by Juan Leer

Created on: February 05, 2007   Last Updated: May 06, 2007

Having employees that you can trust is one of the most integral things for the success of a company. If you have employees that you trust, that will allow you (and them) to do your job more effectively, as that is one less thing that you have to worry about, making you more productive with everything else.

One benefit is that if employees feel they are trusted, they will likely feel like they mean more to the company, and that will make them work harder. Generally, if someone feels like they are trusted and being recognized for their efforts, they are more willing to work hard to prove that the trust in them is warranted, especially in hopes are earning even more trust. Speaking from personal experience, when others (especially above me, such as would be the case in management) have shown trust in me, that has made me work harder and with more confidence. I think that I must have some valuable skills if they trust me. Also, I want to show them that their trust is not in vain, and will do whatever I can do justify that trust in me.

Another key benefit is time management. if you trust your employees and they have properly earned that trust, then you don't have to spend so much time overseeing all of the things that they do. You can spend the time you would have spent overseeing them to work on other things, which makes the whole work environment more productive. If you are able to step back and allow them to do their jobs, you will be able to focus on your job, making everyone work better and harder.

So these are the main benefits I see in trusting your employees, though in reality the benefits are seemingly immeasurable. When they know they have your trust they are generally going to work harder for you. If you see them simply as untrustworthy subordinates, then they will, in the words of Office Space, "work hard enough just not to get fired." But with trust they feel like they are a real part of the organization and will work hard to make it better. Trusting your employees makes the company that you work for better and more productive, and that should be the goal of everything that you do. That is the benefit of trusting your employees.

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