“I trust you.”

These three little words are incredibly important to your business. Just how important? Fostering trust between managers and employees yields a host of business benefits, including:

• Less red tape. Trust reduces the need for bureaucracy. When everyone in your organization can rely on one another to do what they promise, it eliminates the need for constant checking, reviewing and approving.
• Increased efficiency and productivity. All that checking, reviewing and approving slows your company down and creates unnecessary stalls and bottlenecks. Increase trust, and you’ll increase the speed at which work is accomplished.
• Higher morale. Honoring commitments and delivering great internal customer service creates a more positive work environment by building a sense of team.
• Improved loyalty and retention. When people work in a trusting environment, they feel more connected to the group – and more loyal to your organization.

Trust in the workplace is the foundation of great relationships, great service and a great bottom line. But what does it actually look like in practice? Here are seven practical examples of what “I trust you” means in a typical organization:

1. I won’t try to take credit for something I didn’t do.
   In a culture of trust, people don’t try to steal the spotlight – they celebrate one another’s successes.
2. I won’t stand over your shoulder, micromanaging every choice you make.
   A trusting manager knows how to provide the training, resources and accountability measures employees need. He also knows when to step back and let them do their jobs.
3. When I make a mistake, I’ll admit it.
   An employee who trusts his manager knows that he can admit it without fear of being berated or fired – as long as he is honest, helps to develop a solution, and learns from the mistake.
4. I’ll look you in the eye and give you honest, fair feedback.
   Employees and managers who trust one another value feedback in both directions. They never sugarcoat or beat around the bush. As a result, both parties always know where they stand in relation to one another.
5. I’ll praise you when you’ve done a great job.
   And just as importantly, people who trust one another make sure that co-workers and superiors know about accomplishments, too.
6. When there’s a problem, I’ll come to you directly.
   An employee who trusts his manager won’t go over his head, without first approaching him directly. On the flip side, a manager who trusts his employee will come to him first to discuss a problem, before bringing it to co-workers’ or senior managers’ attention.
7. I won’t blindside you.
   In a culture of trust, communication is open. Employees and managers feel comfortable telling the truth and don’t withhold critical information.

Need temporary, project-based or direct employees you can trust?

Contact Exact Staff for reliable, hardworking individuals who will support your culture of trust and deliver the measurable results you need.