Broken trust in organization weighs down the flow of the progress and stifles employee morale. When trust is broken employers tend to scrutinize and micromanage employees. On the other hand, when it happens on employees’ part, they lose enthusiasm and stop going the extra mile to achieve the company’s targets.
You can rebuild trust at work by taking these practical steps:
- Acknowledging the issue
Trust restoration starts with accepting that trust is broken. If no one is willing to recognize what went wrong and what caused the mistrust, it’s impossible to restore trust. Admitting that the team has trust issues and discussing the problem helps validate what exactly team members feel. No attempt should be made to justify or blame anyone and building trust in the future should be the Agenda. Statement of fact with no inference is the mantra to start rebuilding trust.
- Making specific and visible changes
Less of promises and more of actions is what restores trust. Even small baby steps as may be feasible should be implemented rather than making tall claims with little action. Telling people that things are going to change and proceeding the same way as before breaks the trust further not build it.
- Promoting accountability
Inconsistent accountability undermines trust in a team faster than anything else. All actions should be made accountable from whatever hierarchy level they are operating. Even the CEO or owners should stand for scrutiny and be transparent.
- Clear and consistent communication
Communication is as essential for reestablishing trust as it is for building trust in the first place. Communication is the life line. Poor communication makes employees feel neglected and undervalued. No matter the situation, consistent and transparent communication is essential for rebuilding trust. With clear communication, team members have a better sense of their responsibilities and are assured that the company is being transparent to them.
