by Raul Harman
5 Ways Managers can Build Trust in the Workplace
One of the major problems today’s businesses face is the lack of trust. According to the Elderman 2016 Trust barometer, 35% of people don’t trust the company they work for. The results the Global generations study by EY shows are even more worrisome. They found that only 46% of employees have a great deal of trust in their employers.
The factors that led to this are multiple, from unfair employee compensation and unequal opportunity for promotion to poor collaboration.
The lack of trust within your organization may trigger numerous additional problems, such as creating gaps among your employees, the creation of a toxic workplace atmosphere, and the inability to retain talent. Given all these factors, it’s obvious that your company’s bottom line will suffer, too.
This is why you need to work on building trust among your employees on time.
Here is how.
1. Make your Actions Transparent
Over the past few years, transparency has become quite a big deal. And, by setting clear goals and communicating them to your employees, you will not only build trust among them, but also boost their productivity. By knowing where they stand compared to what you expect of them, they will know what to do to improve their performance.
Aside from your monthly, quarterly or yearly performance reports, you should consider providing them with reviews on a weekly basis. Statistics show that these employees are happier and more engaged. They are able to keep track of their progress and take immediate action to improve their performance.
You should also integrate transparency into your hiring, compensation, and rewards processes. This is something many reputable organizations have already done. For example, Buffer shared a spreadsheet that shows the salaries of each of their employees by name. This is a great idea, as your employees want to know what their responsibilities are and what they need to do to earn a promotion or a bonus.
2. Incentivize your Employees Regularly
Obsessed with keeping their cash flow positive, many businesses decide not to incentivize their employees. And, this is definitely not a good idea. Your employees expect you to recognize their efforts and reward them.
Still, these rewards don’t have to be monetary. There is a plethora of amazing ideas you could explore.
- Buy gift cards at the coffee shops, bookstores, or online retailers your employees love. Prepaid gift cards, such as MasterCard, Eftpos or prepaid Visa gift
cards have also become popular in the corporate world, as they don’t limit your employees to one brand or store. They can spend the money wherever and however they want. - Offer flexible working arrangements. This could be anything they choose- a day off, a chance to telecommute one day a week, casual Fridays, etc.
- Praise them both publicly and in person.
- Throw a party and let them bring their friends or families.
- Take your team out to lunch to celebrate major professional milestones.
3. Give Career Advancement Opportunities
When hiring ambitious employees, you need to motivate them to constantly learn and improve their skills. Ask them what courses they would like to take and pay for them. Make sure you give them enough spare time to work on their personal enrichment and provide them with all the resources they need. This is a true win-win scenario. As your employees keep perfecting their knowledge, they will be able to complete their tasks faster and more efficiently. And, in return, they will be rewarded adequately. Such initiatives are a clear indicator that you have big plans for them and this is exactly what may inspire them not to leave you.
By allowing your employees an opportunity to learn new skills or improve their existing ones, you show them that you’re willing to invest not just in them personally, but also in their future. Employees will have a chance to advance in their career, as well as advance in rank at your company, with an opportunity to earn a better job position than they’re currently having. As a result, your employees will be more satisfied and more productive, which will vastly improve their overall performance.
4. Show that You Really Care
To assess their employees, managers take numerous metrics and statistics into consideration. And, sometimes, they get lost in them. But, this is something that should never happen. You don’t have to be BFF with your employees, but you shouldn’t treat them like numbers, either.
Get to know the people you’re working with. You need to be familiar their worries, problems, hobbies, preferences, and expectations. Only this way will you be able to tailor the workplace atmosphere to their need and help them when the need arises.
For example, if you notice that one’s performance drops, arrange an in-person meeting and see if you can help them.
Apart from praising them for their exceptional work, help them celebrate their personal milestones. If it’s someone’s birthday, buy a cake and throw an office party. This won’t cost you a lot and yet, it will mean so much to them.
5. Admit Mistakes and Ask for Help
A good manager constantly goes the extra mile in overcoming a gap between them and their employees. They encourage honesty, collaboration, and transparency by leading by example.
For starters, admit your mistakes and take responsibility for your actions. Your honesty will inspire your employees to be more open with you and their coworkers.
You should also ask your employees for help when the need arises. Encourage them to feel free to express their complaints and let them know that their opinions are valued. Most importantly, be open to criticism and handle it professionally. Remember, you can always turn your employees’ negative feedback to your advantage to tailor your business to their needs.
Over to You
Building the pillars of trust among your employees has never been simple, but it definitely pays off. It will help you boost their morale, establish a positive corporate culture, and ensure that all your teams are directed towards setting the goals you’ve set.
How do you build trust among your employees?
Bio: My name is Raul, editor in chief at Technivorz blog. I have a lot to say about innovations in all aspects of digital technology, online marketing. You can reach me out on Twitter.
