How to Build Trust & Respect in an Organization?

Earning the trust and respect of your employees is by no means an easy task. And it grows more arduous to gain it back once it is lost. Employees are what drive your firm. When employees trust and respect their employers, they are much more likely to align themselves to the goals of the company and fully express their talents. A culture of trust and respect also reduces their stress and enhances their creativity, energy and passion. Hence, fostering an environment of respect and trust among your workers is a prerequisite for a wholesome work atmosphere. So the question is, as a leader, how to build trust and respect?

Here are some ways that I have learned over the years.

1. Lead by example: 

A leader must strive to be a worthy role model for the employees. I’m sure you must have heard of the adage, “Show, don’t tell.” As a leader, you cannot expect them to excel unless you yourself demonstrate how to. For example, if you want your employees to be punctual then show up to the office early every day. So, lead by example, but also lead from the front in a crisis. A good leader will always be found along the frontline with the team. This will ensure that your guys know that you’ve got their back. Consequently, they will trust and respect your leadership.

 2. Practice an open-door policy: 

Alongside being a boss, also practice being a confidant to your employees. Here at Blue Ocean Global, our doors remain open 24x 7 for every member of the team. Everyone is welcome to contact anyone at any moment regarding any issue. According to a study conducted by a global agency, Blue Ocean Global obtained an 85% score in communication ease. As a leader, you should be approachable and open to communication. Employees feel valued when they receive feedback about their contribution to the big picture.

 3. Create a safe environment: 

 Human beings are naturally wired to feel threatened and insecure. It is then upon the leaders and the management to foster a safe environment where employees don’t feel like they are being pitched against each other and feel safe and free enough to share their honest opinions. Innovation and progress can only be achieved when employees feel safe enough to share their opinions without fear.

 4. Giving Respect: 

 Respect is a two-way street. For the employees to respect you, you must demonstrate your respect for them first. This includes how you treat them in front of others. Praise in public and criticism in private, has always been my motto. As a leader, you should avoid yelling at the employees in front of clients; instead, talk to them privately. Do not let your teammates feel humiliated and have their backs at all times. If a teammate makes a mistake, take full responsibility for the situation but give the employee a second chance to solve the matter.

 5. Own up to your actions

As a leader, always be willing to accept your mistakes. It is human to make mistakes and you are human too. In doing so, you will set the template for your employees to take responsibility for their actions and be open and transparent about situations. Openness and integrity are the cornerstones of trust and respect.

 6. Break the silos: 

 The moment you put three people in a room, politics springs up. Politics begins from the top. As a leader, one must avoid being biased and treat everyone with respect and equality irrespective of their position in the hierarchy. In case of a conflict, it is important to find out all sides to the problem. As they say, there are three sides to a story, your side, their side and then there’s the truth. It is crucial to be fair when mediating any problem. Your fairness and political correctness will make your employees value and trust your judgement and decisions.

 7. Make everyone feel included

 Thanks to globalisation, workforces are becoming increasingly diverse and multicultural. It is important to make all employees feel welcome. It is important that no cultural groups take place in the workplace. Groups create tension and disparity. It creates an ‘Us versus them’ culture when in truth we are all on the same team. An office should have a single official language that everyone speaks, understands, and uses to communicate. This will help strike a secular tone in the workspace.

 9. Always stick to your words

 Much like children at home, employees take note of everything. They will learn from and emulate your behaviour. Hence, it is important to have integrity in your dealings. When you are truthful and reliable in your dealings with them, they will naturally trust you and value your leadership.

 10. Evaluate

 It is wise to have a third party or; an external agency evaluating the office culture. We at Blue Ocean Global arranged similarly (and won) the Best Place to Work programme earlier this year. Receiving an objective viewpoint helps identify your blind spots and course correct. Employees will always trust and respect a leader who is open to feedback.

 Having said all the above, I must add that ultimately, there is no one way to build the ethos of trust and respect and as a leader, you must follow your instinct and do what feels right, even if it seems illogical or wrong at the moment.