BEST PRACTICES TO BUILD
TRUST IN TIMES OF CHANGE
Trust is not about guaranteeing employees that nothing bad will ever happen. Employees know that
change is inevitable and that sometimes changes in the business will impact their jobs negatively.
One of the best ways to build trust is by handling communications in a way that demonstrates respect for
employees. The following best practices can help do that.
• BE DIRECT: They want to know that you’ll
give it to them straight, whether the news
is good or bad. Especially if it’s bad. Share
as much information as you can about what
they can expect, and resist the temptation to
sugarcoat or shy away from uncomfortable
information.
• GIVE THEM A VOICE: In a major change,
employees need a way to share questions
and concerns with leadership. Establish
some sort of two-way communication to
provide a venue for this. It could be a Q&A
page on the intranet that allows them to
ask questions (anonymously, if need be); a
survey with open-ended responses; or an
email address to direct comments straight to
the top.
• CLOSE THE LOOP: Allowing employees to
be heard is the first step. They also need
a response. Don’t let their questions and
comments fall into a black hole. You’ll
need a process by which questions can be
answered and concerns addressed, whether
that’s individually or in company-wide
communications.
• PREPARE YOUR MANAGERS: Employees
will turn to their direct managers with
questions about the change. Sometimes it’s
helpful to share the news with managers
beforehand so they’re in the loop instead of
blindsided. In any case, you’ll want to equip
them with accurate answers to the questions
employees are likely to ask.
Have a major change coming? Tribe can help