Recent work trends reveal a critical link between trust and employee productivity in the evolving landscape of remote work. The Edelman Trust Barometer Report 2024  highlights that a huge 61% of individuals express concerns about potential misinformation from business leaders. In this article, we’ll look into the fundamentals of trust, its pivotal role in the new era of work, and provide practical tips for building and maintaining trust in remote work environments.

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Trust in remote work

Trust is a cornerstone for success in all aspects of work - from interpersonal communication, to reporting and collaboration. Trust builds the foundation upon which we build our teams and should be prioritised from the get-go.

The lifecycle of trust extends beyond the onboarding process; it begins even before an individual joins the company. Ensuring that new hires align with the company culture, exhibit integrity, and share relevant attitudes and values is a crucial step in establishing trust from the outset. However, trust is reciprocal – employers must also demonstrate their trustworthiness through timely responses, comprehensive onboarding and offboarding, keeping promises, and maintaining transparency.

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Trust as a culture-building catalyst

Collaboration, creativity, connection, and cohesion all hinge on trust. It acts as a binding force that brings team members together, promoting unity and collaboration, even in remote settings. Trust also forms the basis for open and transparent communication, allowing team members to express ideas, share concerns, and collaborate effectively. This positive team culture reduces conflicts, promotes a supportive atmosphere, and empowers colleagues to leverage their strengths without feeling inferior or micromanaged.

Not only does trust contribute towards improved communication and productivity, but it also improves employee wellbeing, reducing stress and building a sense of security within their role. When team members feel trusted, their ability to adapt skyrockets, as they feel free to try new things, innovate, and be creative without worry of fallout if they make a mistake. When expectations are laid out and clarified, trust is built and people feel like they can do their best work. 

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The building blocks of trust

Whether you’re building trust in interpersonal relationships or amongst a team at work, human psychology remains the same. The three essential building blocks of trust are:

• Consistency and reliability
  If we witness the same behaviour, consistently, we learn to distinguish patterns and expect that reliable behaviour time and time again.

• Shared experiences
  Common experiences and shared goals contribute to trust by bringing people together who experience the same conditions or challenges, which connects people. This connection fosters a sense of camaraderie, helping people to feel like they can relate to their peers and that they are not alone.

• Assuming positive intent
  Positive intent, assuming people mean well and are doing their best, establishes a foundation of positivity and understanding. This mindset, akin to "innocent until proven guilty," challenges the notion that trust needs to be earned, particularly within work environments. Embracing the belief that everybody deserves trust can significantly alter how we perceive people, develop connections, and build trust within distributed teams.
   

Tips for building trust in remote- and distributed teams

Trust, in all its complexity, comes with a few challenges that should be mitigated if we’re to build thriving distributed teams. Remote teams may experience limited face-to-face interactions, which could make personal connections challenging in virtual environments. Reading non-verbal cues and body language becomes trickier, and communication barriers may arise as remote workers need to consider time zones, affecting the scheduling of meetings and asynchronous communication. There is also the risk of isolation and loneliness, and challenges in building rapport. While there may be challenges, there are many ways to address them head-on and take proactive steps to improve trust within your team.

Whether you already have an established culture of trust in your team and want to improve it, are struggling with building trust in your team, or are personally looking for ways to build trust with your colleagues, these tips are a good starting point.

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1. Engage in clear and transparent communication

Open and honest communication goes a long way within distributed teams. By clearly articulating goals, expectations, and updates, you will create an environment where team members feel comfortable sharing ideas and concerns. This reduces confusion and miscommunication, helping to build a shared understanding of expectations, and encourages a culture of openness and collaboration. It also enhances team members’ understanding of the bigger picture and reduces uncertainty. For example, holding regular team meetings where goals, progress, and challenges are openly discussed without judgment or criticism.

2. Have guidelines on how and when to use tools and tech

Leveraging technology for efficient communication, document sharing, and real-time collaboration enhances productivity and efficiency, facilitates seamless communication, and creates a tech-savvy team, which is of utmost importance in an ever-changing virtual work environment. It is also important to be clear on technology protocol and to ensure your team understands what to use and when to use it. Beyond being important for productivity, this helps to build trust in your team as everyone will be on the same page and knows what to expect.

3. Have regular check-ins with your team

Whether you’re a manager, team leader, or employee, regular virtual check-ins are a great way to build connection and trust in your team. These meetings allow time to discuss progress on tasks or projects, share updates and insights, and provide opportunities for personal connection and casual conversation. Check-ins like this allow for a sense of belonging within your team, where members feel seen, valued, and cared for. It also enables real-time problem-solving and collaboration, and keeps everyone aligned with project timelines and expectations. This could be in the form of virtual coffee or lunch breaks, or team-building activities that maintain a sense of connection and camaraderie.

4. Create open channels for dialogue

Encourage open discussions and create channels for team members to share ideas, feedback, and concerns. This requires the conscious effort to put these systems in place and make your team aware of it. Something like a dedicated Slack channel or space within weekly check-ins will create a sense of inclusivity and strengthen team cohesion. 

5. Establish clear expectations

Clearly outlined role expectations and communication protocols in remote work ensures that each team member knows what they need to do and by when. This reduces stress related to role clarity. It also reduces ambiguity, minimises misunderstandings, and provides a clear roadmap for team members. Utilise one of the many project management tools available like Asana, Notion, or Trello that outline deliverables and expectations for each employee.

6. Embrace recognition and appreciation

Acknowledge and appreciate team members’ contributions through regular positive feedback. Quarterly awards or fun certificates for those who meet or exceed performance expectations give your employees something to work towards and add a bit of fun beyond the annual end-of-year functions. This boosts morale, enhances job satisfaction, and reinforces a positive culture of appreciation, trust, and respect.

7. Provide constructive feedback for continuous improvement

Open and respectful feedback will help your team to trust that you will let them know when something needs to be changed or fixed. This constructive approach to feedback contributes to building trust in each other's work and ensures that your team operates with a clear understanding of expectations and improvements needed. Employee Experience platforms such as Culture Amp, Lattice and OfficeVibe all have in-built feedback tools. 

8. Set the tone for trust as leaders

Team leaders and managers should demonstrate trustworthiness, integrity, and ethical behaviour. Lead by example to instill a culture of trust within your team. Not only will they see this and look up to you, but also implement it themselves. This builds trust in leadership, inspires confidence in your team, and sets the standard for trust and conduct across the organisation. 

Find out how Voxeon can help you build trust in your organisation