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Building Trust at Work
Tangible ways to increase trust in your workplace — and why it matters.
The increase in focus on trust in the workplace is a great sign. We are moving away from treating people as human capital, a reductive and dehumanizing term, to treating people as, well, people. One key component of this shift is fostering a workplace where trust is the norm.
“Earn trust, earn trust, earn trust. Then you can worry about the rest.” — Seth Godin
What do we mean by trust?
Trust is defined as “reliance on the integrity, strength, ability, surety, of a person or thing; confidence.” Trust can be seen as a basic human need, as it enables us to feel safe to be ourselves. When we trust, our bodies can exit flight, fight or freeze mode. This enables us to be more creative, innovative, and connected.
So, what does a lack of trust in the workplace look like in practice?
In an organization low on trust, information is poorly communicated, or withheld. Disrespect and inconsistency are the norm. Integrity is low and insecurity is high. A company like Better, where the CEO recently fired 900 people on a single Zoom call, is probably struggling on trust right now. It is not alone. For…
