How To Build Trust In The Workplace

If you’d like your organization to succeed, you must foster mutual trust between all team members. But this is easier said than done. Only 1 out of 5 HR and engagement leaders believe their employees deeply trust company leaders, and 50 percent of employees said they don’t think HR is trustworthy.

Trust is essential for in-person teams and remote workers. Without it, any employee is likely to be less motivated and productive. In fact, workers at high-trust companies report 74 percent less stress, exhibit 50 percent higher productivity, and experience 40 percent less burnout.

How To Build Trust in the Workplace

Here are nine of the best strategies for fostering an environment of trust in the workplace.

Listen First

Your employees are unique individuals who have their own ideas and viewpoints. Ask them to speak their mind, and when they do, genuinely listen. This is the foundation for positive workplace relationships built on mutual understanding and trust.

To improve your listening skills, it’s a good idea to engage in active listening training. This involves making a deliberate effort to ask your employees questions and encourage them to elaborate more so you can truly understand what they’re trying to communicate. There are opportunities to listen every day. For instance, set aside some time in meetings for employees to discuss their work experience and how they’re feeling. Remember that you should be ready to listen to both positive and negative feedback, and that you need to demonstrate you’re open to their feedback whether you agree with it or not.

Request and Act on Feedback

HR professionals and managers can’t be everywhere to capture valuable employee feedback at all times. But employees want a voice in their organization. To help them trust you, do what it takes to capture their feedback and take prompt action.

You should solicit feedback on a continuous basis: only 10 percent of employees are satisfied with yearly requests for feedback, while 64 percent want a way to provide feedback at any time. Look for a feedback solution that incorporates pulse surveys so you can frequently gather input from team members and open an always-on, employee-driven feedback channel like a workplace chatbot.

Once you gather feedback, analyze the results to identify hotspots. You can then act quickly to shore up weak areas before they become serious problems. Be sure to communicate the results to your team promptly and work with them to determine what actions you can take to improve their experience in the workplace. Building a collaborative action plan demonstrates transparency and helps employees feel valued.