Trust is the key ingredient to a committed (work) relationship.
Trust in Workplace Relationships
The concept of trust, in any relationship, is rarely considered a basic requirement, and for the workplace environment it is rarely discussed in terms of performance. But trust is found to be a key requirement in relationship commitment and in workplace motivation; and both of these are antecedents to good performance. Researchers, for decades, have been showing a strong relationship between trust and commitment, and trust and motivation. (Heavy, Vaux Halliday, Gilbert, & Murphy, 2011; Levitt, T., 1983, Mayer, R., Davis, J & Schoorman, F., 1995). Trust has also been studied in other business situations/practices; it has been shown to be related to effective communication (Giffin, 1967), management by objectives (Scott, 1980), performance evaluations (Cummings, 1983), and self-directed work teams (Lawler, 1992). Yet, how often do leaders and HR professionals focus on trust for creating a culture of commitment and motivation?
As one considers the role of both leaders and HR professionals, it can be posited that a core requirement is to create workplace environments in which exceptional performance can be predictable. Relationship building and trust are essential to this climate. And, this climate is created by the employee/employer relationship.
Employees will perform when they:
Understand what is expected of them.
Believe in the mission/purpose of the organization.
Trust that the organization supports their career and well-being.
Feel connected to the organization.
Are confident and competent in role.
Are appreciated.
Have autonomy:
a) to choose how to do their job
b) to determine when to focus on most productive hours
c) in leading projects
d) managing work/life balance
Managers will create a trusting environment when they:
Act with integrity.
Understand their own competence and character, and work to improve both.
Hire the right people and then let them do the job they were hired to do.
Create clear goals.
Provide timely and relevant feedback.
Focus on core values and related behaviors to build the desired culture.
Communicate directly and in a timely manner.
Acknowledge behavior that supports the customer experience.
Recognize good performance.
Provide developmental opportunities.
Stephen Covey (author and son of 7-Habits Covey) writes: “The first job of a leader – at work or at home – is to inspire trust”. In his book, The Speed of Trust, Covey notes there are four characteristics upon which trust is created: being honest in intentions, acting with integrity, being competent in the role, and delivering results as promised. Trust includes both competence and character.
There is a great opportunity for leaders to build trust, to create optimal relationships, to motivate and inspire. And, each of these efforts will lead to enhanced performance results.
REFERENCES:
Covey, S. M. R., & Merrill, R. R. (2006). The speed of trust: The one thing that changes everything.
Cummings, L. L. (1983), ‘Performance-evaluation systems in context of individual trust and commitment’,In:Landy,F.J.,Zedrick,S.andCleveland,J.(eds.),Performancemeasurement and theory, Hillsdale, NJ: Earlbaum, pp. 89–93.
Giffin, K. (1967), ‘The contribution of studies of source credibility to a theory of interpersonal trust in the communication department’,PsychologicalBulletin,Vol.68,No.2,pp.104–120.
Heavey, C., Vaux Halliday, S., Gilbert, D., Murphy, E. (2011). Enhancing performance Bringing trust, commitment and motivation together in organisations. Journal of General Management Vol. 36 No. 3 Spring. Braybrooke Press.
Lawler, E. (1992), The ultimate advantage: Creating the high-involvement organisation, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Levitt,T.F.(1983),‘Globalizationofmarkets’,HarvardBusinessReview,Vol.63,No.1,pp.92– 102.
Mayer, R., Davis, J. and Schoorman, F. (1995), ‘An integrative model of organisational trust’, Academy of Management Review, Vol. 20, No. 3, pp. 709–734.