In my years of management, I have noticed one trend- what you give out is what you get back. If you show your dedication to your employees, they will, in turn, be more dedicated to the organization they work so hard for, If you are more engaged in their work, they will be too!
I feel that this is how honesty works as well. When you are honest with someone they will feel comfortable in telling you about their life. This is just how it goes. And, this is why you will find loyal employees only at a workplace that practices transparency.
To foster loyalty, you need to walk on the following paths:
Understanding That Sharing Is Always Mutual
We are talking about a two-way relationship that works on the foundation of mutual understanding. I believe that understanding comes from sharing. Sharing information is an important practice. It is the first step towards transparency, accountability, and loyalty.
How do you achieve this level of trust and transparency in the workplace? I have some points that will help you achieve the same:
- Give them something to look forward to, to work towards- a realizable goal presented by a definite number.
- Share with your team and colleagues all the strategies that you need them to be on-board with so that they are clear about their responsibilities.
- It is also a great practice to be sharing your success rate in meetings or with announcements.
- Sharing with them written copies of their workflow or a view of tasks for their upcoming week in the calendar in terms of their tasks.
- Give them a department-wise rundown of the progress made regularly- could be weekly, monthly, or yearly.
- Try keeping everyone on the same page by using a project management software that will help you keep goals and tasks on the front and center.
Learning To Foster A Collaborative Workspace
Sometimes two-way transparency is not enough to open your employees to the possibility of trust and loyalty This is why it is important to create an inclusive environment where ideas and any kind of input are not only accepted but appreciated.
Leaders need to see how collaboration leads to sharing. Therefore, it is necessary to be welcoming to people if we want to make sharing a regular thing. You can for instance,
- Make your work environment such that people are respectful of each other’s ideas and feel welcome to put up discussions.
- Communicate with people such that you listen to their responses. This will lead them to drop their defensive exterior and be more upfront.
- Be accepting of people’s cultures and make them feel comfortable at the office.
- Small talks are also a great opportunity to put people on the spot so they step out of their shells and develop a more trusting relationship at the office.
- Make a more collaborative environment by delegating responsibilities equally and generously.
- Learn to accept people’s talents and strengths and help them work on them and guide them to use them better.
- Allow people to trust you more by taking responsibility for their collective ups and downs.
- Keep your word for what it is. Whether it is a promise about creative ideas or about a yearly bonus, if you said you’d do it, just do it.
The Takeaway
I believe that in an office with amicable work relationships, a team can achieve absolutely anything. To achieve a level of loyalty and trust in these relationships you as a leader need to work on transparency.
While managing my team, I have seen people turn to loyal employees with the right tutelage. This is the reason that I’ve tried to share those tips that worked for me. And, I hope you will try to follow the steps I presented and see a change in the dynamic of your workplace relationships with your workforce soon enough.