Today we’re sharing 3 ways you might be eroding trust with your team and how to change it.

But first, why is this important?

A study by Deloitte found that trusting employees are:

• 260% more motivated to work.

• Have 41% lower rates of absenteeism.

• Are 50% less likely to look for another job.

And they also found that:

• Roughly 1 in 4 workers don’t trust their employer.

• And most employers overestimate their workforce’s trust level by almost 40%.

Now, let’s explore the 3 ways you might be eroding trust with your team.

1. Asking for feedback without acting on it

It can often feel performative if you ask for feedback from your employees around decisions that have already been all but made. Or, if you ask for feedback and then you fail to address it or act on it. Employees won't trust that you actually care or take their concerns seriously.

2. Being choosey when applying your company values

Perhaps being inclusive is a company value but when push comes to shove and a toxic employee who also happens to also be a profit-driving high performer needs to be let go, companies can sometimes make concessions that ultimately hurt the entire culture. This causes employees to not trust that leaders will do the right thing when things get hard.

3. Saying one thing but doing another

We don't need politicians as business leaders. We need people who continuously lead with transparency and honesty, even if it means telling your employees something they don't want to hear. The more you dance around a topic, or go back on things you've said, the more employees will question if they can truly take your words at face value. This doesn't mean you can't alter your thought process or decision about something later on, but it does mean taking ownership around that and clarify when things have changed.

How can you change this?

Practice the following to build better trust with your team:

1. Only ask for feedback if you are actually going to act on it.

2. Apply your company values consistently across the board — even and especially when it's hard.

3. Say what you mean and mean what you say and clarify when things have changed.

Want to level up your leaders? Learn more about our DEI Starter Series!