{"id":43361,"date":"2021-07-25T09:30:09","date_gmt":"2021-07-25T13:30:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=43361"},"modified":"2021-08-02T09:27:50","modified_gmt":"2021-08-02T13:27:50","slug":"trust-in-the-workplace","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/trust-in-the-workplace\/","title":{"rendered":"12 Actionables for Cultivating Trust in the Workplace"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

What does it mean to have consideration and trust in the workplace<\/a>? What actions can you take to be more considerate to your employees?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The simple act of acknowledging an employee as an individual can go a long way in terms of their job performance. These acts of consideration can be as small as asking somebody how their day is going or trusting them with ownership of a project so they don’t just feel like a cog. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are some steps you can take to make your employees feel like their job isn’t just a paycheck.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

The Importance of Trust in the Workplace<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Trust in the workplace is confidence in a person and the absence of questioning of the person\u2019s motives. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trust engenders engagement by giving the employee more ownership over her work and not wanting to let the supervisor down. Trusted employees feel more comfortable pitching risky ideas, and they\u2019re more receptive to change as they believe the employer has the employees\u2019 best interests at heart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a culture of distrust, ideas are not shared for fear of others exploiting or disparaging them. Motives are constantly questioned \u2013 \u201cwhat is this person up to now?\u201d Untrusting people assume the worst. It crowds out productive thinking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people start out trusting by default, but for others, trust takes years to build. A single mistrustful step can shatter trust like pottery.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Actionables for Trust<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
  1. Provide autonomy and decision-making<\/a> authority.<\/li>
  2. Keep your word on promises and commitments.<\/li>
  3. Give bad news directly to an employee without sugarcoating; don\u2019t let gossip spread.<\/li>
  4. Let employees spend company money within certain limits.<\/li>
  5. Reassure anxious employees that you trust them to do the work.<\/li>
  6. Avoid signaling mistrust through micromanagement<\/a> or intense monitoring programs. Posing constraints makes people look for ways to circumvent them.<\/li>
  7. Give credit where credit is due; don\u2019t misattribute credit.<\/li>
  8. Explain thoroughly when you override someone else\u2019s decision<\/strong>, or they won\u2019t trust you to uphold their decisions in the future.<\/li>
  9. Probe when you feel an employee suddenly starts treating you differently, like withholding information \u2013 she may not trust you enough to confide.<\/li>
  10. Admit mistakes when you make them, and accept responsibility<\/a> when your team fails.<\/li>
  11. If you\u2019ve messed up, admit that you were wrong, apologize, and ask for another chance. Take personal responsibility rather than finger pointing.<\/li>
  12. If you\u2019re starting with a negative reputation, address this upfront and get back to neutral ASAP.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Consideration<\/strong> in the Workplace<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Consideration is giving careful thought to a person. Acknowledging that the person is human and not just a cog develops loyalty, not just in the recipient but also in teammates who witness considerate behavior. This inspires people to show up for work other than to receive a paycheck.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    In contrast, acts of selfishness by the company promote tit for tat behavior. The employee has little faith the company cares. If the company doesn\u2019t care about the employee, why should the employee care about the company?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Building a personal connection<\/a> with employees is important to pave the way for consideration opportunities. <\/strong>The more connected an employee feels to her supervisor, the more she\u2019ll open about personal issues, which will create opportunities for consideration by the supervisor. This creates a virtuous cycle<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Actionables for Consideration<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n