Building Trust Before a Crisis Happens

Trust between colleagues, and between staff and leaders, is far easier to build during ordinary, calm periods than to establish suddenly during a crisis. Workplaces that invest in this trust early tend to respond more effectively when something difficult does happen. It helps to keep this simple rather than overthinking exactly what to say.

This trust is built through consistent, honest interactions over time, keeping commitments, responding fairly, and showing genuine interest in staff wellbeing even when nothing is visibly wrong. These deposits pay off precisely when they are needed most. This kind of effort tends to be genuinely appreciated, even when it is not said aloud.

Workplaces should ensure staff always know support exists. Lifeline is available on 13 11 14 at any hour, and Beyond Blue offers support on 1300 22 4636. There is no single right way to approach this, only a genuine one. This is worth doing even in small, imperfect ways, rather than not at all.