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Employers have a lot at stake in their employees’ hands. Customers’ positive impressions about a business, the accuracy of orders, the proper handling of cash, information and company property can be upheld or destroyed at the hands of a careless or dishonest employee.
But before you become a paranoid boss, rest assured that there are ways to build a trustworthy team.
Hire wisely
“Hiring is probably the most important thing a leader does for her organization,” consultant Ron Price, owner of Price Associates, said.
But some employers are stretched so thin they can’t put as much time into the hiring process as they used to. But taking the right precautions can save you grief in the future.
Always call the potential employees references, said business consultant Dan Long, owner of Sandbox Group. If they don’t want to talk about the employee or say they asked him to leave for personal reasons, those are red flags.
Another red flag, he said, is job jumping.
“If you got an employee that’s on his sixth job in four years, that’s not six employers with problems, that’s one employee.”
‘Walk the talk’
Creating a culture of trust among employees starts with the boss’s actions.
“Well-treated employees treat their customers and their employer well,” Long said.
Most of us think of ourselves as trustworthy, Price said, but think of how you seem to your staff.
“When employers are less than truthful, withhold important information, or manipulate the flow of information because they think their employees are not mature enough to handle it, this erodes trust over time,” Price said.
Double check
Put accountability systems in place, such as sign-out sheets for equipment and invoices to track orders or merchandise.
“If you don’t have any set of tracking numbers — either a service order or an invoice number — a guy could go out on a Saturday and do a job and pocket the money, and (the employers) don’t even know he was there.”
Be consistent with accountability systems so you don’t show favoritism among employees, Price said.
Establish standards
Once the policies are in place, be clear about them.
“You can’t blame employees for doing something you never told them they couldn’t do,” and vice versa, Price said.
The way employees use company property, deal with irate customers or use personal phones at work should all be communicated clearly and as often as needed.
“There needs to be up-to-date job descriptions and performance expectations so that management and employees are very clear on what the job is,” said Janet Baxter, who has experience in human resources management.
Know when to let go
If you’re spending too much time and effort trying to deal with an untrustworthy employee, it’s time for a new hire.
“If you can’t trust an employee, there’s too many good ones out there to have him working for you,” Long said.
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