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As a business owner, you know that trust is key. Employees need to trust their managers in order to be productive and feel engaged in their work. Managers need to trust their employees in order to give them the freedom to do their jobs effectively. And customers need to trust your company in order to do business with you. Creating a culture of trust at your company is essential for employee engagement, customer loyalty, and overall success.

 

If you’ve read my previous article Trust: The Currency of Business, you already know how important I feel trust is in the workplace.

 

We can strategize and plan and prioritize all we want, but if we don’t have a great company culture oh, our plans are never going to come to fruition.

 

Culture eats strategy for breakfast.

Peter Drucker

 

In this blog post, we will discuss how you can create a culture of trust at your company and improve employee productivity and engagement!

What is trust in the workplace?

Trust in the workplace is the belief that employees will behave ethically and responsibly, and that they will not take advantage of their position within the company to engage in unethical or illegal behavior. trust is important in the workplace because it allows employees to feel safe and secure in their jobs, and it encourages them to be more productive

 

Trust is the Currency of Business

Jason W. Phillips

What are some signs that trust is low in the workplace?

  • Are your employees trustful of one another?
  • Do they feel like they can be open and honest without fear of retribution?
  • Do they feel like management is out to get them?
  • Do they feel safe making decisions?
  • Do they feel safe making mistakes?

 

If the answer to one or more of these is no, then you have a trust issue in your company. A culture of trust is essential for employee engagement and productivity.

What are the benefits of trust in the workplace?

The benefits of trust in the workplace are many.

  • Employees who trust their co-workers are more likely to be productive and engaged in their work.
  • They are also more likely to take the time to build relationships with their co-workers, which can lead to better communication and collaboration.
  • Trust also encourages employees to be more creative and innovative, as they feel safe taking risks without fear of reprisal.
  • And finally, trust leads to a sense of employee satisfaction and loyalty, which can result in a lower turnover rate.

 

Culture is the Invisible Force in Your Business that Drives or Erodes Results.

Jason W. Phillips

How do you build trust in the workplace?

There are many ways to build trust in the workplace.

Create a Safe Environment

One way is to create an environment where employees feel safe to be themselves and share their ideas. You can do this by establishing clear communication guidelines and expectations, and by creating a culture of openness and honesty.

Be Trustworthy

Another way to build trust in the workplace is to be trustworthy yourself. Model the behavior you want to see in your employees. Be honest, transparent, and fair in your dealings with them.

 

And… don’t forget this one… follow through and do what you say you will do. This will earn you trust AND credibility.

Be a Good Role Model

Another way to build trust is to be a good role model. Employees will trust you if they see that you trust them. Don’t make people earn trust. Lead with trust. Sure, you may get let down occasionally, but people who trust first end up with more successful interactions and relationships.

Admit Your Mistakes

Your employees don’t expect you to be perfect. They know you are not perfect. When you make a mistake, admit it, learn from it, and move on. Don’t try to cover it up or blame someone else. Be transparent and honest in your dealings with your employees, and they will trust you implicitly.

Make Trust a Clear Priority in Your Company

You can talk about trust and being trustworthy all day long, but if you are not seen as trustworthy and work on becoming trustworthy before talking too much about trust.

 

Once you remove the log from your own eye, I recommend having trust discussions at every level, every process, and every interaction in your company. If you feel like someone has violated your trust, don’t stuff it down. Deal with it head-on before it becomes a pattern or huge gaping crack in the foundation of your company.

 

Do not ignore violations of trust. Again, this goes two ways. Your people need to feel free and safe to speak up to you and their managers when they feel trust has been violated.

In Conclusion

Building trust in the workplace is essential for employee engagement and productivity. There are many ways to build trust, such as creating a safe environment, being trustworthy yourself, and following through on your commitments. Make trust a clear priority in your company by establishing communication guidelines and expectations, and by modeling the behavior you want to see in your employees.

 

I would be curious to hear what you do to build trust on your team. Please let me know in the comments or connect with me on social media to open a discussion.