Building trust in the workplace
Trust is a two-way street; employers must trust their employees and earn their trust in return. It’s an essential component of a healthy and successful workplace. Studies show that workplaces with strong trust have higher levels of employee engagement, productivity, and innovation, with lower turnover rates than competitors.
By now, you may be asking yourself, “Is there trust in my organization?”
In the employment context, trust means believing that both employees and the employer are fulfilling their duties and responsibilities in the workplace to the best of their ability. Trust is an act of faith; however, some employers do not have this faith in their employees, and in turn, their employees do not trust them.
The costs of workplaces lacking trust are very real
Where trust is absent, the consequences are evident. Employers micromanage every aspect of their employees’ work, which leads to low employee engagement and productivity. Employees are less likely to go the extra mile or share ideas for fear that their efforts won’t be supported or recognized. It should be no surprise that turnover rates are high in these situations. Let’s discuss what measures you can take so you can feel confident trusting your employees and how you can earn their trust in return.
If you aren’t sure whether employees feel trusted, ask them! Bear in mind, though, that bluntly asking them may not get you their true answers. Asking the right questions in the right way is important to help you better understand their true feelings towards the organization. Our surveys and forms tool makes it easy to create surveys and obtain valuable feedback from your employees. Allowing employees to provide feedback anonymously can help them feel more comfortable telling you the truth without worrying about negative repercussions.
How to build trust in the workplace
One way of demonstrating trust is through delegation. Your time is limited, and it’s best spent doing high-value tasks. When a manager hands off tasks but doesn’t give the employee the responsibility and information to complete the task without them, it isn’t valuable delegation. It actually shows a lack of trust. By giving your team more valuable work and the accountability to do it, you’ll find they’re more likely to put in the effort to do a good job, and it makes you a better leader, too!
The benefits of building employee trust
There are many benefits to proper delegation and trusting in your team to get the job done. Let’s look at an example. Say you’re responsible for a monthly mailer to clients and, until now, you usually do your research, pick some topics, write about them, and send it off. On top of all your other responsibilities, it’s a lot of work. You’ve realized this is very time-consuming and something you could delegate to someone (or even a few people) on your team. So, you start with a meeting to communicate how to get the topics and how to write the mailer effectively. Then, you set a deadline, so your team member knows how much time they have, and you set up a meeting halfway to check in on progress and give helpful advice. Turns out, they had some really great ideas, and the mailer is a success.
How the right HR software can help
Health and safety and HR software can help build employee trust by promoting transparency. By centralizing documents like policy manuals, training records, and standard operating procedures (SOPs), these systems give your team easy access to the information they need, when they need it. Transparency also extends to risk assessments. When employers act quickly on their workers’ safety observations and hazard reports, employees see that their concerns are heard and that their wellbeing is a priority. This accessibility removes ambiguity about workplace expectations, empowering your team to work confidently and report hazards promptly without fear of reprisal.
Digital HR tools that can help build employee trust
Features like real-time updates, digital signature collection for electronic policies and documents, and collaborative safety tools establish accountability and create a more open workplace where employees’ concerns are heard. Providing online HR and safety training courses tailored to your team’s needs that supplement legislatively required training, such as workplace violence and harassment and occupational health and safety (OHS) awareness, demonstrates that you value your employees’ wellbeing and shows a commitment to keeping workers safe while ensuring the organization’s practices remain compliant with legislative requirements. Ultimately, by making critical information clear and accessible, you reinforce trust and strengthen the relationship between your people and your organization.
Strengthen employee trust with secure document storage and privacy protection
Secure storage of HR documents is essential to protect employee privacy. Investing in HR software with robust digital storage safeguards sensitive employee data and enhances organizational efficiency. Prioritizing these measures not only protects privacy but also builds trust between employees and employers.
In Canada, employee privacy is widely based on the principle of a reasonable expectation of privacy, even in the workplace. While employers have the right to manage their business, they generally must obtain meaningful consent before collecting, using, or disclosing personal information. Employees also have the right to access their personnel files and request corrections to ensure their data is accurate and up to date.
Employers are legally required to protect sensitive personal information, including identifying details (such as SINs), financial records, health information, and employment history. Privacy laws like PIPEDA mandate strict security measures, such as encryption and access controls, to prevent breaches and unauthorized access.
Building trust is everyone’s responsibility
Of course, you’re still responsible for the tasks you delegate getting done, so you need to set clear expectations and monitor progress. It’s a fine balance, but trusting your team and helping your employees develop will make your workplace better and make you a better leader.
Thousands of Canadian organizations trust our innovative HR software and team of experts to help with:
- Delivering compliant policies and documentation: Access an HR content library with hundreds of HR templates, including required OHS and HR policies for every Canadian jurisdiction.
- Providing online training courses: Developed in Canada, our online training platform offers more than 240 courses to help HR leaders and employees understand their rights and responsibilities.
- Access live HR advice or consulting: Whether you need clarity on how the latest legislation will affect your business or support for major HR projects with strict deadlines, our team of experienced HR professionals is here to provide trusted advice and reliable guidance when you need it.
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