published April 28, 2017

By Amanda Griffin

5 Ways You Can Make Trust an Integral Part of Your Workplace Relationships

Find out why having trust is so important throughout your company, and how you can incorporate a higher level of trust at your workplace in this article.

The power employee satisfaction has on the workplace is often overlooked. Employers focus on small things like perks and bonuses, losing sight of the rest of the factors influencing their employees’ happiness. The number one factor in building strong relationships between managers and employees is trust.

With 93 percent of employees reporting that being able to trust their supervisor affects their workplace satisfaction the most in a survey done by Ultimate Software, the need to have trust is even more important. Remarkably, in a Deloitte survey, only half of employees claim to trust their employers. Trust is proven to lead to effective communication, employee retention, and employee motivation. Once there is an established sense of trust in the workplace, employees will be comfortable and more able to achieve greater results personally and as part of the company.

Transforming a workplace into one that has trust takes time. Marsha Sinetar said, “Trust is not a matter of technique, but of character; we are trusted because of our way of being, not because of our polished exteriors or our expertly crafted communications.” Building trust will require small actions over time. It will not happen overnight as the result of one action. Earning trust is essentially done by telling the truth even in hard situations and being truthful, trustworthy, and authentic in your dealings with staff and customers.

To increase trust in your company with your employees and make it an integral part of your workplace, adopt these changes:
 
  1. Transparency
 
Employees are looking for honesty in everyday functions. They want feedback that is real, and they want to know where the company stands. They also want to be involved in some of the decisions the company makes. Transparency has been proven to be the most important factor in reducing turnover rates.

Business growth specialist Carol Evenson has said, “Information is a valuable commodity and sharing it with your employees will help you in the long run. Keep your employees aware of performance metrics, financial results, upcoming business process management strategies, and plans that you have in the works.”
 
  1. Keep promises
 
Nothing will cause you to lose credibility faster than breaking promises. To gain trust, you have to do what you say you will do. Before promising the world to your employees, make sure you can deliver the results. When you break a promise, even if you had the best intentions, this tells your employees that you do not value them.
 
  1. Communicate
 
Employees want to know that they are included and not left out in the dark. When things are discussed and decided behind closed doors, employees lose faith in management. Employees want to know where they stand and how they can move up, showing an investment in the company. When they are unclear on these things, they will give up on the company and look for employment elsewhere. Seek negative and positive feedback from your employees.
 
  1. Integrity
 
Establish an environment that promotes integrity in its management and employees. The foundation of trust in any relationship begins with integrity. Don’t get caught telling a lie. Make it a practice not to tell them in the first place. Always keep your promises. Remember that the reputation of a company begins with the reputation of its employees. Management sets the example for its employees to follow.
 
  1. Goals
 
Set goals as a team so that everyone is included and has their role. Setting a bunch of personal goals places emphasis on personal agendas instead of a joint effort to succeed. Employers need to get their team working together so that they trust each other, especially their leader.

See the following articles for more information:
   
Photo: commons.wikimedia.org

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