Building employee trust
If you work in human resources, you may have experienced being shut out. Perhaps you have noticed employees go quiet when you enter a room or heard them joke, “Watch what you say—HR is here.” Unfortunately, HR doesn’t always have the best reputation. Too often, HR is thought of as enforcers of policies rather than protectors of employees. How can you work to change these negative perceptions? It all starts with employee trust. By building genuine trust with employees, you can do your job more effectively, and employees can feel better supported and protected in the workplace.
Why employee trust matters
If employees feel unsafe raising workplace concerns, HR practitioners can’t do their jobs effectively. This means they can’t resolve conflicts, investigate incidents, or support employees who may need resources.
When HR can’t address workplace issues, morale suffers, and problems spread. If serious offences go unreported, it becomes difficult to protect the rights and safety of employees.
What does a workplace with a high-trust culture look like?
In high-trust organizations, employees feel safe to bring up ideas and problems. They take more risks, are more innovative, and feel free to express themselves. Developing a high-trust culture has undeniable rewards. High-trust organizations see higher retention rates, higher rates of teamwork, and better financial performance in economic downturns.
According to Great Place to Work, companies with high-trust cultures typically have stock market returns up to three times higher than the market average.
Leaders in high-trust organizations understand that it is in the company’s best interest to support employees. They know that companies can only achieve their business goals with and because of their employees. When employees know that their rights, safety, and well-being are valued and protected, they can do their best work.
Why do employees distrust HR in the first place?
It may not be all in your head if you have ever felt alienated and mistrusted. A survey released in January 2023 by ARRIS Composites found that 34% of employees distrust their HR representative.
Another poll by Crucial Learning in 2022 found that nearly half of employees feel unsafe confiding in HR. Only 15% of respondents said they felt comfortable talking to HR about sexual harassment, and even fewer felt comfortable discussing topics like discrimination and disrespect, compensation and benefits, issues with a supervisor, or work–life balance.
Where does the distrust come from?
There are many underlying reasons why an employee might not trust their HR representatives. Below, we have listed some of the most common factors and why they might have come up in the first place.
Perceived conflict of interest:
This is perhaps the most significant reason. Employees often believe that HR’s primary allegiance is to the company’s bottom line and legal protection, even when it conflicts with an individual employee’s needs. In fact, in the same study mentioned earlier by Crucial Learning, 40% of employees think their HR leader is more concerned about the organization’s needs than caring for employees.
Fear of lack of confidentiality
Many employees may be wary of speaking with HR due to a genuine fear that their concerns won’t remain confidential. They worry that raising an issue, particularly about a manager or a sensitive topic, could lead to negative consequences for their job security, career progression, or even their daily work environment. The risk of being seen as a “troublemaker” can outweigh the perceived benefit of involving HR.
Perceived favouritism:
When policies are not applied consistently or when certain employees seem to have preferential treatment, trust can quickly be broken. If disciplinary actions, promotions, or opportunities appear to be influenced by “who you know” or your status in the business, employees start to believe HR is not fair or impartial.
Lack of action:
A common complaint is that when employees report a problem, nothing seems to happen, or the outcome is unsatisfactory. This can lead to frustration and a sense that HR is more focused on procedures than on getting solutions for people.
Understanding these pain points is the first critical step for HR departments. It can guide them in the right direction when it comes to making changes and improving their perceived image. The main objective here it to actively work towards building genuine, lasting trust with their fellow employees.
Practical strategies for HR to build trust
Now that we understand some of the reasons why employees might not trust their HR representatives, what can we do to start building trust with them? Building trust isn’t a one-time event, it’s an ongoing endeavour with consistent actions and a genuine focus on employee wellbeing. Here are a few ideas that you can try use to help build trust between your HR team and your employees.
Open and consistent communication
One of the most important factors of building trust is clear, honest, and frequent communication. HR should prioritize regular check-ins and transparently explain the “why” behind policies, using various channels to make sure information is accessible, and critically, actively listen to feedback while providing updates on actions taken.
Showing empathy towards employees
Trust thrives where employees feel understood and cared for. HR professionals must make a conscious effort to understand situations from the employee’s perspective, approaching conflict resolution with compassion and validating employee feelings, even when immediate outcomes aren’t what was hoped for.
Investing in employee development and well-being
When HR teams prioritize employee growth and support, it means that they genuinely care. This could involve providing access to development opportunities, implementing policies that support work-life balance and mental health, and making sure that all policies are transparent and fair.
Leading by example
HR’s actions speak louder than any policy or presentation, making it important for them to consistently demonstrate the highest levels of integrity and accountability. They can do this by following through on commitments, admitting mistakes, and actively shaping a positive, inclusive, and safe workplace culture.
Benefits of a high-trust environment
We have already touched on what an organization with a high-trust culture can look like, but what are some of the tangible benefits that you can expect to see as the levels of trust between your HR team and other employees grow over time? Here are just a few benefits that you can expect to see:
- Increased employee engagement and productivity: When employees trust HR, they feel safer, more valued, and more willing to fully commit to their roles. This safety can help build an environment where employees are more engaged, more motivated to contribute their best work, and ultimately, more productive, knowing that their efforts are recognized and their well-being is genuinely supported.
- Improved retention and reduced turnover: In a high-trust environment, employees are more likely to stay with their organization because they feel supported, heard, and that their careers are genuinely cared for. This can lead to reduced recruitment and training costs associated with constant turnover, saving your business money in the long run.
- Better problem-solving and innovation: Trust empowers employees to speak up, share new ideas, and creatively address challenges. A culture of innovation, where different perspectives are welcomed, problems are identified and resolved more efficiently, and employees feel comfortable taking calculated risks that can lead to significant growth in your business.
- Positive brand and reputation: A company with high-trust between employees and HR significantly enhances that companies external reputation to other potential new employees. When employees trust their HR, they are more likely to become brand ambassadors, attracting top talent and reinforcing a positive image that sets the company apart from others in a competitive job market.
Need help building trust between your employees and HR team?
With Citation Canada’s trusted live HR advice, you get expert guidance you can trust. Our conveniently priced plans and user-friendly employee management software gives you access to comprehensive, up-to-date HR content and leverage award-winning HRIS software that ensures fairness and consistency. Foster trust with engaging online training courses and expert-led webinars that equip your team with the skills they need to succeed.