{"id":72,"date":"2013-10-30T10:50:00","date_gmt":"2013-10-30T10:50:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lucilleossai.com\/Blog\/index.php\/2013\/10\/30\/trust-at-the-workplace-how-to-get-it-and-keep-it\/"},"modified":"2023-01-11T15:55:10","modified_gmt":"2023-01-11T14:55:10","slug":"trust-at-the-workplace-how-to-get-it-and-keep-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lucilleossai.com\/blog\/2013\/10\/30\/trust-at-the-workplace-how-to-get-it-and-keep-it\/","title":{"rendered":"Trust At The Workplace – How To Get It AND Keep It"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Even the most skeptical and suspicious of people trusts someone or something. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some equate trust to faith, some to destiny or luck, and for those scientific minds: trust is related to a predicted outcome.

So, as children, we trusted our parents when they told us Santa actually delivered the Christmas presents. Why? Because they loved us; they said so, and they were our parents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Or we trust our doctors when they tell us that by eating healthily and exercising, we can stave off health-related problems. Why? Because research and proven results support their sound advice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes, trust is considered \u2018blind\u2019, especially in religion. But what cynics label \u2018blind and irrational belief\u2019 is what some happily defend as faith.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The point here is that trust is established because of two reasons \u2014 either because of the nature\/credibility of the person<\/em> to whom trust is targeted (such as parents, doctors, and teachers) or because of the proven<\/em> outcomes <\/em>of the phenomenon (e.g., eating healthier and exercising reduces the risk of heart-related ailments).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the workplace, the same rings true as trust is established by these two \u2018pillars\u2019 \u2014 the credibility of the person<\/em> to whom it is directed and the actions\/results<\/em> displayed by that person.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trust is desired in an organisation because it\u2019s a crucial indicator of favourable outcomes: ranging from worker motivation\/commitment and engagement to excellent performance and high productivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, how can a company establish trust and<\/em> keep it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s focus on these two \u2018pillars\u2019 of trust:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

1) The person<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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This might be as specific as the CEO or as ambiguous as \u2018Management\u2019. It encompasses all those in authority at different levels, so team leaders, supervisors, and managers could all be seen as \u2018trust-generators\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/a>However, the CEO is the most visible driver of perceptions in order to inculcate organisational-wide trust. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, Mr\/Ms CEO, the most obvious way to get your workers to trust you is to become transparent and credible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You could achieve this by being open about the favourable and dismal facts about the company. First, communicate simply so there\u2019s no ambiguity in your vision. Next, develop a  Communications Strategy<\/a> highlighting all six components. Ensure you regularly give factual and timely feedback<\/a> to track progress. Be that elusive, credible leader and be consistent in your attitudes and behaviours. Finally, demand your executives to do the same and establish sanctions to pre-empt defaulters or those who lose steam.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As Linda Galindo<\/a>, an executive accountability coach with twenty years of experience echoes in many of her articles, you must become accountable and inculcate \u2018100% ownership\u2019 in all facets of your business. As CEO, you must be responsible for your actions and demand the same for all, especially from those whose roles cover responsibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Remember that trust is a perception slowly built over considerable time, so don\u2019t expect quick results. In fact, you should view the process as a slow burn or a slow-cooked roast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you and your executive cadre become trustworthy, your employees unconsciously become so themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, suppose you, Mr\/Ms CEO, lack integrity, are involved in or have approved questionable and unethical practices. Then you might as well forget about imbibing a culture of trust in your company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You simply can\u2019t give what you don\u2019t have.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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2) The actions\/outcomes<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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This corresponds to the \u2018How\u2019<\/a> component of an effective communications strategy and explains how many organisational initiatives are successfully implemented.

Sometimes, we trust the outcomes of a specific activity because they have been consistently proven and they hold true. So, if you test them multiple times, using different methods, you can be sure of getting the same results. Other times, these actions solve a problem\/concern we have or they provide significant value to us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, Mr\/Ms CEO, you\u2019ve suspended, or fired executives in your \u2018inner circle\u2019 who leaked confidential information or used unethical (albeit legal) means to increase sales. You acted because they breached the company of ethics and transparency. If your actions are consistently applied,  without fear or favour, you win the trust of your employees. It doesn\u2019t matter if different, ingenious, or complicated methods of breaking your company\u2019s code of conduct are used; the result\/outcome\/action would be the same. The executives, especially those in the managerial cadre, will face the consequences of their actions.

