When it comes to building a healthy working relationship with your employees, trust is key. However, building trust takes time, and for new hires it can be even more challenging. As a manager, you want to build trust with your new hires as quickly as possible to pave the way for a positive and productive working relationship.
Fortunately, there are practical steps you can take to build trust with your new hires from day one. From setting clear expectations to showing empathy and support, these strategies can help you create a culture of trust and respect that can benefit your team and your organization. To help, Council for Young Entrepreneurs members share their best tips for building trust fast.
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1. Create a documented onboarding plan
Providing a documented onboarding plan and reviewing expectations with employees can help build trust. When employees and managers have metrics to measure their progress against, such as KPIs, work becomes objective and it’s easy to identify what can be improved. Confidence grows with clear expectations and qualifications, so employees know where they stand. – Libby Rothschild, Dietician boss
2. Take an interest in their lives
Spend time with your employees throughout the workday. Get out of your nice corner office and work in the common areas where employees can approach you and hang out without appointments. Greet your team and catch up on their weekends. Showing them you care outside of work is a great way to emphasize their importance to the company and build a stronger relationship. – Kaitleen Shee, TO GROW
3. Make sure every vote is valued
The best managers don’t talk bee employees, they talk of them. Emphasizing that every voice is valued early in the onboarding process is a great way to set the tone for a collaborative, productive, and trusting relationship. Establishing regular contact times and an open-door policy demonstrates your accessibility and helps cultivate an authentic one-on-one relationship with employees. – Samuel Saxton, ConsumerRating.org
4. Communicate well and have empathy
Here are two key things for building trust between manager and employee: communication and empathy. Provide one-on-one where employees can freely express their concerns and ideas and ask questions. Empathize with them, offer non-judgmental advice, provide feedback, recognize and reward their efforts, and build rapport with informal conversations and team activities. Value their opinion and help them solve problems. – Bryce Welker, Big 4 accounting firms
5. Make yourself available
I think a manager can quickly build trust just by being there. This means being available to answer questions, reach out occasionally or provide support. The more a manager communicates, the more comfortable a new hire will feel. Soon enough, this will lay the foundation for lasting confidence. So just be present and talk to your new employee. – Syed Balky, WPB Beginner
6. Celebrate their achievements
Managers can quickly build trust with new hires by celebrating their successes. Recognize their achievements, give them credit and recognition for their hard work, and show that you appreciate their contributions to the team. This will help build a positive rapport and create a sense of mutual respect and appreciation. – Sujay Pawar, CartFlows
7. Keep promises and policies
Ensure that the promises, policies and culture discussed prior to adoption are kept once adopted. It should never feel like a two-part experience: the interview versus the job. The first should flow naturally into the other. Drive the culture through your example, be available for training and questions, and ensure that necessary tools and resources are readily available. – Blair Thomas, eMerchant Broker
8. Allow mistakes and learn from them
In my company I make it a point to show my employees that I am human too. No one wants to work in a place where they can’t make mistakes. Constantly being afraid of making a mistake breeds fear and distrust. I “sunbeam” my mistakes and those of others to show that our team cares more about learning from mistakes than being punished for them. This has created enormous confidence within our team. – Alex Austin, Right Law Group
9. Provide regular feedback
Clear expectations and frequent feedback can help managers instill confidence in new hires. This begins with a comprehensive onboarding process outlining the company’s mission and values. Consider frequent check-ins on the road. Finally, showing transparency and respect for employee contributions will also help build trust. – John Hall, Calendar
10. Lead by example
One action managers can take to immediately build trust with new hires is to lead by example, demonstrate a strong work ethic, and demonstrate commitment to the team’s success. This may include being actively involved in projects, being open to the needs and concerns of the workforce, and being prepared to make challenging choices when asked. – Maksym Babych, SpdLoad
