Trust is often described as one of the foundations of a company. However, a lot of decision makers always associate it with customers. After all, the only way to get your customers to buy your products and love your brands is to make them trust you. But you need to remember that the trust of your employees is just as important as the trust of your customers. And you need to earn it.
Whether your employees are tenured or they come from third-party partners, such as shipbuilding staffing agencies, winning their trust can be quite tricky. But keep in mind, that there is always a way to go around it. Below are some of the pointers you may want to remember:
Keep communication lines open
Just like in friendship, marriage, and other relationships, communication is an important ingredient in building trust in the workplace. Higher-ups and managers are often perceived by their employees as cold and less trustworthy, but you can always refute that impression by opening up first. Make it known that you’re the type of leader who always listens to your employees. Always encourage your team members to speak up or voice their opinions. You have to show them that you belong to their crowd — that all of you are one big happy family.
Schedule evaluations
Employee evaluations are often seen as stressful and unnerving. This is because employees may think that such occasions make them defenseless, especially when their weaknesses are being talked about. However, you can use these opportunities to show that you are someone that they can trust.
When evaluating their performance, always mention their weaknesses first. And while you’re at it, make sure that you have some pointers for improvement that they can follow; see to it that this part is explained in a reassuring manner. Then, follow this up with a detailed explanation of their strengths. You need to build them up and make sure that their self-confidence is in great shape.
Practice encouragement
Being a leader means that you are delegating tasks while making sure that the team is operating efficiently. But when you’re giving orders and assignments, don’t do it in a very authoritarian manner. Be authoritative and encouraging. You need to motivate your team members instead of telling them what to do. Encouragements can empower employees, which in turn will help the team achieve its goals.
Make sure that you’re on the same page
As mentioned, you need to show your employees that you’re one of them. And you can do this by showing them that you are on the same page as them. Explain that both of you have the same goals, which are growth and success. But make sure that it’s not just lip service. Explain that you have the plan and the details.
As a leader, you have to practice accountability and transparency, as these things are what will help you earn your employees’ trust. This can be tricky at first, but all you need to do is to be open.
