How To Build And Maintain Trust When You Start A New Job

One can take cues from how coworkers trust each other by their body language, the way they interact on Slack, or how relaxed and casual they are around each other.

If help is sought after, and clarifications are prompt, even during virtual (Zoom calls) environments, one can gauge the level of trust in the workplace.

A strong foundation of trust needs to be laid as early as possible. Create a ‘shield of goodwill’ to minimize any miscommunication.

Building trust will ensure that even if there is ambiguity, the words and actions are coming with good intentions.

Trustworthiness is a combination of competence and warmth. Great leaders are loved and respected, but also feared at the same time.

One has to strike the right balance between love and fear to appear authentic, vulnerable and credible. To start things off, be compassionate and warm.

1. Talk about one’s upbringing, hardships and personal history, while keeping it work-appropriate. Getting to know people on a personal level builds trust and connections, as they see a human being and not just a new employee.
2. Ask for help whenever possible. It shows vulnerability and boosts good feelings among team members. They like being perceived as competent while demonstrating that you are okay with admitting that you don’t know something.
3. Ask for feedback and take your teammates' opinion whenever possible. You can ask a person having expertise, even if there is no direct work involvement.

Communication is the magic key for building trust. Body language, expressions, tone are all important.

1. Speak in a calm, soothing voice.
2. Make sure that the atmosphere is cheerful and smile whenever possible.
3. Do not smile with raised eyebrows, as it looks as if there is anxiety.
4. Do not fidget with your fingers and stand straight.

Virtual teams and WFH policies have complicated and muddled the communication that happens in a physical office. We need to provide remote team members with the benefit of the doubt while interpreting their behaviour. There is much less context to access what is meant by their words and actions.

The least we can do is watch our tone, and be as polite and generous in the initial months as possible. It always pays to be warm, friendly and human.

1. Trust can be built by showcasing your competence and skills.
2. Trust yourself, shaking out any imposter syndrome and do not doubt your competence.
3. Be transparent and honest, not hiding the information that makes you appear bad.
4. Be a person your teammates can count on, by showing your reliability and keeping your word.
5. Accept your mistakes and do not attack or blame a coworker.
6. Treat coworkers equally and do not show bias.
7. Treat people with fairness, integrity and try not to be the gossipy, two-faced coworker that no one likes.
8. Have good intentions and be the person you would trust.