Trust is an important part of running a successful business, but it’s also something a lot of companies have trouble building. When employees feel trust from their managers and supervisors, they’re more likely to feel committed to the company, and like part of the family, rather than just another faceless employee. Trust can reduce staff turnover and keep crucial talent in your business for longer. More importantly, trust also encourages staff members to demonstrate excellent performance, by giving them the confidence to experiment with new ideas and show initiative in their work. If your staff members don’t feel like you trust them, they’ll never feel comfortable suggesting new ways to improve their performance or drive new opportunities for the business. So, how do companies go about developing trust in an environment where the relationships between employers and their staff aren’t always ideal?
Be Transparent About Everything
Transparency is the key to gaining trust. Today’s employees would rather hear about issues directly from their employer or manager than discover a potential problem by themselves. During the pandemic, companies discovered just how important transparency was to keep their staff members committed and engaged. Failure to provide insights into what was happening in the business left a lot of employees worried about losing their job. When it comes to sharing information with your employees, make sure nothing is swept under the rug. Regular video meetings with remote and in-office employees where you discuss the things that are changing in your company can help to build this transparency. It’s also helpful to write newsletters where people can keep on top of changes too.
Explain The Benefits Of Tracking Tools
Tracking tools are a common part of many business environments today. They help business leaders to stay on top of important metrics about performance, and make intelligent decisions. Unfortunately, some tracking solutions can also make employees feel like they’re untrustworthy, or that they’re constantly being watched. If your company is using things like fleet management systems and GPS tracking tools, explain to your employees why those tools are in place. Point out that you’re using them to discover ways to keep up with demand in your industry, or make the routes that drivers take safer for everyone involved. Try and present these tracking tools in a way that allows your employees to see the benefits for them – not just for the business.
Give Employees Freedom
Finally, to really build trust with your employees, you’re going to have to show them that they have the freedom to experiment and make mistakes from time to time. Setting strong expectations in your business about what kind of work you expect to see will help to ensure any creative choices your employees make are chosen in line with your company culture. The brain only holds so much memory so do not set your expectations at perfection levels 24/7. When giving your employees freedom, you can start small, like having regular sessions where everyone is invited to share ideas on how they’d like to change the workday. As time goes on and your employees become more deeply ingrained in your business processes, you can allow them to make more decisions on their own.