Meeting on neutral ground
According to ChangeBoard.com, the first step in setting up mutual trust is choosing the right location for your dialogue. Go to the employee's office or meet on neutral ground. Meeting on your home territory will create a psychological barrier in the employee of being "interrogated".
Talk to employees even if nothing is wrong
For employees to be willing to confide in you if something negative is happening, they must be able, no matter what, to talk to you about their experiences and opinions. Set up regular meetings with employees even if there seems to be nothing wrong.
Appreciate feedback
Keep in mind that an employee often has to overcome the fear of being punished for sharing their ideas and opinions with you. Therefore, you should appreciate feedback from employees accordingly.
Be aware of what your position automatically means
You can never have a conversation as an equal with an employee simply because of your status. Remember you are primarily representing the interests of your company, which is bound to create a barrier between you and the employee.
Do not be in a rush
Always reserve sufficient time for a dialogue with an employee so that you do not need to rush and force the employee to tell you everything all at once. In that case much information would remain uncovered and the employee would not open up as much as they could.
Do not bring your own emotions to the conversation
No matter what your opinions are, if they do not correspond to the opinions of the employee, you should keep them to yourself. You are there to get on the same wavelength with the employee and thus obtain objective feedback from them.
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