Trust is one of the fundamental components of human society. It is key in ensuring coexistence between different groups and individuals in society.

But first, let’s explore what the term trust means.

•Trust is a set of behaviours, which depends on the actions of another person.

•Trust is a belief in the probability that the other person will behave in a certain way.

•Trust is a complex neural process, that enables humans to believe in a proposition that someone or something is dependable.

Trust is a unifying factor for individuals, families, groups, communities, and countries. Without trust, human society would fall apart or might function on a superficial mechanical system of reward and punishment. Even for a simple system like rewards and punishments, trust is needed to make people believe that the system will work.

In modern society, the workplace is the centre of all economic activities. In every field, a workplace with certain sets of rules, regulations, and responsibilities enables individuals to produce economic output. But, even with all the rules and regulations in place without trust, individuals can’t function or competently perform in the workplace. For example, if an employee does not trust their organisation to reward their work, they are unlikely to put any effort into their work. Moving beyond basic roles and obligations discourse, trust enables individuals to progress in their careers and reach the maximum of their capacities. In teamwork, trust plays a mediating and moderating role to overcome group challenges and perform better. Trust is also integral for the well-being of employees. According to Edelman Trust Barometer, “45% of employees say that lack of trust in leadership is the biggest issue impacting their work performance”.

Building trust in the workplace is a complex process, as it is an environment where people from diverse backgrounds come together to contribute to the overall cause of an organisation. Since the workplace is not the immediate place of emotional connection but rather a platform for economic benefits, therefore, building trust among employees and with the organisation needs deliberate efforts and policies. The keys to building trust in an organisation are an inclusive culture, accountability, transparency, workshops, and training in addition to other things. Here is a list of factors that can help in building trust in the workplace.

1. Effective communication

Trust and communication have a direct relationship, and there cannot be trust in any setting without communication. Trust in a workplace can be maintained through good communication at all levels of the organisation. In any organisation, it is the responsibility of the Human Resource department to communicate the company policies regarding coordination, reporting and accountability among departments. If employees in any organisation felt like their opinions are not being heard or complaints are not being addressed, they are less likely to trust their superiors and co-workers. HR needs to ensure that there are effective channels of communication where people can share their ideas and register their complaints. The co-workers also need to be able to communicate their conflicts among themselves and with the management. An organisation with open communication is better positioned to foster a culture of trust.

Today we live in a globalised world, and workplaces are more diversified than ever. In such circumstances, any organisation which fails to address diversity fails to progress. Employees who feel left out because of their race, class or gender are less likely to trust the organisation they are part of. The key to building trust is to promote a culture of inclusivity. That means the organisation should not only hear and value the ideas and work of each person but also try to incorporate a diverse range of people. Diversity brings creativity and acceptance. If employees of diverse backgrounds can build trust within their workplace, they can easily convert the relation of trust to other areas of their lives.

Many of the skills today are learnable through online courses and platforms. There are few skills like emotional competency which play a major role in shaping individuals and the workplace. Emotionally competent people are more empathetic towards others and lead better. People are more likely to trust leaders with emotional competency than those who only abide by strict organisational policies. Employsure’s State of Work Report surveyed 600 working Australians and found that 1 in 4 respondents wasn’t sure if they could trust their boss, and 1 in 5 employees either didn’t like their boss or was indifferent.

To foster a culture of trust, organisations need to hire leaders and employees with higher emotional competency. Various workshops and training can also help in promoting emotional competency among employees. Workplace trust is highly dependent on people being able to feel empathy toward one another.

Transparency needs to be one of the top priorities in any organisation and across the business hierarchy. When there is no transparency, people won’t feel secure and confident in the organisation, and workplace trust would be impossible to build. Every employee has a right to transparency. To build workplace trust the organisation and HR need to communicate transparently with the workers regarding any changes and developments in their organisation. Only people with full awareness of their surroundings can produce the best results and grow. Without transparency, coworkers will also struggle to maintain trust among themselves, because they would also feel the thread from their co-workers.

There is a popular saying that “actions speak louder than words”. People in any organisation would listen to their leaders and co-workers, but it’s the actions that strengthen the trust bond. People can also sense when the words of individuals are not aligned with their feeling and intentions. A leader who says things and acts opposite to the words is not congruent. To build trust in an organisation, the leadership team must build congruency. People are motivated by incentive and action, and mere words won’t be able to hold their trust for longer. When there is congruency between policies and action, the workers feel safe and workplace trust will flow.

Just like many human emotions, trust takes time to build and rebuild when it’s broken. Every organisation or individual goes through a hard time at one point during the life cycle. Trust can be broken due to circumstances or ulterior motives of individuals. With the right approach and strategies, workplace trust can be regained. The organisation can communicate clearly about the shortcomings which had led some employees to trust less. A package or compensation can be offered to individuals who have faced consequences due to the issues around trust. New workplace workshops and training can be arranged to address problems effectively and build a better and more trusting environment in the future.

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