How to Promote Trust in the Workplace

Of course, leaders must be decisive and be able to communicate with their teams clearly and confidently, but listening is an underrated leadership skill. If you aren't a good listener, how can you know what your employees think or feel about your decisions, and the direction of the company.

There should be concrete policies and systems in place that don't rely only on trust. Whether it's a comprehensive plan for paid time off and support after an injury sustained at work, or resources to help your employees with intellectual property litigation, there are some things that you shouldn't ask of employees without their trust.

Trust from your employees is built on you being consistent, and the easiest way to be consistent is to be honest and transparent. If you tell people your reasoning, and are honest about that reasoning, then they will be able to trust that you the same way in the future. The balance to strike there is not being too transparent.

Trust must be earned, but it also goes both ways. In order to gain trust, you must give trust. Show your employees that they have your trust by delegating tasks, and then giving them the time and space that they need to complete those tasks.

Ultimately, trust is a function of time. You must be patient, particularly if you are new to a team, and they don't know you. You set the example, by instituting protections that they can rely on whether they trust you or not, listening to their concerns and requests, and being honest and transparent and trusting them to do their work.