How micro-behaviours can shape stronger, safer public sector teams
Why Trust Matters More Than Ever in Stretched Teams
In stretched public service environments — where expectations are high and resources low — trust isn’t just nice to have, it’s essential.
When trust is missing, even simple tasks feel harder. People hold back, stay quiet, or second-guess one another. But when trust is strong, teams move faster, adapt better, and support each other through change.
According to the Harvard Business Review, high-trust organisations have 76% more engagement, 50% more productivity, and 40% less burnout.
In places like higher education, health and social care, and local government, the difference is even more stark. These are sectors built on purpose — but when pressure rises and teams don’t feel safe, that purpose can quickly get lost.
That’s why trust is a performance issue — not just a cultural one.
Read: Are We Even Listening? Why Most Teams Don’t Feel Heard — and What to Do About It
Strengths-Based Tools That Build Real Trust
One of the fastest ways to build trust is helping people feel seen and understood — for what they’re good at, not just what they’re responsible for.
That’s the power of a strengths-based approach.
It’s not about sugar-coating or soft talk. It’s about using practical tools that bring energy, clarity, and shared understanding to team life.
Here’s what that looks like in practice:
- Leaders taking time for energising check-ins, not just status updates
- Colleagues sharing what they find fulfilling or frustrating — without judgement
- Feedback focused on what’s working, not just what’s missing
Ask questions like:
- “When do you feel most trusted at work?”
- “What’s something that energised you this week — and why?”
- “What part of your role feels like a stretch in a good way?”
These conversations build psychological safety and show people they’re allowed to be human — and honest.
Read: How to Make Feedback Work — Turning Team Reflection into Real Change
Real-World Rituals: Small Habits That Build Big Trust
These aren’t theories — they’re practices we’ve seen work inside real public sector teams. Here are a few examples worth borrowing:
1. Start Meetings with a “What’s Working” Round
One university operations team begins their weekly huddle with a quickfire:
“One win, one strength, one thanks.”
It only takes 90 seconds per person — but over time, it’s built up a culture of noticing, appreciation and light accountability.
2. Swap ‘Check-Ins’ for ‘Energy Updates’
A local authority team ditched generic updates and now opens meetings with:
“What’s been giving you energy / draining it this week?”
It’s a simple shift that surfaces challenges early, gives context, and helps managers step in before frustration festers.
Read: How to Motivate an Unmotivated Team
3. Use Peer Recognition, Not Just Manager Praise
In one health and social care setting, a “kudos wall” in the staff kitchen lets people write anonymous praise or thanks to a colleague. It’s low-tech, low-effort — but high impact.
Tip: Digital alternatives work too — try a shared doc, Teams channel or group message where people can lift one another up.
4. Reflect Together — Not Just Top-Down
A digital team we worked with ends projects with an informal “What helped / What hindered” circle.
No slides, no minutes — just honest conversation. It’s become a safe space for surfacing what’s gone unsaid.
Read: Is Your Team Workshop a Tick Box or a Turning Point?
What These Teams Get Right
They’re not waiting for culture change to be handed down. They’re creating it — through small, repeatable habits that say:
- “You matter.”
- “Your voice counts.”
- “We’re better because of you.”
This is how trust becomes something you feel — not just talk about.
How Strengthify Helps Build Trust That Lasts
Trust is built in the margins — in how meetings start, how feedback is given, how wins are celebrated, and how struggles are heard.
At Strengthify, we help teams across the public sector bring trust to life through:
- Discovery Workshops that help teams understand each other’s strengths and what builds or breaks trust
- Management Development Programmes that equip leaders to have energising conversations, even under pressure
- Ongoing support that ensures those conversations turn into culture — not just one-off moments
Ready to build a more trusting, resilient team culture?
Talk to us about how we can support you — or book into an upcoming Discovery Workshop.
Final Thought: Trust Doesn’t Take Time — It Takes Intention
Trust isn’t about being best friends or avoiding difficult conversations. It’s about showing up with consistency, care, and clarity — especially when things get tough.
And the best part?
You don’t need a full transformation plan. You just need to:
- Start noticing
- Start asking
- Start repeating the small things that make people feel seen, safe and supported
Trust grows in the small stuff. But its impact is anything but small.
Further Reading
- Creating a Space Where Your Team Feels Safe to Speak Up
- How to Build a Strengths-Based Culture That Lasts
- The Importance of Feedback in Team Development