What makes an organisation a positive place to work at? It is deceptively simple.
Do you employees trust you? It comes down to this fundamental truth.
Trust can feel like a "mushy" word, even as it becomes more and more recognised as an essential business asset. This same principle of trust applies for our recognition of the media and even our government. Do we simply trust them?
Just telling people to trust you doesn't work. When our government tells us to trust them, do we? You have to build a high-trust culture over a period time. And, there are three key ingredients you will need to focus on.
The first is credibility. Does your team believe that their leaders are capable, communicative, and truthful? The next is respect. Do your employees feel respected both as professionals and individuals with lives outside of work? And, the third is fairness. Do the people who work in your organisation see it as a place where everyone has a fair chance to succeed?
Credibility
It is vital that people within your team communicate consistently and directly. Intra-organisational communication modalities need to be fixed so as to not encourage "secret cliques" and speaking in hushed tones behind the scenes. Your employees need to feel that their leaders are competent communicators who are, and will always, be straightforward.
You must ensure that your public actions reflect the values you do internally. If for example, you project an image of being an inclusive leader to the public, but your team does not experience that culture at the workplace, they will look at you as being a hypocrite. Always demand from your leadership team that their public statements actually match the internal experience of employees.
Credibility also comes when you accept that your team must feel safe and comfortable to speak up. Listen to your people as much as you give them directions and guidance. Only when an employee feels that he or she has an avenue to air their opinions, suggestions, and grievances, they will actively own their work product.
And, the most crucial step with maintaining your credibility is that you must take tangible action every time you ask for, and receive feedback, from your employees. The new culture in many organisations dictate that they organise "town-hall" and "review" sessions. But when the feedback, criticisms, or pleas for improvements are offered, no real action gets taken. This leaves a lot employees frustrated, and they will take the view your "feedback" requests were not sincere.
Without establishing credibility, trust will be lost.
Respect
No one who works for you is an "indented" worker. Everyone must come to work on their own volition. This requires respect. You must create a work-culture that supports your employee's work-life balance. While they earn their livelihood with you, remember that they do not "belong" to you. Your team should not, and must not, be at your beck and call, and be ready to react to your commands, all the time.
Your employees have a life outside the workplace, and you must respect it. And, start by being a good example yourself. Leave work on time and don't bother them or yourself, outside work hours.
Respect is also developed when you show genuine interest in the people who work with you. Be cognisant of their lives. Understand what matters to them, outside work. And, be aware of their challenges. This makes you compassionate leader, and this in turn, earns you, their respect.
Encourage and show your appreciation for their efforts, and most notably, be an active support for their professional development. Provide your team opportunities to develop and get trained. Then, give them the requisite time to deliver results.
Your job to help your team become the best version of themselves. This is how respect grows.
Fairness
No one enjoys being treated unfairly yet favouritism and cronyism happens in organisations. It is imperative that no one in your team feels undervalued monetarily. You must pay and reward your team with the prevailing market rates. And, if you under or over pay anyone in particular, you must be able to justify it to them, and their colleagues.
Regularly review your compensation plan and close any pay gaps for employees doing equal work. Ensure that marginalised employees have a voice too. At times the view of the office helper is equally important as the view of the director.
Focus on the well-being of your team. This includes proper medical benefits and insurance plans. But ultimately, being treated fairly at work is about feeling included in everything that happens. If you communicate regularly and with openness to your team, they will feel this inclusiveness.
So, remember, for a positive and progressive workplace, you will need build and maintain trust. When your team trusts in you and your organisation, they will deliver higher levels of productivity leading to exponentially better results.
*The writer is managing consultant and executive leadership coach at EQTD Consulting. He is also the author of the national bestseller 'So, You Want To Get Promoted?'