In an age of constant change, company leaders are always seeking ways to be more agile and innovative. Yet, in this search for workplace balance and success, they frequently overlook the main component of success—employee trust. Trust is critical in meeting and responding to the pace of change that we’re seeing in today’s market.
Bottom line: if employees don’t trust their leaders, they cannot operate efficiently. Staff members will be reluctant to make decisions, seeking approval for every little thing. They won’t be willing to go the extra mile if they’re unsure whether others will back them up. They’ll fear sharing bad news, so problems will grow instead of being promptly addressed. They’ll be less likely to offer ideas for new products or processes if they believe leaders won’t support them or will take credit for their ideas.
Numerous studies have found that companies with high-trust cultures have greater financial success than those that don’t.
What Builds Trust
For leaders who want to develop their ability to inspire trust, here are the eight “C”’s to focus on:
- Give employees a clear vision of where you want to go and what role they will play.
- Leaders who care for more than just themselves inspire trust.
- This means choosing to do what’s right rather than what’s easy.
- Stay fresh, relevant and capable.
- Stick with your employees in the face of adversity, and they’ll do the same for you.
- Cultivate strong relationships with workers. Ask questions. Find common ground.
- In other words, produce results.
- What we do all the time shapes what others expect of us. It is important to know your rights and obligations as an employer, as each individual situation is different.
If you need assistance with creating an inclusive workplace or any other HR related matter, please reach out to your assigned DecisionHR Human Resources Business Partner at 1-888-828-5511.
