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The Importance of Trust at Work – 5 Steps to Help You Work Better With Your Peers

Written by: Morgan Hunt
Published on: 4 Jul 2014

Trust – one of the most important elements for an effective, efficient, and harmonious workplace crucial to business success for not only your employer but yourself in terms of professional development. Indeed, your ability to trust others and to be trusted in turn is a talent and skill that must be nurtured to its full potential.

Trust is the foundation of organisation success

Keep in mind that employers want team players on board. Teamwork promotes unity toward the achievement of mutual goals and while it can be a challenge to build trust in a work environment,   it is a necessity for your own development and is the underpinning principle behind a successful organisation and happy employers.  Why? It cultivates camaraderie, mutual respect and ultimately improved performance.

Overused a cliché it might be but... misery does love company

Unresolved office conflicts and general distrust among co-workers will adversely impact employee productivity and business profitability.

So how do you develop trust in the work place?

The one-stop trust workshop

Follow these five steps and you will be well on your way to maintaining professional, if not personal trust among your peers at work;

#1 Be honest

Being trustworthy means being honest - even if you feel the situation and the individuals involved do not initially merit it. When you build a reputation for honesty, you are also building integrity and credibility – truly, two aspects of relationships essential in building trust.

Tell the truth. Share reliable information even when it might be to your disadvantage.

#2 Be careful in sharing information

Being honest does not equate to being careless about the information you share with others. Always use your good judgement in deciding what information to share as well as when, where and with whom to share it. Keep in mind that, in the Information Age, information is considered a valuable asset – therefore protect it.

Being honest does not also mean haphazardly sharing your opinions. Be tactful, yet candid, so as to avoid sowing resentments and disagreements among your co-workers. Keep it about the role and not about the person. Professional integrity is an enviable attribute.

#3 Be consistent in your words and actions

Say what you mean and mean what you say. This is a maxim that you must apply every day of the week instead of select situations. Your words must be backed up by your actions, be it in submitting reports on time or in acting on a complaint.

Of course, being consistent is a challenge especially in a changing environment where adaptability is the key to success. But therein also lies the reward – when you have built up a reputation for consistency, you will be trusted by your superiors, peers, and subordinates to deliver the goods and even exceed expectations.

#4 Be fluent in non-verbal communications

It’s not just the words that come out of your mouth that matter but your body language, gestures and facial expressions. Be honest in these non-verbal cues because these will also increase trust and endorse your actions

#5 A positive attitude is infectious

Avoid displays of blatant self-serving agendas that will undermine trust levels. Instead, promote the feeling of "we" instead of "me" by genuinely caring for your co-workers' welfare while also accepting their genuine care for yours.

At Morgan Hunt, we encourage our candidates and employers to build a relationship based on professional trust. We believe that with trust comes the best match between employees and employers. Get in touch today to see how Morgan Hunt can assist you.

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