Entrepreneurship

Benefits of Trust in the Workplace

While this article can't list every benefit of trust in the workplace, some of the most important benefits include:

- Higher employee retention

- Reduced turnover

- Reduce absenteeism

- Improved job satisfaction

- Culture of creativity and innovation

- Confidence in the workplace

- High degree of personal involvement

- Greater team commitment

- Enhanced group communication

- Better work relationships

- Transparency in all facets of the business

- Improved collaboration and teamwork
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The list above is not entirely comprehensive. One thing to take away from this article is this – it takes quite a while to develop trust between people. It takes time and kept promises. And, it only takes a few seconds to destroy it. Warren Buffet once said, "It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it." When trust is absent in any team or system, you immediately start to eat into what's possible. People hold back information, collaboration declines, people feel less creative, and the toxicity escalates.

Material breaches of trust (such as theft or outright fraud/ dishonesty) are not the focus of this article. It's the more minor breaches of trust that occur that this article focuses on. What starts as a little thing becomes a big deal if not addressed. If this goes on long enough, the relationship becomes unworkable.  

So, how can you proactively diagnose a lack of trust with a colleague or team member? These six  signals unquestionably mean there might be some underlying issues to solve:

1. Someone double-checks your work

Unless you're in publishing or have a frequent need for a proof-reader, you know that having someone continually double-checking your work can be infuriating and a blow to one's self-esteem. Having someone's back by spotting an error is one thing, but scouring their work for mistakes regularly demonstrates an evident lack of trust.

2. You are not empowered to make decisions.

If you are accountable for something yet, need all kinds of approvals from your boss or partner to do your job, that's a red flag. Either that signals your colleague doesn't trust you, or there's an underlying issue in the company culture. Regardless, if this is happening, address it openly with the appropriate people.

3. You are asked to copy someone on all your emails.

The need to feel trusted is a fundamental human desire. Just like you wouldn't want your life partner looking over your shoulder every time you send a text, being forced to copy someone else on every email can bring forth feelings of resentment, distrust and inadequacy. While there are certainly exceptions, such as your colleague wanting to keep privy about a specific project, if you find that this kind of oversight is becoming the norm, then you've got to take the initiative to figure out why.

4. You're often the last to find out.

Feeling like a valuable part of a team means being kept in the loop. If this isn't happening, then there's a disconnect and one that needs fixing. It's challenging to do your job well if you don't have all of the information at your disposal. Being the last one to find out can lead to some awkward situations with clients or co-workers. While we should all avoid the instinctive desire to want to know anything and everything, there's quite a difference in demanding information required to perform your duties.
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5. You get little team support.

Feeling supported at work is crucial for job satisfaction. If you are at a point where you feel like your team, or someone specific is never available to help you, that might be an indication that the relationship might be tarnished. This is a symptom of a more significant underlying issue, and it would be wise to get to the bottom of it.
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6. You notice passive-aggressive communication

This one is particularly disheartening. Subtle digs and passive-aggressive comments can drive even the most level-headed person bonkers. While it would be nice if everyone in the workplace were straightforward with their thoughts and actions, this is rarely the case.

Trust is not some feel-good thing that is not quantifiable. What's possible for the company to get negatively impacted as trust is the foundation upon which relationships are built. And companies are made up of people working together. So, knowing how to diagnose a lack of confidence and trust in others' abilities is the first step in building solid teams and businesses.

A wise person once said, "It is far better to be trusted than to be loved". We believe this, and it makes sense. If one cannot be trusted, how can one be loved? Trust in the workplace means having faith in your co-workers and colleagues. It involves a level of confidence and being able to rely on them. Trust also means you can depend on people to come through for you when you need them to. Trusting people means you care for them, have hope in them and can predict how they will act most of the time.