Seven steps to building a trusting workplace

1. SEVEN STEPS TOSEVEN STEPS TO
BUILDING ABUILDING A
TRUSTINGTRUSTING
WORKPLACEWORKPLACE
Jody Urquhart
ll Work & No Say

2. Step 1—Dialogue
Most importantly, focus on opening th
lines of communication. Get people
talking
and make it a safe atmosphere for
employees to share their honest
opinions.
Discuss the importance of open
communication with all leaders.

3. Step 2—Acknowledge the
Unspeakable
Do people hate the overtime policy? Do
You have low morale at the office? Are
Several managers abusing privileges?
Touchy issues need to be resolved and
openly discussed. Many employees will
be
quietly harboring ill feelings about such
“unspeakable.”

4. It is essential to open the lines of
communication. Be careful not to point
fingers or place blame inappropriately.
Stick to the facts: what’s been
happening,
why, and what you intend to do about
it.

5. Step 3—Secrecy Breeds
Suspicion
When information or activity is kept
secret,
It is open to misinterpretation, so
communication is essential. Develop
tools
that help communicate what’s going on.

6. Regular email, meetings, newsletters,
conference calls, or voicemail keep people
In the know. Any new discussion or
Planning should be shared with all
employees sooner than later. Activate your
Communication system to make
information accessible.

7. Step 4—Keep Promises
Make fewer and better agreements. Don’t
Commit to something that you can’t follow
through with. If you can’t honor an
undertaking or proposal, then say so right
away and renegotiate. Keep people in the
know (e.g.: we are not going to be able
to... and here’s why...).

8. Express your regrets and talk about
what
you plan to do about the problem.
Communicate that everyone should be
accountable; every level of staff should
keep promises. Involve the whole group
and advocate everyone’s accountability.
Invest in commitments.

9. Step 5—Eliminate Ambiguous
Behavior
Anything that isn’t necessary, or that you
can’t justify, eliminate. There should be
a
sound purpose for all activities.

10. Step 6—Managers Need to Model
Trust
Is management consistent, predictable,
and trustworthy? All managers should
be
evaluated along with staff.

11. Step 7—Rules Should Be Treated
as Guidelines, Not Solutions
Employee judgment should be valued to
create trusting relationships.

12. Involve, Involve, Involve. If employees
come to you with a concern, why not
involve them in the solution? Let them
gather a task force and come up with
several possible solutions to present to
management and other staff. The more
involved the naysayers are, the more the
problem becomes their own and they take
responsibility for it (and the way they feel).

13. Implement each of the above seven steps
in phases. The creation of an open trusting
work environment that involves and
includes employee input means that all
feelings need to be heard, including
criticism. Management must be prepared
to welcome and handle employee
criticism.

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