty, engagement and increased retention. Workplace trust also allows employees to feel empowered to share opinions and ideas, which leads to innovation and growth. Over time, sharing knowledge and experiences throughout the organization leads to better collaboration and teamwork.
By prioritizing trust in the workplace, you create a diverse and inclusive culture where your team feels a sense of belonging and connectedness. If you’re committed to creating an environment where every employee feels valued, begin by implementing these five strategies.
Build authentic connections
Authenticity is critical when building strong relationships because it allows for deeper connections. While it can be scary to reveal your true self, it’s one of the fastest ways to establish trust in the workplace. Another way to establish authentic relationships is to acknowledge other people’s emotions. Recent research suggests that acknowledging negative emotions increases trust more than acknowledging positive emotions. That’s because when you recognize negative feelings, like when a co-worker seems upset, that person believes you are genuinely concerned and is more apt to trust you.
Listen actively
Whether you’re having a conversation with co-workers or clients, the act of active listening builds trust in the workplace. That means staying engaged in the discussion and providing your undivided attention. Practice techniques like maintaining eye contact, asking questions and paraphrasing to summarize the conversation. Reflecting on what has been said shows that you’ve been paying attention and allows the speaker to correct you if necessary. http://loansmp.com/
Encourage transparency
in his book Winning, Jack Welch states that“ trust happens when leaders are transparent, candid, and keep their word. It’s that simple.”
Examples of transparency in the workplace include:
- Setting clear expectations
- Keeping your team in the loop
- Creating a space for feedback
- Being honest about challenges
- Sharing the reasons behind decisions
- Encouraging team members to express themselves openly
When done consistently, transparency leads to communication and collaboration, ultimately fostering trust.
Foster a culture of appreciation
A paycheck alone isn’t enough to build trust and demonstrate that you value your team. It’s also necessary to provide real-time recognition for a job well done. Showing appreciation is so important that a survey by OnePoll on behalf of Bonusly showed that almost half of U.S. workers (46%) left a role because they felt unappreciated. And it’s not just recognition from managers that matters. Another 65% of those polled said they would stay at a job with an unappreciative manager if their co-workers and peers still recognized their efforts.
Coach rather than dictate
Rather than act like a traditional “boss,” try coaching your employees. As a coach, you encourage employee development and facilitate problem-solving rather than giving orders. An effective manager who coaches also asks powerful questions to encourage introspection. By supporting your team in identifying solutions, they develop confidence and learn to self-manage over time.
Trust in the workplace is crucial to motivating others, building relationships and working collaboratively. It also increases retention because employees who trust their leaders are less likely to quit. While building trust doesn’t happen overnight, it’s worth investing in a long-term approach. Over time, you’ll create a culture that makes people feel respected, supported and engaged.
