A Blueprint for Building Trust with Your Employees

The foundation of any thriving workplace is a solid foundation built on trust. As a leader, cultivating and nurturing trust with your employees goes a long way in building a work culture where all employees can feel comfortable bringing their authentic selves to work. We want to build a work environment where employees feel proud to belong.

Building trust in an era of peak volatility in business is proving to be an uphill task. As a leader, your top priority is building trust with your employees. According to Gallup’s research, engaged employees produce better business outcomes than other employees - this is true regardless of industries, company sizes, nationalities and in both good and bad economic conditions. Approaching employee engagement as a business strategy simply makes sense. 

Here is a blueprint for building trust with your employees:

1. Transparent Communication:

We all know that open and honest communication is the bedrock of trust. Keeping respective teams informed about the company’s goals, challenges and successes can motivate and engage employees. 

We can do this by establishing a Leadership Centre - this is a hub where senior leaders of respective departments get to share their top-level vision, goals for the quarter, and celebrate milestones. By regularly updating this Leadership Centre with business performance and updates on projects, employees will know how to align with business goals and can perform better at work. Transparency breeds inclusivity and a sense of belonging can be fostered in this way.

2. Consistent Leadership:

Consistent leaders are powerful culture-builders. When a leader is consistent in their decision-making, reactions and overall leadership style, it can instil a sense of confidence in employees. Employees are not blindsided by inconsistent actions and emotions which is a big detriment to morale and productivity. Employees appreciate stability and are more likely to trust leaders who demonstrate unwavering commitment to their values and principles.

3. Empowerment and Recognition:

Employees in high-trust cultures are empowered with autonomy in their roles. By trusting them to make decisions, it provides room for learning and opportunities for skill development. Recognising and appreciating employees regularly is a gold standard in employee engagement. When employees feel valued in an organisation, their levels of trust go up, and so do their engagement and productivity.

4. Employee Well-being:

Employees will thrive when their well-being is taken care of. This includes their physical and mental health. By providing resources and support for work-life balance, mental health, and overall wellness, you are demonstrating genuine care for your employees. When employees feel that their well-being matters to the organization, trust flourishes.

5. Inclusive Leadership:

Diversity is when everyone is invited to dinner. Inclusion is making sure dinner is catered to everyone’s needs - think halal, vegetarian, vegans and kosher etc. Having a diverse team is crucial to innovation at the workplace but ensuring these diverse perspectives are not subject to groupthink becomes even more important. Inclusive leaders build trust by creating a sense of belonging among employees, allowing them to bring their authentic selves to the workplace.

This can be done by launching an Employee Resource Group programme. Employee Resource Groups allow employees to join these groups based on a set of characteristics where they can provide mutual support, network with fellow employees and amplify their voices at work. Examples include a Pride group for LGBTQ+ employees or a Women’s Network.  

6. Accountability and Ownership:

When leaders take responsibility for their mistakes, it sets a precedent for employees to do the same. Culture eats strategy for breakfast. In a culture where finger-pointing is the default for any failed campaigns or business outcomes, it breeds contempt faster than a rotting carcass; and will eventually eat away any goodwill and culture you have built. In a culture where accountability is valued, everyone takes ownership of their contributions and acknowledges areas for improvement. This will make or break your organisation.

7. Professional Development Opportunities:

When companies invest in the professional growth of their employees by providing learning and development opportunities that align with their career aspirations, they can envision a future with the company. This is one more step in building a sense of trust in the long-term employee-employer relationship. 

Conclusion:

Building trust with your employees is a continuous and intentional process. It requires a commitment to open communication, consistency, empowerment, and genuine care for their well-being. By incorporating these strategies into your leadership approach, you create a positive and trusting work environment and lay the foundation for enduring success and employee satisfaction. Remember, trust is earned through actions, and as a leader, every decision and interaction contributes to the trust bank within your organisation.