Why You Should Trust Your Colleagues More

In our personal relationships, trust is usually top of the list of the main qualities we look for in a friend. Without trust, we’re unable to create the bond that makes the relationship so strong. And trust between colleagues in the workplace shouldn’t be any different.

When we work alongside people that we trust, we feel safe and more confident to take risks, speak out and take responsibility. This can also make us feel more motivated and willing to work harder. When a workplace has a culture lacking in trust, this can have a negative impact not only on productivity but also the mental health of some individuals.

You might experience dishonesty, poor cooperation and communication, unhealthy competition and even bullying. Maybe your colleague withholds important information so that their light shines brighter than yours, or perhaps you’ve found yourself being blamed for failures in a group collaboration. However the lack of trust manifests, it can be seriously damaging to your wellbeing.

In a PWC survey, it was reported that 55% of business leaders believed that a lack of trust was a major concern within their company. The report goes on to say “A high level of trust also makes employees more committed to staying with the company, partners are more willing to collaborate and investors more prepared to entrust stewardship of their funding. Consequently, those organisations that can build trust seem to garner significant benefits.”

Reasons why trust is important in the workplace

• It promotes respect 
• Employees are more willing to take risks 
• It provides a feeling of safety 
• It creates self-confidence
• It allows colleagues to work collaboratively and productively
• It generates more creativity and innovation as people are willing to share ideas and make themselves more vulnerable
• It encourages greater communication

Ways to build trust

1. Inclusivity

By creating an inclusive workplace, employees are less likely to feel 'left out' regardless of their age, gender, religion or ethnicity. When we have a strong sense of belonging, we can be ourselves and perform to the best of our ability without it having a negative effect on our self-esteem.

2. Honesty

Honesty plays a huge role in trustworthiness. When you’re transparent and honest, others not only believe what you say and hold you in higher regard, but it also makes them feel more secure in themselves. Open communication is key to building strong working relationships.

3. Listening and encouragement

When we don’t listen to what others say, it shows a lack of respect for that person and can discourage them to be open about their thoughts and ideas. It’s important to listen to what someone else is saying, as this will give them the confidence to continue putting ideas forward and be more forthcoming with their feelings and emotions.

4. Don’t play the blame game

Nobody is perfect and at some time we all make honest mistakes. By putting the blame onto someone else it can create a toxic environment and instil a sense of fear. It’s much more productive, and far better for someone’s mental wellbeing, to accept the mistake, discuss the problems and find a way to do things better next time.

5. Be understanding

Everyone is different and people work in different ways so by being understanding to your colleague’s character traits, abilities or personal situations, it allows them to feel more accepted and to be more open.

10 Habits of Successful People

Often when we see highly successful people who’ve risen to the top of their game, we assume they work much longer hours than other people, are mentally and physically exhausted, or compromise their personal life for their job. But that isn’t always the case.

If you want to become a high achiever but don’t want to put yourself at risk of too much stress and anxiety, here are a few tips on how to be successful while maintaining a healthy body and mind.

1. Keep fit and healthy

First and foremost, your wellbeing is of primary importance. Success just isn’t worth putting your health on the line. Regular exercise and a healthy diet not only benefit your physical wellbeing but also your mental health. In 2021 a mental health report published by the John W. Brick Foundation found that physical activity was closely linked to better mental health. The top three forms of exercise included general physical activity, yoga and cardiovascular activity. Good physical health and a nutritious diet reduces symptoms of depression and helps fight stress and anxiety, making you more equipped to deal with challenges.

2. Cut out the social media

Unless it’s work related, you won’t find many highly successful people spending hour upon hour scrolling through Facebook or Instagram. If you totalled up all the hours you spend on your phone each day, just think how much extra time you would have on your hands. Whether you use that time to keep on top of your work or complete other activities mentioned in this post, that’s a whole lot of time you can spend on being more productive.

3. Maintain routines

Having a routine on working days can be beneficial in so many ways. Getting into regular sleep patterns, making time for breakfast or committing to set times when you exercise will mentally and physically prepare you for the day ahead. But it’s also important to take a break from routine to recharge your batteries, so make sure you set aside some time each week for doing the things that you love.

4. Multi-task

While not everyone has the ability to successfully multi-task, it’s a great way to squeeze more into your day. Perhaps if you walk to work as part of your exercise routine, make important calls before you reach the workplace, or continue with a piece of work while listening to 'hold' music on a call.

5. Be organised

Two of the best ways to stay organised and keep ahead of the game are by always having an up to date 'to-do' list and making sure you put reminders in your calendar for everything! You’re unlikely to find any really successful person without a calendar and 'to-do' list, but even more importantly, they use them all the time.

6. Take risks

In any aspect of life, not just at work, taking risks is the best way to get ahead. You won’t find many high achievers that haven’t taken a leap of faith or failed at least several times at something before they finally succeeded. Although it appears daunting at first, the more times you take risks and fail, the more chance you’ll have of succeeding in the long term.

7. Become more resilient

It’s likely you’ve seen many quotes related to failure being the key to success. This is because it often takes many attempts at something before you achieve your goal. As long as you bear this in mind whenever you fail at something, you’ll gradually become more resilient and more determined to succeed.

8. Keep a positive attitude

Remaining positive isn’t always easy especially when faced with difficult challenges. But by keeping a positive mental attitude throughout, regardless of the pitfalls, you’ll have greater strength to reach your goals.

9. Network

Although networking is extremely useful in generating business, it’s also important for creating relationships that can strengthen your character. By connecting with other successful people, you can become more confident and increase your self-esteem, which will encourage you to take risks and inspire you to aim higher.

10. Be grateful

Possibly one of the most important tips of all is to be grateful for everything in your life. Gratitude is strongly associated with happiness and creates positive emotions that help deal with stress, improve mental and physical health and help you work towards your goals.