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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. Commit to the following three trust building behaviors suggested by expert, Stephen M. R. Covey, to nourish your relationships with new recruits and veteran team members.
Communicate in an open, honest and straightforward manner. Don’t leave false impressions.
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 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.
Covey writes in The Speed of Trust that 42% of workers believe their employers don't care about them on a personal level. 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.
According to Paul J. Zak’s “The Neuroscience of Trust” 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. According to Covey, there can be no trust without respect. When building trust, few behaviors are more impactful than genuine kindness like reaching out to colleagues enduring a tough time and demonstrating gratitude for their contributions to the team.
Consistently learn and grow your business. Don’t live in the past.
Global public relations firm Porter Novelli recently discovered that 77% of Americans, “believe companies need to take a community first, not shareholder-first approach.” In other words, businesses must behave in ways that benefit their communities to maintain public trust.
According to Covey, businesses must, “continuously improve.” Porter Novelli’s survey of American consumers illustrates how people want businesses to improve—by growing in ways that provide a direct benefit to their community. 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.
As you design a plan to overcome the chaos and stress of understaffing, trust could be “the one thing that changes everything.” Covey details 13 trust building behaviors like these in his New York Times bestseller The Speed of Trust. Register for BBB of Greater Maryland’s Signature Event to receive a free copy and transform Covey’s guidance into actionable problem solving strategies.
BBB of Greater Maryland contributed this article.