Trust Deficit in the Workplace

When we hear the word "trust," we immediately think of belief and confidence in a person and their abilities. Individuals can hold this belief in both their personal and professional lives.

According to an Accenture report, employees in organisations with high trust are 74% less stressed at work, which benefits the company's bottom line. There is a growing awareness of the importance of maintaining workplace trust among employees and, more notably, between management and the rest of the staff. Its absence creates a work environment devoid of trust, which can significantly impact business.

Trust Deficit: What Is It?

Trust deficit is a lack of belief or faith in one's organisation or its leaders. This can result in lower productivity and disinterest in work.

When employees lack trust in their employers, they look for ways to leave for a company that fosters trust and motivates them to work harder.

What Leads to Trust Deficit?

1. Egocentrism

Egocentric behaviour is one factor that contributes to distrust between an employee and their leader. Employers who share information or make decisions that empower only a subset of their workforce are consciously undermining the organisation's investments in its workforce.

This continued behaviour indicates a leader's inability to trust the team in any situation. When such incidents occur regularly, the inability to trust teams spreads faster, affecting each employee in the end. Secrecy grows, and one is soon left helpless in a toxic environment.

2. Communication breakdown

A trust deficit can develop when there is a communication breakdown between a leader and their workforce. When leaders communicate with only a few people, it implies that only a few employees are "trustworthy" and that the organisation lacks faith in its workforce.

This attitude can lead to silos, reducing output and undermining employee loyalty to the company.

3. Lacking empathy

A leader's lack of empathy toward their team members creates a trust deficit within a workforce. When a manager or leader avoids getting involved in their team's problems to maintain a "professional relationship", it does more harm than good.

Misconceptions about certain managers being indifferent and "rude" begin to spread. This can widen the trust gap between the employer and an employee, shaky the foundation of a business.

Techniques for Overcoming Trust Deficit

1. Acknowledgement

Employers must solicit suggestions, ideas, and feedback when brainstorming, problem-solving, or working together in general. Furthermore, rather than focusing on being right, use the platform to learn about other people's perspectives on a situation and how things can be done differently.

Creating this platform to hear other people's perspectives fosters a safe environment that encourages constructive criticism, resulting in more accepting and equitable workplace culture.

2. Consistent communication

A great leader looks out for the team in good times and bad. Leaders must set aside their personal preferences or biases and concentrate on communicating with the team as a whole to instil a sense of belonging in everyone.

It is critical to share information that affects the entire workforce with everyone in the company. Furthermore, getting to know the team outside of work can help to improve interpersonal relationships. This denotes a caring and friendly communication culture.

3. Compassion

While leaders may not want to appear emotional, demonstrating empathy is beneficial for building trust among employees. Recognising your team members' concerns demonstrates the understanding and compassion that a leader should have.

This not only motivates employees to go above and beyond in times of need but also boosts the organisation's overall morale.

Trust is the cornerstone of modern-day working relationships. Organisational leaders who do not instil trust in their employees will struggle to bring out the best in them. It takes time and equal effort from both the employee and the employer to bridge a trust gap.

When a leader embodies the principles of altruism, regular communication, and empathy in their professional being, it changes how trust is built and aids in the elimination of any doubt and disbelief.

Source: Never Grow Up