In any relationship, trust is like the glue that keeps people woven together. High-trust workplace culture is much the same — trust is the glue that solidifies the relationships between the company and its team members. However, a high-trust organization does not happen by accident. Below is a look at why a high-trust work environment is important and how to build that culture in your own organization.
Importance of Building Trust in the Workplace
Building a strong company culture requires rapport between colleagues and an air of respect from all sides. Trust plays a critical role here. At least 55% of CEOs say that lack of trust in business affects the growth of their organization. High-trust organizations tend to reap the benefits of:
- Less workplace stress for everyone
- Better engagement between teams and leaders
- Fewer problems with team member burnout
- Lower turnover rates
- Higher rates of productivity
How Leaders can Build a High-Trust Workplace Culture
1. Be Honest, Supportive, and Authentic
Team members need to feel like they can count on information offered by the organization’s leaders. This type of trust occurs through purposeful honesty and authenticity during communication. Team members need to feel like they can believe what leaders say and have faith in their intentions or actions.
2. Practice Consistency
One way to breed trust in the work environment is to practice consistency. Consistency assures individuals that they know what to expect from their workplace. The human mind naturally recognizes patterns. If the leaders within a workplace consistently act with integrity, show empathy, offer praise, and are transparent about rules and repercussions, the team will notice. They will also feel confident that they know what to expect, which is a key part of trust.
3. Encourage Accountability
Accountability means admitting fault when you do something wrong and accepting the consequences of those actions. All humans can struggle with accountability at times — it can be hard to admit mistakes. Accountability in a team scenario can be encouraged by two things: clear-cut rules and consequences, and a leadership team that has no trouble owning up to mistakes.
4. Listen Actively
Active listening shows interest and investment in another individual. Leaders should be well-versed in the skill of active listening when it comes to communicating with the team, but the team should also know how to be active listeners themselves. When individuals feel heard, whether communicating concerns or ideas, this fosters a sense of rapport and trust.
5. Invest in team relationships
Building team engagement is always an objective in high-trust organizations. Make sure the team has opportunities to get to know one another, build rapport, and interact. This may mean hosting knowledge-sharing meetings, doing team-building exercises, or having a strong conflict resolution policy in place. The stronger the team’s relationship as a whole, the more trust the team can develop in the workplace culture as a whole.
Build a High-Trust Workplace Culture with Learn2
Developing a high-trust workplace culture benefits the organization by decreasing stress, increasing engagement between teams and leaders, lower turnover rates, and less burnout from team members. With Learn2’s leadership development programs, you can create a workplace culture that is supportive, authentic and encourages accountability by actively listening. Find out how team building, communication, and conflict resolution training can help your organization succeed. Contact us today to move your leaders in the right direction.
