6 tips on building trust in the workplace

Professional relationships, just like any other relationship you have, are built on a foundation of trust. A crack in the foundation will one day cause the whole relationship to crumble, leaving a gaping hole in your professional network. Are you having difficulty nurturing trust with your teammates at work? Try the following tips and observe a huge change in your relationships with your peers, subordinates, and superiors.

1. Praise where praise is due

Everyone loves receiving praise for the good work they have done, and your coworkers are no exception. Genuinely praise your peers when you believe they have done something noteworthy. If you are a team leader, take the time to celebrate a team member’s career achievement during a team meeting. If a person in your office got promoted, congratulate them right away without waiting a week.

2. Play no part in office gossip

Office gossip is a major factor that contributes to a toxic work culture. Gossiping is one of the many things that make you seem unprofessional at work too. You will not build trust by gossiping with people because they will fear that you’d do the same for them. Having trouble dealing with a difficult coworker? Instead of venting to the people at the office, talk about it with someone outside of work.

3. Share what you learn

Use the lunch hour for light banter with your work friends. Whenever you have learned something important, share that information with your coworkers. It could be a quote from the recent conference you attended, or it could be an eye-opening conversation with someone at a recent career fair. People tend to trust those who are not afraid to share information that helps them grow professionally.

4. Invest time and resources in employee development

This one is useful if you are a manager or employer. Assign resources to create great employee training and development programs. This will help your staff brush up on their technical skills and soft skills. Team building exercises will help your workers trust each other more and create a better bond between coworkers.

5. Pay attention to your body language

Communication is not all about talking with words. Non-verbal cues play a major role in successful communication as well. Note how you carry yourself during conversations with your coworkers. Do you slouch and cross your arms, giving off a disinterested and closed-off vibe? When you have a conversation with someone, maintain eye contact for an appropriate period and give them your undivided attention.

6. Be nice to new recruits

You know how hard it was for you when you started a new job. New job anxiety is something we have all felt. Understand that the new intern on your floor is going through the same thing. Volunteering to mentor a newcomer or taking responsibility for training interns is a good move to make. You will get to work with (possibly) younger workers with new ideas and you will also get a chance to see the company culture through a new pair of eyes. This will help you what needs to change to build better relationships in the office.