4 ways to build an environment of trust

Everyone knows one of the hallmarks of leadership is cultivating trust within the workplace. An environment of trust assumes that leaders, colleagues and employees support each other, while carrying with it an implicit message that each party has the other’s best interests in mind.

Unfortunately, trust is in rare supply these days.  People are having trouble trusting each other, according to the American Psychological Association’s 2014 Work and Well-Being Survey.

While almost two-thirds (64%) of employed adults in the US feel their organisation treats them fairly, one in three reported their employer is not always honest and truthful with them.

“This lack of trust should serve as a wake-up call for employers,” David W. Ballard, PsyD, MBA, head of APA’s Center for Organisational Excellence, said.

“Trust plays an important role in the workplace and affects employees’ well-being and job performance.”

A wake-up call is indeed mandatory, especially since trust, once lost, remains difficult to win back in a personal or professional relationship.

Here are four ways you can help to create an environment of trust in your office.

1. Limit micro-managing

While micro-managing is often a good practice to observe, especially for younger employees, constantly hovering behind their desks implies that you do not have faith in their decision-making abilities. This can result in their becoming defensive. In addition, employees can lose faith in their own confidence to make decisions.

Instead, encourage employees to take up the initiative and get them to voice their opinions on corporate issues. Such a habit allows you to judge their capabilities and guide them accordingly, while not looking like you don’t trust their potential to make the right decision.

2. Be involved

Being somewhat a part of the personal lives of employees and colleagues helps in fostering a closer relation between the two, and helps employees feel you can relate to them.

Aim to listen to stories and struggles of your staff, what ails them and how they’re coping at work and at home. Importantly, engage in dialogue and voice out your suggestions and guidance. This will enable your workers to feel more connected with you, fostering an emotional bond which will result in greater employee engagement.

3. Make firm commitments

Stick to promises made to employees and colleagues. Nothing is more untrustworthy than a boss who fails to deliver on his word. This will set an example for the rest of your staff on fulfilling tasks and objectives they were delegated, and motivates them to be responsible for what they are supposed to do.

However, do communicate any obstacles you encounter while fulfilling these commitments. This will encourage others to voice out their own difficulties and begin looking for alternatives so the task gets done on time and target acquisition remains unaffected.

4. Organise team-building activities

This may sound like a no-brainer, but allocating time for specific activities fostering trust between teams helps employees, consciously or unconsciously, in knowing their colleagues and bosses better.

Physical and mental team building exercises help in revealing strengths and weaknesses of team members and aids them in recognising the potential of their staff members. This then fosters a level of comfort and trust when working with each other in a professional setting.

Without trust in the workplace, communication and teamwork will erode. Additionally, morale will decrease while turnover will rise. However, by using these four strategies, you can build your employees’ trust in management, thereby making their workplace an environment filled with innovation, creativity and ultimately higher profits for all.

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