By Diana Moss
Oct. 6, 2011
Unlike the X Factor, which is often unknown, unexplainable, and makes an unpredictable impact, you can definitely recognize, describe and predict the impact of the Trust Factor. When leaders have the Trust Factor, employee engagement increases. When leaders lack it, employee engagement declines, plain and simple.
The business case for improving the Trust Factor between leaders and employees is no secret. Research shows that when employee engagement is high, performance and retention follow suit, contributing to the organization’s bottom line. Trust between employees and leaders at all levels, senior managers, managers, and supervisors, is a foundational factor for employee engagement. Yet in many organizations, there is an opportunity to increase the Trust Factor.
“Employees’ trust in senior management, direct supervisors and co-workers is dwindling across all industries,” was among the key findings of a March 2010 Maritz Poll conducted by Maritz Research. A perhaps shocking figure – only 11 percent of employees strongly agreed that their managers show consistency between their words and actions. The study also pointed out that trust increases employee engagement and job satisfaction. According to the survey, well over half (58 percent) of the employees with strong trust in their management were completely satisfied with their job and 63 percent of those same employees indicated they would be happy to spend the rest of their career with their present company.
I am a strong believer that the most effective employee engagement efforts are not complicated programs or elaborate events, but instead, the result of every day interactions. How then do you go about building, maintaining, and even repairing trust with your employees? I would say simply by demonstrating The Trust Factor every day, whether you are interacting with groups of employees, or one employee at a time. Stephen Covey’s books have been on my bookshelf throughout my career. When I attended the workshop, “Leading at the Speed of Trust,” based on his book, “The Speed of Trust – The One Thing That Changes Everything,” one message in particular stuck with me: “When you behave in ways that build trust with one; you build trust with many.” There are many things leaders can do to increase the Trust Factor in every day employee interactions. Here are four ways to lead with trust and increase employee engagement:
Keep Your Word
It goes without saying that keeping your commitments is crucial to any relationship and that holds true for relationships with your employees. Doing what you say you are going to do speaks to your integrity and your credibility. Responsiveness and follow through are key to building and maintaining the Trust Factor. Good intentions are not enough. Frequent status updates, even a quick, “I haven’t forgot about your request – I’m still looking into it,” can make a big difference in the employee’s perception that you are doing what you said you would do. If you can’t commit to something, say so. When you are honest and forthright, employees will not only trust you, they will respect you.