You might have seen this headline: He Opened Up at a Netflix Retreat ‘Trust’ Exercise—Then, He Was Fired. It sounds shocking, but if you’ve spent time in the corporate world, you’re probably not surprised.
Inc.com shared the story of an executive who leaned all the way in during a corporate retreat’s ‘Vulnerability-Trust exercise’. The exercise was “designed to elicit candor and personal disclosure”. After revealing that he used ketamine as part of treatment for depression, he was fired shortly after.
While the business claims other factors contributed to their decision, the ketamine use was explicitly referenced by Netflix’s corporate attorney in his termination. Now they’re being sued.
How did this go so wrong?
Companies ask for vulnerability and trust from their employees, then punish workers when they open up. It shouldn’t be surprising that workers are losing trust, but you might be surprised at just how prevalent the problem is: a survey from PwC found that 93% of business executives agree that building and maintaining trust improves the bottom line, but only 70% of employees trust those same leaders to follow through on commitments.
This distrust is rising across industries, as trust in institutions has hit an all-time low. Ironically, trust has become even more valuable for brand recognition in a strained economy and increasingly tense workplaces with the rise of AI.
People want real connection. They want to believe their leaders are in their corner. Give them a reason to believe!
Key Takeaways
- Workplace trust should not depend on employees sharing personal or sensitive information.
- Leaders can build trust by respecting boundaries, listening to employees, and following through on commitments.
- Employee well-being benefits should support workers without requiring personal disclosure or participation.
- Effective team building can focus on communication styles, motivations, and skills instead of forced vulnerability.
- Employee feedback can help organizations create benefits and workplace practices that actually meet their teams’ needs.
- Psychological safety comes from giving employees the freedom to participate, communicate, and set boundaries without fear of consequences.
No matter if you’re a mom-and-pop shop, a scrappy startup, or an international organization, there are lessons you can learn from Netflix’s mistakes. Here’s how executives can build real trust in the workplace without crossing boundaries or taking unnecessary legal risks.
Don’t Demand Vulnerability
Pressure from higher-ups can take many forms. Executives might think they’re just being ‘real’ and authentic by sharing personal details and asking employees to do the same. When you do that, you enact a power dynamic that is hard to refuse and even harder to come back from.
Employees don’t owe you any personal information. Their medical histories, mental health, childhood experiences, interpersonal relationships, and more are not fodder for bonding. It’s a leader’s job to enforce strict boundaries that protect employee safety, well-being, and psychological safety. ‘Deep’ personal conversations can get awkward at best and actively harmful at their worst.
You don’t need ‘vulnerability’ exercises to have effective team building! In fact, the best team building uses reliable tools and real data to reveal team dynamics. Start real conversations about communication styles, motivations, and skill sets with your team. You can get deep without crossing any lines or making anyone uncomfortable.
Invest in Employee Well-Being
When someone can’t pay their bills, they can’t bring their full talent to work. Get the most out of your people by giving them the most benefits you can!
Competitive wages, solid health benefits, and flexible working arrangements make a substantial difference in employee happiness and productivity. (They also make you an attractor for top talent!)
80% of employees report that learning and development opportunities would help them feel more engaged on the job, and 94% say they would stay in their current role longer if they received investment in their professional development.
Consider providing resources like therapy, prescription medication discounts through services like GoodRx, and flexibility for workers to get to mental health appointments.
This kind of support lets them work on personal issues on their own terms, free of pressure to disclose personal information at work.
Don’t Make Benefits Rely on Participation
This might sound obvious, but it goes beyond what you might initially consider.
If you make a benefit ‘we leave early on Fridays—but you have to come to office happy hour’ or offer extra time off for people who participate in a step challenge, you’re putting pressure on your team. You don’t know if someone is sober and struggling or has mobility issues they haven’t disclosed.
If a benefit relies on participation, it’s not a benefit. That’s a quid pro quo situation that can come back to bite you.
Offering benefits with no expectations will likely lead to better outcomes and stronger employee engagement. If everyone gets Friday afternoons off with the occasional (and optional!) happy hour, employees can make the best choices for themselves without social pressure or resentment. If your health challenge includes accessible options, like seated chair yoga in addition to the step challenge, more people can opt in.
Make their lives easier, and your employees will engage more deeply. It’s that simple.
Invest in Benefits That Actually Make a Difference in Your Employees’ Lives
Again, your goal with benefits is to reduce friction, improve your employees’ lives, and give them reasons to trust in their roles and your organization. In general, people aren’t looking for corporate retreats or trust exercises. They want the freedom to live their lives and do work well on their own terms.
Don’t believe us? Ask your employees directly! Send out a benefits survey with targeted questions to find out what they need to succeed. Maybe your team doesn’t care about snacks in the office, but they all really want pet insurance, or they are prioritizing travel and will use an employee discount service instead of tuition reimbursement.
Asking directly does two things:
- It prevents wasteful spending on what you think they want. When benefits misalign with employee expectations, resentment can grow and fester on both sides. Instead of the business feeling like they’re wasting money or employees feeling like they’re being misunderstood, you can get it right from the jump.
- It builds trust. Asking for employee feedback, then acting on it gives employees tangible proof that the business cares about their needs and has their best interests in mind. It opens an avenue for honest communication and encourages employees to engage and trust more easily.
Creating Trust the Right Way
Vulnerability in the workplace can be dangerous for both employees and executives. Forcing bonding can decrease engagement, reduce trust, and run counter to your organizational culture.
The good news is that leaders can create a safe, engaged workplace culture by listening to employees, choosing benefits wisely, and giving workers the freedom to live their lives. That’s how you get the best work from your team and a culture that really thrives.
Are you looking for tools that will help build trust, company culture, and employee engagement in the workplace? TTI is ready to help.