In essence, employees would trust the system<\/em> of accountability because it addresses their concern of favouritism in the workplace. When they feel they would be treated fairly via an impartial system, they become more motivated, engaged or \u2018tuned on\u2019 in their duties. This trust would then extend to you, Mr\/Ms CEO, the driver of that system. More engaged workers increase productivity for your company. If your employees are happy with the structure you have set up and with your consistent actions, they are unlikely to leave. They become eager cheerleaders to outsiders, boosting your corporate reputation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the flip side, if actions taken to remedy specific concerns are arbitrary, inconsistent, and even flawed, they won\u2019t offer value to your employees. Consequently, your staff would \u2018tune off\u2019 from their roles. This leads to the unfavourable development of employee disengagement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

This is how it works: Trust cannot be cultivated without consistent, proactive actions. Without trust, motivation is stalled, and disengagement rises, leading to negative results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to a Forbes article, findings from a recent\u00a0Gallup research on employee engagement<\/a>\u00a0involving more than 350,000 respondents, spanning three years, revealed that 70% of American workers were \u2018not engaged\u2019 or \u2018actively disengaged\u2019. They were emotionally disconnected from their workplaces and were less likely to be productive. Moreover, actively\u00a0disengaged\u00a0employees were estimated to cost the US $450 billion to $550 billion yearly in lost productivity. These disgruntled employees were more likely to steal from their companies, negatively influence their co-workers, miss workdays, and drive customers away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The figures, although shockingly high, are ironically not surprising, given the widespread disillusionment of professionals with their companies around the globe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, the absence of trust at the workplace, Mr\/Ms CEO, would cost your company millions, sooner or later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

As I stated earlier, we all trust in someone or something.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the workplace, organisational-wide trust can be cultivated if the leadership <\/em>is credible, and if tested, consistent actions <\/em>are taken to build upon a foundation of transparency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a nutshell, that is how to generate trust and <\/em>keep it going.

Over to you:
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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1) In what other ways can you increase trust at the workplace? Let us know!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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2) Be social \u2013 kindly share in your social networks by clicking on the icons below. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Recommended reading<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Inside The Complicated Mind Of The Employee<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Employee Retention: 5 Reasons I Would Leave Your Company<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014-
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

N:B \u2013<\/strong> First, second and fifth images are courtesy of Stuart Miles via freedigitalphotos.net. Third and fourth images are courtesy of Rattigon and Jscreationzs, respectively via freedigitalphotos.net.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This crucial organisational theme is tackled in this article, and the two \u2018pillars\u2019 of trust are unveiled. Sound advice is also given about cultivating trust and sustaining it for better organisational effectiveness.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3101,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[1],"tags":[480,495,515,556,575,577,586,618,649,782,799,825],"class_list":["post-72","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-ceo","tag-communications-strategy","tag-credibility","tag-employees","tag-faith","tag-feedback","tag-gallup-research","tag-integrity","tag-management","tag-the-how","tag-trust","tag-workplace"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lucilleossai.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/Big-leaning-trust-sign-freedigitalphotos.netStuartMiles.jpg?fit=400%2C333&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":67,"url":"https:\/\/lucilleossai.com\/blog\/2014\/03\/17\/two-years-of-blogging-in-memorable-quotes-part-1\/","url_meta":{"origin":72,"position":0},"title":"Two Years Of Blogging…In Memorable Quotes (PART 1)","author":"Lucille Ossai","date":"March 17, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Rethinking Business Communications Blog\u00a0turns two this month! Now\u00a0 I realise that this blog is still in its infancy but it has\u00a0been a truly rewarding experience thus far. 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At the workplace, gone is the now \u2018archaic\u2019 top-down communication\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"'Culture of communication'\"","block_context":{"text":"'Culture of communication'","link":"https:\/\/lucilleossai.com\/blog\/tag\/culture-of-communication\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-UekmYQxmMnU\/VWhbfsnSMbI\/AAAAAAAAC6k\/epV4uWYPyAE\/s640\/Man%2Bwith%2Bspeech%2Bbubble%2B-%2Bfreedigitalphotos.net%2BStuart%2BMiles.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-UekmYQxmMnU\/VWhbfsnSMbI\/AAAAAAAAC6k\/epV4uWYPyAE\/s640\/Man%2Bwith%2Bspeech%2Bbubble%2B-%2Bfreedigitalphotos.net%2BStuart%2BMiles.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-UekmYQxmMnU\/VWhbfsnSMbI\/AAAAAAAAC6k\/epV4uWYPyAE\/s640\/Man%2Bwith%2Bspeech%2Bbubble%2B-%2Bfreedigitalphotos.net%2BStuart%2BMiles.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-UekmYQxmMnU\/VWhbfsnSMbI\/AAAAAAAAC6k\/epV4uWYPyAE\/s640\/Man%2Bwith%2Bspeech%2Bbubble%2B-%2Bfreedigitalphotos.net%2BStuart%2BMiles.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":69,"url":"https:\/\/lucilleossai.com\/blog\/2014\/01\/14\/why-commitment-would-always-matter\/","url_meta":{"origin":72,"position":2},"title":"Why Commitment Would ALWAYS Matter","author":"Lucille Ossai","date":"January 14, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Don\u2019t yawn. I know that organisational commitment is often overlooked in the plethora of management-related themes because it is considered pass\u00e9\u00a0or\u00a0simplistic. More \u2018important\u2019 themes such as employee engagement, organisational effectiveness, culture and leadership tend to dominate serious discussions. 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