Many people are adjusting to the remote working movement today. With the pandemic, almost all are forced to work from home or find jobs that can be done online. After all, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
And as new remote workers, you will not be working alone. Other than building strong work relationships with clients, how do you ensure that you build trust among colleagues as well?
We got you! Here are 7 ways to build trust among your colleagues as a remote worker.
Be Competent in What You Do
Competence should be given when you work. One superstar employee will not change the company compared to a lot of above-average competent individuals working together for a common goal.
And this is more crucial because you’re working online. They don’t see you working on your desk. All they can see is your output.
So for your workmates to trust you, you should be able to deliver quality work to the team. You don’t have to be a superstar employee. You just have to be competent enough for their needs. With this, they are assured that you will be an integral part of operations.
Reliability and Consistency
One-time competence is less important compared to reliability and consistency. Depending on the job, some of your output will be combined with the output of your team members. And for online work, there’s synchronous and asynchronous communication. Some may be working in a different time zone compared to you.
If you can’t pass your work within the deadline, or if your work is inconsistent, they can’t finish their tasks, especially if some of them work with you asynchronously. How will they finish their task if they have to wait for your shift again because your work is subpar?
If they can depend on you to deliver reliably and consistently, they will trust you for sure.
Manage Expectations
How can they trust you if they don’t get the output they want, right? But some people have unrealistic expectations of the work that can be done. For you to be trusted, you should manage the expectations of your teammates.
When you manage their expectations, you ensure that you give what truly is in your capacity, depending on your skills and current workload. After all, it’s better for them to know the truth than promise something you can’t deliver.
Listen
Everybody wants to be heard. And in remote work, communication is vital.
Listen to what your teammates have to say. Hear their questions, ideas, and feedback. In this way, you can ensure that you’re aligned with the goal of the team. And if you’re aligned, they can trust you to be an essential member to reach it.
Find Similarities
Other than work expertise, you are working with humans. Your teammates have hobbies, quirks, and other things that you might be in common with. And based on a study, people tend to trust those they are similar with.
Try to relate with your teammates, especially during idle time. Think about it like a virtual pantry. It’s when we get to know each other and connect. By doing this, they can trust us in our work as well.
Be Open With Your Mistakes
No one is perfect. We can occasionally make mistakes, especially when we’re new. But some tend to posture up, instead of finding solutions.
Be open with your mistakes. Seek help or ask questions with your superiors or teammates if you’re having difficulty. Who knows, that mistake might be corrected in a short time compared to keeping it to yourself.
And this openness and vulnerability will surely impact your relationship with your colleagues. But make sure that you learn from the mistakes and, if possible, don’t repeat them again.
Show Kindness and Compassion
In this same light, your colleagues might make mistakes as well. Don’t lash out and ridicule them. Show kindness and compassion as well. Maybe, try giving feedback and allow them to correct their mistakes.
In this way, you can both learn from each other. It can create a harmonious working relationship. And ultimately, it can strengthen the trust between both of you.
Conclusion
Gaining the trust of your colleagues might be a daunting task. After all, you can’t trust someone instantaneously. But with the proper attitude and the tips above, you can surely gain their confidence in the long run. Cheers!
