If you are a manager, you probably started out under the supervision of a manager at some point in your career. Which means you know that not every manager is good or trustworthy. A workforce that trusts their manager is happier and more productive than workforces that do not trust their manager. So how can you gain the trust of your employees as a manager? Here are a few tips and tricks to get you started.

Recognize Employees Success

People crave recognition. This is true of almost every single person, introvert or extrovert, people want to feel that their contributions are seen and appreciated. As a manager, it is your responsibility to let your employees know that you see and appreciate their successes at the business. Nobody likes a manager who takes credit for the work of those they manage. Try implementing incentives and rewards for achievement at the workplace, and celebrate those achievements. Making a habit of celebrating the successes of your employees is essential to fostering trust with your employees.

Show Leadership

Strong leadership fosters trust and respect. And strong leadership involves hands-on interaction and involvement with all levels of production and work taking place at your business. Being a person that interacts with and engages with employees makes you feel more approachable as a manager and more invested in your employees. A great way to show leadership in this way is to use Gemba walks. A Gemba walk is when a manager or supervisor walks through the office on the production floor and observes first-hand what is going on at work, and how it is being done, while also speaking with employees. When supervisors conduct Gemba walks, they facilitate communication with the workforce.

Listen to Your Employees

Your employees are the ones that are doing the day-to-day work that is the business. This means that they are likely the first ones to notice areas that need change, bottlenecks, inefficiencies, and inconveniences at work. If you listen to your employees regularly, and implement the changes and adjustments that they ask for, your employees will begin to trust that you have their best interests at heart. Allowing your employees to have a say in how things are run can help them trust you more and work with you better.

Gaining the trust of your employees is not an easy task. Managers don’t always have great relationships with their employees, but this itself is an unnecessary bottleneck at work. Try a few of these strategies to gain the trust of your employees at work, and you will see the increases in morale and productivity that trust will garner.

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