Why Aussie workers have trust issues

Employsure study reveals that Aussie workers have trust issues. Here’s what you can do.

Employsure A2

Employsure study reveals that Aussie workers have trust issues. Here’s what you can do.

A study has revealed Aussie workers have some trust issues, and the sobering data should be a wake-up call for employers.

Employsure's State of Work Report, which surveyed more than 600 working Australians, found 1 in 4 respondents weren’t sure if they could trust their boss. Meanwhile 1 in 5 employees don't like their boss, or are indifferent altogether. Interestingly, it's employees who have been with their employer longer than five years who have the lowest levels of trust in their boss.

Yet positive working relationships between managers and their staff are a huge contributor to business growth and success. It begs the question: how has trust become such a big issue in the workplace?

"There can be many factors at play, and they can vary across employees," says Jessica Laina, senior employment relations adviser from Employsure. "Trust is one of those intangible elements that goes beyond the professional realm into the personal. Everything from the way a manager might assign work to whether they take an interest in the personal lives of their employees can influence trust."

COMMON TRUST INHIBITORS

These can include not making adequate time to meet with staff, refusing to talk to subordinates or not supporting career progression. These are all symptoms of a common problem: an unwillingness or inability to build relationships with employees.

"How a boss deals with staff, both as professionals and as a person, will ultimately determine the level of trust between them," Laina adds. "Ultimately it's a question of relationships, and treating people as humans rather than resources."

DEVELOPING TRUST, AND AVOIDING FAVOURITISM

Laina says one of the most powerful ways to develop trust is to see the person your employee wants to become, and help them achieve it. 

"Asking them about their professional goals and making a commitment to supporting them repositions a manager as an ally, and is an instant trust earner," she says.

Management style can also be a major factor in building, or ruining, trust, and bosses in particular should be wary of playing favourites with their staff. 

"Whether it's real or perceived, employees are highly attuned to favouritism in the workplace. It can be a major demotivator for employees, and completely erodes a relationship," Laina says.

Although few managers would admit to playing favourites with their staff, many biases are unconscious and Laina recommends putting steps in place to avoid favouritism.

"Sometimes it can be hard to recognise this kind of behaviour in yourself, so it's important to have some self-awareness about how you're managing your team and interacting with them. From there, you can make a commitment to avoid favouritism and put in place practical steps to avoid it."

IT’S ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS

While the causes of mistrust can be complex and varied, the solution is often simple: acting with integrity and taking the time to build relationships with employees. In simple terms, it means putting titles and reporting lines aside and making sure staff know that you support them. It also means understanding their work related problems and offering constructive solutions. 

"In many ways what many employees want from their boss is quite simple: they want to be treated fairly, they want to feel like their boss has their back and that they will do what they say they are going to do. Get those things right and trust follows."

Originally published as Why Aussie workers have trust issues