Work Wellbeing
How a lack of trust is a barrier to Work Wellbeing
A significant barrier to work wellbeing is a lack of trust. In order to thrive, workers need to feel trusted by their team and especially by their leaders. Workplaces that have a high level of trust often perform better because workers feel comfortable giving and receiving regular, constructive feedback. When there are high levels of trust people also feel free to make mistakes, which leads to greater innovation and creativity because they know they won’t be struck down for having an inferior idea or trying something new that might not work.
The importance of trust
High levels of trust are good for both individual and organisational wellbeing. When there is a lack of trust within a team, disengagement and low satisfaction ensue. Trust between team members and leadership is very important for fostering both employee and employer/organisational wellbeing. A lack of trust leads to micromanagement, where people don’t have the autonomy to undertake their roles.
In our worker survey, more than half (55%) said they strongly or somewhat agree they have a high level of trust in those with whom they work. One in five (21%), though, said that a lack of trust and fairness is a blocker to them thriving at work. Leaders have a crucial role to play in facilitating teams that trust each other.
How a clear purpose can help
One way to overcome a lack of trust is by having a clear purpose, which can help to attract the right people who believe in that purpose and want to work to achieve it. Purpose inspires; it helps to retain.
Positively, 88% of workers know the vision and mission of the organisation they work in, and 87% agree with this vision and mission. When a community is aligned to the same purpose, it facilitates environments where people trust each other more. We trust those with whom we share common values or beliefs, and trust is essential for thriving teams.
A sense of purpose that aligns with that of others in the community or organisation helps to strengthen our sense of belonging; it can change our entire view of our job and make us more productive, innovative and loyal. When workers embody the cause or purpose
of an organisation they become brand ambassadors, giving better service to customers and clients and communicating the purpose to their family, friends, clients, customers and community.
