Fostering trust and a sense of camaraderie among co-workers can be difficult, especially in a virtual workspace. With everyone at home focused on their duties, there is little opportunity to interact with one another outside the — at-times hectic — virtual meetings and calls.
Remote teams, along with hybrid work arrangements, have seen a drastic increase due to the impact of COVID-19. While business practices may be in flux, the importance of strong leadership and trust-building has not changed. Both are still necessary, and some may argue are crucial now more than ever.
From ineffective information-sharing to employee burnout, the strains of a virtual workplace can take a toll on performance and team morale. Much of this boils down to a lack of trust. What are some methods to better approach trust-building? Here is a look into the necessity of workplace trust along with ways to help build it within virtual teams.
Why building trust in the workplace is essential
We all know the word trust, but do we really understand it? In a team, trust means you’re not alone in the grind. You can believe in teammates having your back, doing the right thing, and doing their part to get the job done. Having such confidence in the abilities and integrity of the people with whom you work can make a world of difference in attaining goals.
Simply put, trust is the glue holding a team. Without it, a team doesn’t function efficiently, and several production aspects can be affected by its absence. For instance, when everyone is only looking out for themselves, there could be withheld information, uncooperativeness, suspicion, resentment, and general unhappiness among team members.
Various reasons could be behind declining team trust. It can stem from a shortage of personal connections. When deprived of face-to-face interaction and the social cues involved, it is more difficult to form a bond. This sort of disconnect might lead to standoffish behavior, negative impressions, and further miscommunication.
It could also result from concerns of unfair compensation or unequal treatment. Team members feeling undervalued can be less likely to engage fully. Resentment may grow if one employee appears to be favored. These reasons and beyond can contribute to distrusting managers, co-workers, and the decisions being made.
Intentionally building trust in the workplace should be a manager’s No. 1 priority to avoid such disfunction. Not only to help ensure everyone operates together as well as they can, but to work toward achieving optimal business outcomes.
Ways to build trust within the virtual workplace
- Improve communication. Having transparent and consistent communication is key. Increase transparency by meaning what you say and saying what you mean. Keep consistency at the forefront by being online on time, being prepared, and sticking to the schedule.
It’s essential to demonstrate dependability, responsibility, and trustworthiness through actions and words.
Enrich communication by encouraging a free and open exchange of information and ideas. Knowing each voice is heard can help make the team feel more harmonious. One way to organize informal communication is through virtual get-togethers or one-on-one meetings. These serve to connect with members on a personal level by getting to know them better.
- Drive engagement. A team’s success relies on open communication. If employees do not feel they can be vulnerable or speak freely without condemnation, their lack of trust could impair success. Encourage team members to share ideas and voice concerns. Feeling comfortable enough to engage in virtual settings can work to boost motivation as well as trust.
Engagement could also lead to better understanding. When there is a safe space for expression, different perspectives can be shared, which often leads to innovation and enriched conversations. Consider implementing online platforms and management software to support more productive meetings and boost team engagement.
- Set goals and share success. Goals are fundamental to developing trust. They not only define collective values from which to draw, but also a common target for the team. Establishing set objectives in a virtual setting is even more necessary as they can connect those virtual employees feeling geographically disconnected.
Track goal progression and celebrate when a goal is completed. By sharing each colleague’s accomplishments and showing appreciation for hard work, it can enhance morale as well as engagement. Trusting employees’ efforts are valued goes a long way in building their trust in the team.
Going forward
Applying these approaches — and others like them — can help establish or strengthen a team’s trust in management and other members. Before making changes, be sure to pitch ideas to the team, ask for feedback, listen without judgment, and always act respectfully.
Author bio: Adam Berke is the co-founder and CEO of WorkPatterns, a company focused on cultivating the habits of great leaders and effective operators to help organizations around the world achieve their mission. Prior to that, he was part of the founding team of NextRoll (formerly AdRoll) and helped grow the company from three to 700 employees around the world. Along the way, he faced the personal challenges of evolving from being an individual contributor on the founding team, to becoming a manager, and eventually an executive who hired and managed other managers as the company grew.