By Henry Brown

There’s nothing more unproductive in a business than a disgruntled employee. Whether you’re trying to convince an employee to work harder or if you want to get off to a great start with a new recruit, here are tips on how to gain the trust of your employees.

Plan for their future

Don’t treat employees like disposable assets. When you buy a computer or another piece of hardware for your business, you always plan to upgrade it later on and you invest money into a long-term solution that will last for a long time. The same mentality should apply to your employees. If you are going to hire someone, then make sure you plan to keep them in your business for a long period of time. You don’t want to waste all of that money and effort into recruiting someone, only to throw them away when they suddenly aren’t needed.

If you have a temporary job that needs to be done, then hire a freelancer or outsource it. If you think that the position you are hiring for will close in the future, then plan around it. Perhaps you can turn that employee into something else down the line or use them in a different department. Provide them with any training they need to fit into a new position or to become better at their current one. If you do, then make sure these terms and conditions are stated in the job description.

When you plan for your employee’s future, you are showing them that you plan to give them job security. Everything from long-term health benefits and insurance to a safe harbor 401k scheme will give them the confidence they need to trust in you and your business to provide for them.

Understand their needs

Everyone is different. Some of your employees might have to look after their children, some might have underlying health issues, and others might be workaholics. Whatever their condition, needs or problems, you have to show that you care and will accommodate those needs. Does someone regularly have to pick up their children after work? Then don’t hold them back for overtime and make sure you don’t assign them work that will take them a long time to complete close to their finishing time. Do you have an employee that is suffering a leg injury? Invest a bit of extra money to make their time at work more comfortable or allow them to work from home with a laptop.

The more you speak to your employees, the more likely they will come to you for help and feel that you care about their wellbeing as well as their work. If your employees feel like they are in a comfortable position at work, they will be more productive, and your business as a whole will be more productive and efficient.

Summary

It’s rather simple; the key to earning the trust of your employees is to care about them in any way you can. Plan ahead for their future so they feel like they have a place in your company and so they don’t feel like a disposable asset and show them that you care about their well being.

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Henry Brown is an online marketing executive. When he isn’t talking shop he’s roaming the streets of London, uncovering the extra-ordinary in the ordinary.