‘Businesses with a high-trust culture simply perform better’
For organisations, the best and the only way to retain their best employees and keep them engaged is by building a high-trust culture, believes Paul J. Zak, author of In a nationally representative sample of working Americans, employees in the highest quartile of trust—compared to those in the lowest quartile— have 74% less chronic stress, 106% more energy at work, are 50% more productive, enjoy their jobs 60% more, are 50% more likely to stay with their employer over the next year, are 70% more aligned with their company’s purpose, report 56% more job satisfaction, and innovate 22% more.
Businesses with high-trust culture simply perform better because individuals are entrusted to do their best, are held accountable to do so, have the reliable support of teammates and supervisors, have effective work-life integration, have opportunities for professional and personal growth, and can be their authentic selves at work.
It is no surprise that in such a culture, people put their full energy into moving the organisation’s goals forward, want to stay with the same employer, and recommend their place of work to family and friends. Among the eight oxytocin factors, leaders should seek to affect the lowest factor first. If the lowest factor was, for example, Invest (true for most companies), then create opportunities for employees to grow professionally and personally.
This could include more conference travel, or creating peer-led “teach a colleague a skill” courses, allowing employees to set their own schedules, or many other ways to foster personal and professional growth.
Then, one lets this intervention work for 6-12 months and reassess organisational trust, its components, and relevant business outcomes.
The final step is to continue to run culture interventions every year. Research has shown that leaders who ask for help are more likely to get enthusiastic support than those who threaten those around them as motivation. It also shows that people want to help leaders who are competent but don’t claim to know everything.
When leaders are honest about the company’s goals and what they need help with, employees nearly always respond with high energy to improve outcomes.
RESEARCH SHOWS THAT LEADERS WHO ASK FOR HELP ARE MORE LIKELY TO GET ENTHUSIASTIC SUPPORT THAN THOSE WHO THREATEN THOSE AROUND THEM