Building Employee Trust Requires 2 Key Things

Today’s job market is frightening for in-house and contract remote employees because economic security remains uncertain.

In prior years, a low unemployment rate and a rising labor participation rate would normally signal a strong economy and job market. However, 74% of Gen Z and 62% of Millennial workers worry about job security and employment practices.

Companies and managers that want to alleviate this work-related stress and win over new team members can create certainty by improving employee trust. When employees feel trusted and respected instead of micromanaged, they’re more likely to stay and increase their productivity. Retention and higher output mean a better return for your projects and balance sheets as you look to recruit and maintain top talent.

Based on established research and informal discussions with enterprise managers, leaders can build trust consistently in two ways.

First, they set clear expectations for staff.

Second, they provide the resources and support needed to get the job done.

It boils down to employees wanting to know how you’ll evaluate them and feeling like they can accomplish those goals. Then managers can step out of the way until support is needed or until a pre-scheduled update.

Communicating expectations to encourage staff

People take pride in their work. Managers encourage fulfilling work by helping teams accomplish their goals independently and confidently. Help teams create autonomy by setting expectations and guidelines for deliverables and having each person agree to these. This process empowers employees to ask for clarification, make suggestions, and seek help if needed.

Clear communication helps managers become a source of support to help projects get across the finish line.

Providing support how employees need it

And when someone needs help, look for multiple ways to provide support.

Multiple solutions could include anything from direct guidance on a specific task to a training program on a new tool or method. When someone struggles with a final deliverable, showing past successes or comparable items to learn from can provide direction.

As a bonus, using these “calls for help” as opportunities to train someone on a new skill can give your company a 7% higher retention rate.

Historical project data is a strong source of support. Teams can see how you previously measured success, learn about tools and techniques used previously, and track their own progress.

Using trust to grow resiliency

So then — set clear expectations and set your team up for success. If you get these two points right, you can create a culture of trust.

These best practices are key to helping your team achieve project goals. Your team doesn’t want to spend eight hours a day engaging in “productivity theater,” or checking meaningless tasks off a list, or performing busy work to a micromanager looking over their shoulder. Creating trust improves outcomes, builds a willingness to listen and grow, and helps teams feel comfortable asking for help before the last minute.

Despite improvements in 2023, the cloud of economic uncertainty has yet to be lifted. Managers and leaders protect their people and companies by enabling autonomy. You build a more resilient organization when you’re a source of certainty and trust. If the past few years have taught us anything, resiliency is a core driver of success when no one knows what’s lurking around the corner.At Hubstaff, we believe trust, transparency, and easy-to-use go hand-in-hand. We’ll keep working to help managers have the right tools and data to support their teams. At the same time, we’ll always be clear and transparent with time and project tracking.