Trust is built a little at a time.
Too often the trust between Equine employers and employees is out of balance. Every successful equine employer/employee relationship is built on a bond of trust. When a balanced bond of trust exists in the relationship the employer and employee can rely on each other to protect each others interests to a degree. A bond of trust means mutual respect exists in the relationship.
The trust that exists between employer and employee needs to be balanced. In the horse industry and in many employment situations the trust is out of balance. Sometimes the employee trusts the employer completely from the outset and gets burned when expectations don’t materialize. Sometimes employers trust their employees in an unquestioning manner and are shocked when they find that the trust was never really warranted. Sometimes either the employee or employer have been so burned in the past that they don’t trust anybody.
In real relationships based on the situation on the ground, trust is built over time from one stage of the relationship to the next. Expecting trust too soon or withholding it too long will damage the relationship. When you make first contact with an employer or an applicant, only the first level of social trust is appropriate. The first level of trust expects each person to be courteous, respectful, and attentive. Even this level of trust should not be granted if the respect, courteousness and attentiveness are not there. Keep your eyes and ears open to see if this level of trust is really there.
The next level of trust comes from commitments, interaction and experience. An employer or an applicant may request information, ask for a task to be completed, or set an appointment. As requests and commitments are satisfied completely and in a timely manner, employer and applicant begin to trust that each will do what they promise to do.
It may take more than one successful experience, but once the trust of fulfilling commitments is established, the trust of mutual understanding can evolve. The trust of mutual understanding arises when two people understand each other well enough to know their preferences and understand their approach to problems. An equine employee may gain the confidence to make decisions in their job without consulting the boss, and the boss may rely on the employee to make those decisions.
These three levels of trust are the basis for a sound employer/employee relationship. Further trust is usually neither necessary nor appropriate. Problems arise when employer or employee act upon trust that is not really there, or has not developed yet. If a employees make independent decisions before the employer is ready to trust them to do so, trouble will result. If an employee ignores being treated discourteously by their employer, difficulties will start in the relationship. If tasks are not completed on time or are done poorly, trust will deteriorate.
From start to finish, strive to keep trust balanced in employer/employee relationships. To do so, stay aware of what is really happening on the ground. Don’t wish things were different and put your head in the sand. Address any inequities or failures of trust as soon as they arise.
