Human Resources departments are entrusted with the responsibility of ensuring that the workforce’s needs are met, and that they reach their best potential while working at the company. However, according to a recent study, over 70% of employees do not trust the Human Resources, making their responsibilities significantly more challenging. Therefore, it is increasingly important to invest in improving employee trust in the Human Resources to cultivate confidence among the employees. But how exactly to do that?

It is essential to understand why this lack of trust arises. A study by Oxford Review revealed that three main reasons are: a lack of transparency, an inability to contribute, and increasing control by managers. It is through tackling these concerns that HR will be successful in securing employee trust.  

The first step is setting the groundwork by being present and in-view of the workforce, so that they are more familiar with the HR personnel. Getting to know everybody personally can help the HR do their job better also gain their approval, thanks to the improved mutual rapport. Similar results can be achieved by having an open-door policy, so employees can be less anxious about approaching them in case of inquiries. Checking in on the employees monthly is a step up from this, as it can show consistency and therefore yield positive results. However, this also means that Human resources cannot have favourites. It is integral that they remain fair and treat everybody equally despite their personal relationships with other colleagues.

It is not only essential to keep the employees well-informed about new policy changes, but also to get their contribution and opinion on it before implementing them certainly. Some employees consider the HR to be just a yes-man for the executives and managers, which is where a lot of the mistrust arises. Therefore, by including them in the conversation, employees will feel a sense of belongingness, and the policies will additionally be enriched with their additions. Subsequently, it can allow seniors to understand the staff perspective, which may reduce the excessive control that employees are critical of. It could be better to use anonymous surveys to receive this input as employees may not want to share sensitive information overtly. Another option could be creating focus groups with employees where they can brainstorm and improve critical thinking. All these efforts will initiate relationship building.

Not improving employee trust in the Human Resources can directly result in lower workforce satisfaction, regulatory violations and even reduced profits. Therefore, it is important to set up the framework for mutual trust between the HR and staff to improve over-all performance of the company.

References :

1. Developing Trust In The Workplace And The Role Of HR – a new study, Oxford.
2. 70 Percent of Employees Don’t Trust HR, and It’s Hurting Your Business. Here’s What to Do, September 21,       2018, Inc.