Workplace trust plays a role in your team’s success and productivity. It also improves client relations and boosts resiliency after a challenge. You and your team can build trust in six key ways as you improve performance and camaraderie at work in 2016.
- Be Honest
Telling the truth every time lays the foundation for trust in your office. Your coworkers won’t have to guess if you’re telling the truth or if they can trust what you say.
Even if being honest places you at a disadvantage or could have painful consequences for you, a coworker or a client, always tell the truth. Remember that the truth will come out eventually, so it’s better to be honest upfront.
- Avoid Stealing
Stealing photocopies, paper clips or time gives your coworkers an opportunity to doubt your credibility. Make every effort to avoid stealing as you demonstrate that you can be trusted.
- Exercise Good Judgment
There’s a time and place to share information. Use good judgment as you decide when, where and how much to share.
This truth-building step can be used to protect coworkers’ and clients’ private information and competitors’ proprietary information. It also prevents you from speaking or sharing unsolicited or blunt judgment before you know all the fact.
- Watch Your Body Language
Even though you’re not talking, your body language works for you as it invites people to talk to and trust you. Practice looking your coworkers and clients in the eye when you interact, and stand with an open posture instead of with your arms crossed or your hands clenched.
- Look for Ways to Exhibit a Mutually Beneficial Attitude
Anyone who looks out only for him or herself will not earn a reputation as someone who can be trusted. Genuinely care about your coworkers and client, and work hard to nurture relationships that are two-sided. Be gracious about giving and receiving constructive criticism, too, as you create a mutually beneficial culture of trust.
- Be Consistent
When you live a consistent lifestyle of truth, you don’t have to worry about getting caught in a lie or remembering which story you told your coworkers. Your constant performance at work also builds trust since it shows your coworkers that they can count on you. So be on time and stay until your shift is over, perform your best on every job and do what you say every time.
Are you ready to build trust and a safe working environment at your place of employment? Taking these steps will improve relationships, productivity and success for you and your company in 2016.
