How To Build Trust
I have trawled through online articles featuring best employers and companies with high engagement scores. I’m curious as to what others do, of course, and I can’t help but notice the negative comments some attract along the lines of “it’s easy for you” from people all over the world. It makes me think about how to build trust.
The truth is any organisation no matter the number of people or the size of the budget can be a great place to work if they accept that what they need to have first is trust. Trust underpins the belief in the organisation’s purpose.
Trust is the foundation of a Great Place to Work; it stabilizes relationships when times are tough when important decisions need to be made and enable us to remain focused on the future.
Do you trust who you work for? Do you believe in what the business is doing and how it is run?
When employees trust leaders to make the right decisions and look out for their interests, then they gain respect for them too. Here are some things that contribute to that trust:
- When management recognises honest mistakes are part of doing business
- When management authentically seeks and responds to suggestions and ideas.
- When management shows a sincere interest in me as a person, not just an employee.
- When managers show appreciation for good work and extra effort.
- When we are given the resources and equipment to get our jobs done
Do you trust your colleagues?
Managers aren’t always the bad guys – the camaraderie between co-workers is equally important as trusting the boss.
- Is there a sense of “family” or “team” feeling in your organisation
- When people join the company they are made to feel welcome
- People feel at home when they change jobs or units
- There’s a sense of fun and celebration at times
- Can you express yourself freely
Does the business trust you?
When we have trust we also to a certain extent predict what other people will do and what situations will occur. Does your business surround itself with employees it can trust? That it can count on. This is where a shared set of values are so important.
This is also about empowering employees to make decisions so they don’t have to ask or waste time decision making due to mistrusting one another and not wanting to take the blame.
You nailed it Naomi! I stumbled upon your piece here via a booking through your CEO BLOG link on Red Balloon.
Coincidentally I am quitting my "job" for the exact reasons you describe in your article here - or lack thereof. I have not yet found a role in Australia in the last 8 years that can satisfy these points. The only role that did fill these was serving in a "family" environment, team and vision focused, where leaders relied on their troops and leaders prooved themselves to be trusted time and time again, where creativity was fuelled with logic and passion for the mission. It was a rescue base in NY.
Following an audit of my career and passions over the coming weeks I will envision my next career path. You can be guaranteed I will be referencing your points when I interview my next employer! Thanks for putting it so succinctly!