Building Trust For A Positive Employee Experience

How do we create the right environment of trust at workplace and avoid surprises?

- Richard Smith, Ph.d.

When the boss says, “Can you stop by my office? I have some feedback for you,” our natural reaction is generally less than that of excitement. As employees, we may shutter when receiving feedback or performance ratings – and in some cases, we may even prepare for a tough negotiation. Yet when we are asked about this process, we logically expect and welcome ideas for doing better. So how do we create a system that allows for open feedback, sharing, and discussion related to performance? The answer seems to center around the concept of trust.

As I travel around the region, I often hear executives talking about improving organizational culture and building more trust in management. With organizations growing in size and complexity, it is not surprising that the distance between employees and senior level management seems to be growing. Finding ways to make sure that messages are consistent and trust in leadership can be an ongoing challenge. In addition, many organizations want to foster trust to create more powerful relationships and engagement in the workforce. Research tells us that trust is linked to team performance 1 and that creating a culture of trust can create powerful outcomes. 2