Building Trust and Security in the Workplace During COVID-19
While we, as of now, remain in an uphill climb, regarding our work-life — step-by-step, we continue to inch towards reclaiming and restoring most aspects of it. It may not be the same, for a long time — but the show must go on. C’est la vie.
Our return to the world of work requires us to bear more responsibility than ever before. It requires us now to embody our positive qualities even more and help our colleagues and co-workers embody them as well. Being your ‘best at the workplace’ means much more now than it used to. We often achieve great things collectively and it is how we overcome the biggest challenges. Now it is going to play a vital role in preserving two aspects we cherish the most — -Trust and Security.
Deloitte describes Trust as the “collective tissue that binds together everything we do.” And this collective tissue is one that encompasses elements like our “relations, actions and expectations of others”, as mentioned in the article. These are the crucial elements that need an extra bit of accountability in the workplace right now. Each one of us is accountable for not only maintaining the required safety protocols — sanitization, social distancing etc, but now we must be vigilant that others do so as well. Within the office, life will go on — but it is not going to be as usual. Trust is going to be the vital catalyst, used by resilient organizations to build themselves back to the top of their games again. We’re all in this together. And it’s all or nothing.
Trust, in and of itself, will also play a vital role in the most important building block: security, a term, which now, goes beyond its regular meanings and encompasses a more multi-dimensional meaning. Security comprises physical security, psychological security and emotional security. Even in this turbulent time, the workplace needs to be a place where an employee feels secure in all aspects. That can only happen if the employee trusts both the office and colleagues. The onus is on the organizations to ensure that an atmosphere of security always exists. Regular communication with employees regarding safety protocols, ensuring employees always have access to the latest sanitation equipment — all alongside ensuring that the environment remains sanitized at all times, are procedures which are a must. Ensuring that guidance on the procedures is also available within the confines will also go a long way.
Hence, trust and security aren’t mutually exclusive — but mutually sequential. Almost like a Mobius sequence. Trust builds security; security fortifies trust. It’s a feedback loop which fortifies the workplace with the strength and vigour required to keep its foundations not only intact — but ensure they gain the resiliency required to survive the contingencies of the future. Organizational frameworks that come imbibed with these loops are the ones that remain sturdy in the long run. They are the ones that are often the most equipped to deal with the toughest challenges and come out on top.
The catalyst for trust and security also emerges from the very top of the organizational ladder. Great leaders and leadership in general, can often be the true cornerstone of trust and security. Making crucial decisions during tough times comes as a part and parcel with leadership and proactive, prudent measures by these individuals can really set the bar for an entire organization during the crisis. Responsible for creating people-centric cultures within the organization, their voices are the most important in the organization — and the ones that will have the most power in this crucial time. They can take measures that enhance the psychological, social and physical safety of employees and emphasize the moral core to strengthen the trust they’ve built. In short, they are needed now more than ever. Great Place to Work identified some of the major contributions they can make during this important period as: building trust, easing employee pressure levels, creating a crisis fund and helping hourly workers, among others.
Things have changed, yes. But a great framework of trust and security should still maintain the sanctimonious relationship between employees and the workplace. Since so many of them identify with and are defined by our work — even in this turbulent time, it should be the place that still feels like a second home to them, no matter what.
