Trust: Unlocking your hybrid business’ superpower

Presenteeism – continuing to work despite reduced productivity due to illness, injury or personal crises – is a significant problem and has shown high rates of presenteeism both before and after the pandemic, with many workers noticing the trend within their own organisation.

But what’s the solution?

Fostering a high-trust work culture and prioritising mutual trust between employees and business leaders could be the answer. When team members feel valued, supported, stable, and secure, they will likely perform to a higher standard. On the flip side, a lack of trust can lead to increased stress, a sense of rivalry and disconnect among staff, and an overall toxic work environment – all of which can impact productivity. The power of trust in the workplace isn't just about reducing presenteeism but creating an environment where employees can truly thrive.

This article will explore how business leaders can cultivate a high-trust culture. With 66% of people saying hybrid work is good for their mental health, we’ll also delve into how this model can help drive down presenteeism and boost staff trust.

Trust through actions

Offering employees the option to work remotely or from a local flex space is a great way of instilling a culture of trust. After all, you are entrusting your team to do their jobs outside of the main office.

But trust works both ways, and it's not only about placing confidence in your employees. Workers must feel the same way in return about their company leaders. In times of crises, such as a pandemic, economic downturn, or structural changes in the organisation, employees need to feel that management and leadership are confidently taking control of the situation, communicating their steps to remedy the issues and being transparent throughout. After all, trust can only be fostered in an environment of honesty, transparency and open communication.

Offering meaningful benefits – from mental health support to financial bonuses – is another way company leaders can earn trust. In fact, 88% of HR executives in the US believe they could reduce staff turnover if they offered more appealing benefits and rewards to team members.

How to nurture staff autonomy

But as a business, it's not just what you do; it's how you do it. Here are some clear techniques you can implement to develop a sense of employee autonomy and creativity – two components that are vital to developing trust and banishing presenteeism.

As part of a transparent communication strategy, it's vital that staff are aware of what's expected of them and the company's goals. Keeping employees in the loop about business projects, decisions, and overall strategy demonstrates trust, but it also sets out a clear path for staff to follow, ensuring they feel guided and supported in their work.

Consider encouraging their input and collaboration instead of dictating to staff how they should contribute to projects. This could come in the form of receiving employee feedback during debriefs or including staff ideas in the project ideation process. Demonstrating that you value your employees’ insights can go a long way to building a relationship of trust.

It's also essential to have a clear agenda for physical meetings, making sure contact time at the company headquarters or local flex space is made to count. As Mark Dixon, Founder and CEO of IWG, puts it: "If people are going to make the effort to come together in the office, it's essential their time there is spent productively". Showing respect for employees' time and efforts will demonstrate that you perceive them as valuable, in turn promoting trust.

Performance reviews can feel less daunting when employees are empowered to initiate their own self-review and voice any concerns they may have. Monthly check-ins, instead of yearly ones, allow for these open conversations and promote stronger relationships and more consistent performance tracking.

Finally, making staff feel involved in the company's decisions ensures they feel that their opinion and input is valued. This invariably creates an environment of mutual respect and trust.

The rise of hybrid working has been powered by digital innovation. Given that we're sometimes working in different places for five days a week, technology plays a vital role in helping teams communicate and collaborate without hitches.

However, just like face-to-face interactions, managing virtual platforms effectively is crucial. While some companies believe intensive digital monitoring boosts productivity, it often backfires. Such oversight can diminish trust and lead to a sense of hostility — a mix that can fuel presenteeism.

So, how can we get the best out of digital tools and keep the trust intact?

The role of the hybrid office

Trust is cultivated through consistent and genuine connections, regardless of whether they're virtual or face-to-face.

While digital meetings excel in convenience and immediacy — think quick project updates or cross-time-zone collaborations — certain activities like team-building exercises, social events, and brainstorming sessions are better in an in-person setting.

A hybrid model that makes use of local flex spaces is the perfect solution to leverage the best of both worlds and foster deeper trust within teams.

Final thoughts

Presenteeism is a pressing issue. It's one of the reasons why most companies have adopted the hybrid model.

By its very nature, hybrid offers employees the flexibility to choose their optimal working environment, boosting trust and mutual understanding. With a variety of spaces in over 4,000 global locations, Regus ensures the ideal setting for collaboration and trust-building.

About IWG

IWG is the global leader in hybrid work solutions and workspace brands. We create personal, financial, and strategic value for businesses of every size, from some of the most exciting companies and well-known organisations on the planet to individuals and the next generation of industry leaders. They all harness the power of IWG's hybrid working platform to increase their productivity, efficiency, agility, and market proximity.

IWG’s unrivalled network coverage includes approximately 3,500 locations across more than 120 countries, and 83% of Fortune 500 companies are amongst our growing customer base.

Through our brands, including Regus, Spaces, HQ and Signature, we help millions of people and their businesses to work more productively. We do so by providing the world's leading hybrid work platform with professional, inspiring and collaborative workspaces and digital services, all available via the IWG app. For more information

Visit www.iwgplc.com, and for more information on partnering with IWG, see: ​ https://www.iwgplc.com/develop-a-location