Why Trust Matters in the Workplace

Importance Of Trust In The Workplace August 18, 2020

Mary Kate Morrow

Writer

Introduction

Case studies show that 23% of employees would offer more ideas and solutions and 21% of employees would undertake longer hours if they felt they could trust leaders in their workplace. Understanding the importance of trust in the workplace and making proactive changes to increase trust in your work environment will result in higher employee engagement and bottom line profitability.

The Importance of Trust in the Workplace

The importance of trust in the workplace should not be overlooked by business professionals. The entire employee experience is negatively affected by a work environment that has low trust levels.

If employees feel that they are not trusted, they will be less confident and productive. Employees are less likely to take risks, create new products, or generate creative ideas if they are worried their employees will not trust in their process.

When an employee is not confident they are more likely to make costly mistakes and require extra attention. Ironically, micromanaging and hyper surveillance feed into this workplace trust dilemma by creating more ineffective employees who in turn, require more management.

An employee with high employee engagement is one who is not only productive but contributes to the employee experience for your entire business. When your team members can trust others on staff they will create a more positive work environment and long term bottom line optimization.

Case studies have shown that a high trust workplace has more bottom line profitability and higher employee retention levels than a low trust work environment. A third of employees report that they would stay longer at a company where they can trust leadership capabilities and 28% of employees report they would extend their tenure for full workplace transparency.

Improve your entire employee experience by using best practice techniques that build trust long term. Not only is trust important but it is crucial to staying relevant and productive in a competitve market.

How to Improve Trust in the Workplace

Being someone who people trust is crucial for career success and development. A high trust workplace will have fewer issues and more bottom line profitability. In fact, many high trust workplace leaders contend that every workplace issue is at its most basic level, a lack of trust.

Build trust in the workplace by implementing the below strategies-

1. Recognize a job well done- Create a more positive work environment and employee experience by praising employees who perform excellent work. Consistently show your employees that you trust work processes and the capability of your team members to succeed.

When employees see other team members being recognized for their efforts they are encouraged to increase their own employee engagement levels. Employees work best when they are given credit for their successes and their fellow employees feel more inclined to trust their work ethic.

2. Discourage gossip- Gossip is a roadblock to building trust in the workplace. Building workplace trust requires open communication and gossip will quickly create a work environment that is negative and toxic.

Many people wrongly use gossip in an attempt to build trust with one another at the detriment of other relationships. Someone who gossips regularly communicates that they are someone who does not trust others nor are they someone who should be trusted.

Gossip can be especially harmful when it is done by high level executives and leaders. An employee will not trust leaders and as a byproduct, will not trust companies that have low trust in one another. A low trust work environment will discourage top talent employees from applying to and staying at your business.

3. Trust one another- One of the most effective ways to build trust is to trust others in the workplace. If team members feel they can trust one another to fulfill responsibilities, your entire work environment will improve.

Again, it is even more crucial for leaders to demonstrate trust in the workplace. If employees do not feel they have the trust of their managers, they will be less likely to trust leadership capabilities in return.

4. Share success- If you are given information that is helpful, share it with others in your business. For instance, if you attended an industry conference where you learned valuable skills, look for ways to share with your team members what you discovered.

People trust someone with good intentions, so make sure you are not providing help or assistance for any ulterior motive. Do not attempt to build trust conditionally based on what you can receive from someone. Instead, demonstrate that you are someone that people trust because you are genuine and want the best for your team members and your business.

5. Stay consistent- Consistency is key to building trust and rapport with other team members in the workplace. Make sure to keep a cool and calm temperament and avoid being reactive whenever possible to demonstrate to others that they can trust you to remain stable and consistent. Communicate clear promises to your team members and complete them in a timely matter.

Leaders must stay communicative and trust others to perform their work processes without micromanagement or inappropriate mood swings. Although building a high trust workplace may seem intimidating, it really comes down to being genuine, communicative, and respectful in the workplace. Properly valuing the importance of trust in the workplace will result in bottom line improvements and increased innovation.