Trust in the workplace encompasses honest and transparent communication and relationships among coworkers, fostering an environment free from disloyalty or unethical behavior concerns.
A recent study conducted by Harvard Business Review emphasizes that trust is not merely a desirable quality in the workplace; it is a vital element for the well-being and performance of organizations.
Employees working in environments characterized by high levels of trust tend to achieve greater success, experiencing a significant reduction of 74% in stress levels and 40% in burnout.
Moreover, these high-trust work environments contribute to a 50% increase in team productivity and a remarkable 76% boost in employee engagement.
Gartner has projected that the business sector might witness a turnover rate as high as 24% in the upcoming years. Notably, 57% of employees who voluntarily left their jobs in 2021 cited feeling disrespected at work as the primary reason for their departure.
When individuals have faith in their workplace and trust their managers and colleagues, they may enjoy enhanced career security and happiness. Consequently, this could lead to improved employee retention rates.
In this blog, we will explore the importance of trust in the workplace and a few practical strategies for building trust in the workplace.
How to build trust in the workplace
Building trust in the workplace is an essential endeavor that requires deliberate effort and effective tools.
1. Develop a Feedback-Based Culture
Effective communication is key to establishing a trust-based culture. Organizations should establish feedback systems that enable leaders to communicate with employees while providing avenues for employees to offer feedback to management.
The Speakap employee app, for instance, offers a Poll functionality for obtaining specific answers, and survey tools like SurveyMonkey can integrate seamlessly with the app for more detailed insights.
2. Create a Better Company Culture with Open and Transparent Employee Communications
Transparency is a vital aspect of building trust. Organizations can establish an open and transparent communication culture by embracing honesty, vulnerability, frequent feedback, and clear expectations. Employee apps promote transparency by allowing management to reach employees directly, ensuring information flows efficiently and transparently from top to bottom.
3. Share Important Information with Employees
Sharing relevant information is crucial, particularly in times of uncertainty. Lack of information can breed fear and anxiety among employees, while an overload of irrelevant information can impede trust and productivity.
Employee apps come to the rescue by offering features such as attaching videos to personalize updates, providing clarity, and serving as a hub for important information.
4. Foster Peer-to-Peer Communication
Peer-to-peer communication is a powerful tool for building trust and nurturing employee relationships. By facilitating efficient communication channels, employee apps enable better collaboration and empower knowledge sharing.
Such centralized platforms connect various communication solutions and provide reliable, relevant information sources, ensuring employees stay informed and connected.
5. Align Core Company Values with Employee Roles
To reinforce trust, it's crucial to align employee roles with the organization's core values.
Employee apps can mirror the organizational hierarchy and personalize content based on employee roles, teams, and locations, ensuring everyone understands how their contribution aligns with the company's values.
6. Emphasize Goal-Setting and Growth
Investing in employee growth and success is fundamental to building trust. By prioritizing goal-setting and providing learning opportunities, organizations show their commitment to developing their teams.
Employee apps with task management features allow sharing goals, tracking progress, and seeking feedback, ensuring clarity, accountability, and growth.
7. Drive Recognition and Rewards
Recognizing and rewarding positive workplace behaviors reinforces trust and motivates employees.
Employee apps can facilitate recognition by enabling the sharing of recognition messages and celebrating success privately or publicly.
Such gestures acknowledge employees' value to their teams and encourage others to follow suit.
8. Promote Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)
Building trust around DEI requires transparency, honesty, and sincerity.
Organizations should actively identify and address barriers hindering diversity and inclusion while promoting visibility for diverse members.
Employee apps contribute by delivering e-learning tools for DEI training, ensuring all employees are informed, engaged, and empowered.
With the power of employee apps, organizations can bridge communication gaps, provide timely and relevant information, empower employees to share feedback and create an environment where trust can thrive.
By investing in trust-building initiatives and leveraging these technological tools, organizations can foster a workplace that encourages collaboration, boosts morale, and drives employee satisfaction and productivity.
