COMMON SENSE APPROACH THAT MANAGEMENT CAN USE TO IMPROVE TRUST IN THE WORKPLACE
It is widely accepted that high levels of trust are crucial when motivating your team and improving your staff’s satisfaction in their roles. Unfortunately, the recession has resulted in the levels of trust falling. Following are 10 of the easiest, most common sense methods by which you can improve trust within your office:
- Take your time
Trust is not something you can prove via grand gesture or short term initiative. By its very nature, it takes time to earn.
- Show a little compassion
When someone feels that you don’t understand them and their circumstances, it’s hard for them to trust in you.
- Treat all ideas as equal
In many businesses, if an innovative idea comes from the ‘wrong’ source, it will not be adopted. Accept new ideas on their merits rather than their source.
- Be transparent and honest
Included in a manager’s role is the necessity to make decisions, no matter how unpopular. You cannot escape this, but you should be open about the reasons for your decision. Even more so, involve your team in the decision-making process.
- Don’t bury bad news
Don’t lie and don’t sugar-coat bad news. If you have to inform staff about bad news, do so in an honest and candid manner. People need the truth to be able to trust you.
- Be prepared to share information
Don’t keep your knowledge and information to yourself in the hope it might push you up the career ladder. Modern organisations demand that it is shared for mutual benefit.
- Know your boundaries
You may be a manager, but you’re not a super hero and nobody expects you to be! If you don’t know an answer, admit it.
- Admit your mistakes
Everyone makes mistakes and you are no different. Naturally, you should always try to do what you say you will, but if you can’t, own up to it. Admitting to being fallible is important in building trust.
- Don’t take advantage of your position
Managers obviously have perks that come with the job. You may receive freebies and/or have more influence with your opinion. Don’t destroy this and the trust your staff have in you by abusing it. Try to run a strict meritocracy, where your opinions are taken on merit, not merely on your position as the boss.
- Accept responsibility
The same as admitting your own mistakes, you must also be responsible for those of your staff. You must let them know you expect high standards from them, therefore, if they do something wrong, tell them. You’re a leader, as well as a manager.Once your staff lose faith in you, their productivity will fall. By sticking to the above, you will go a long way to preventing it.
