Creating a good company culture is important in the longevity of any business. Keeping your employees happy is an important quality that must be present to keep productivity high and the bottom line secure.

In the business environment, having a certain level of trust to make sure the working relationship between management and employees stays positive is key. There are a number of ways to make this happen.

Here are tips on learning how to gain employee trust.

Communication

Having open lines of communication across the company plays a major role in gaining employee trust. Utilizing a number of tactics will keep employees aware of the company’s vision, mission and overall plan to move forward. Company-wide e-mails, staff meetings, implementing an intranet system, and creating an open-door policy throughout the levels of management assist in building employee trust.

Listening

Listening to what the employees have to say is instrumental in increasing productivity and building trust. Companies that understand the importance of employee input are usually the ones that have the highest levels of productivity and employee engagement. A number of great ideas have come from employees, and recognizing their value builds trust and loyalty.

Appreciation

Employee appreciation can be displayed in a number of ways. Incentives are good ways to show employees that you care – not only about what they do for you, but about their quality-of-life. Memberships to the gym, lunch and learn sessions, free lunch Fridays, gift certificates during the holidays, or an Employee Assistance Program where they can get help or assistance in their personal lives creates a high level of trust and mutual respect.

Lead by Example

Management needs to emulate the type of employee culture they want to see. If they embrace an environment where they value their managers, the employees will see it. Promoting from within, creating training programs where employees can move up and disseminating information on what is happening within the company makes a difference. No employee should have to find out something important from outside sources. A company built on trust keeps the employees in the loop.

Strategic Goals

Every good strategic plan is has employee input. Employees deal with the day-to-day operations, and understand what can help the company run better. By considering and possibly using their suggestions, a trusting relationship is built.

These are a few ways to gain employee trust that will help increase productivity, efficiency and create a positive company culture.