From restaurants to human resources firms, businesses in all industries are struggling with staffing shortages. A lack of trust between workers and leaders is exacerbating the problem.
Workers are skeptical. Some feel disheartened following layoffs from longtime employers, others feel their work is undervalued. To restore their trust, employers must consistently behave in ways that enable trust to grow.
To nourish your relationships with new recruits and veteran team members, communicate in an open, honest, and straightforward manner. Although leaders often sugarcoat challenging information in an effort to preserve morale and productivity, their failure to tell the whole truth actually has the opposite effect. As a consequence, 37% of people surveyed by the Edelman Trust Barometer say they don’t trust their employer.
When leaders withhold information, employees do the same, withholding their best ideas and what could be solutions to your present challenges. Prioritizing open and honest communication not only enables employees to prioritize their work most effectively, but also breeds engagement and innovation. In fact, SHRM data shows that employees who feel trusted are 23% more likely to offer unique ideas.
Show compassion for others. Don’t overlook the importance of kindness, care, and respect. Employees are people first, who experience stress and hardships both at work and at home. Unfortunately, far too many leaders forget that their role in employees’ work lives has an undeniable impact on their personal lives. Employees at high trust companies are 29% more satisfied with their lives overall, which enables higher levels of productivity, energy and engagement on the job.
Aligning your company to a cause beyond just profits not only enhances both employee and customer satisfaction; customers are more likely to maintain brand loyalty, and employees are three times more likely to stay with the company.
