10 Proven Ways to Build Trust With Employees

Making progress towards ambitious and complex organizational objectives can be a tricky endeavor for even the most accomplished of teams.

But if there was ever a surefire recipe to make this undertaking more difficult, it’d be embarking on these kinds of goals with a team that doesn’t actually trust each other.

Not only does trust enable individuals to work outside of their silos and collaborate with other people on the team, but trust is also associated with improved communication, job satisfaction, and higher performance levels within organizations.

The Trust Imperative

Today’s infographic comes to us from The Business Backer, and it highlights 10 proven ways to build trust with employees in teams and organizations.

Many of the complex challenges that dot the modern business landscape cannot be solved by a myriad of solo efforts.

Teams are necessary, and working together cannot take place only at a superficial level. To tackle the big problems, teams must have deep-rooted commitments to each other, creating potential for collaboration, healthy conflict, and differences of opinion.

Managers need to trust employees and vice versa, but different types of teams need to trust each other across other business functions as well.

10 Ways to Build Trust

It’s not possible to build trust with employees overnight, but there are some easy ways to kickstart the process.

1. Show them the big picture
   Ensuring employees have a view of the big picture creates a space for communication and openness.
2. Set clear expectations
   A lack of clarity of what to expect can lead to confusion, which erodes trust.
3. Listen actively
   Asking open-ended questions like “How’s the project going?” builds trust and respect.
4. Delegate low-risk projects
   A cycle of trust can be created, moving up to bigger and more important projects.
5. Schedule weekly catch-up meetings
   Regular meetings create a trusting environment for people to give and receive feedback.
6. Be honest
   Even when it is uncomfortable, being honest helps build trust and creates healthy conflict.
7. Commit to your word
   Trust depends on integrity, and seemingly erratic behavior undermines this.
8. Recognize excellent work
   This has the biggest effect on trust right after a goal has been met.
9. Share a bit about yourself
   Oxytocin is released in the brain when we socialize and build trust.
10. Let employees work on projects they enjoy
    This allows employees to focus on what they care about most, fostering trust.

Consequences of Inaction

It doesn’t matter how smart or experienced your team is.

Without the element of trust, they will not be able to work together in an effective fashion. For this reason, undertaking a mission to enable and build trust with employees is crucial for the success of any modern organization.