50+ Trust Building Questions to Ask in the Workplace

Trust is the foundation of every high-performing team—but it’s not built through job descriptions or productivity tools. It’s built through conversation. When people feel safe, heard, and valued, collaboration flows more easily, and so does innovation. And the simplest way to start? Ask the right questions.

This blog explores a curated list of trust building questions to ask in the workplace—questions that go beyond small talk and spark real connection. These aren't just for icebreakers or one-time workshops. They’re effective tools that HR, leaders, and teammates can use anytime to build relationships rooted in honesty and mutual respect.

Whether you're looking for team building questions to build trust in meetings or one-on-ones, or just want a better way to check in with your team, this guide will give you dozens of practical trust building questions to ask—for peers, managers, and leadership alike.

"Remember, teamwork begins by building trust. And the only way to do that is to overcome our need for invulnerability." -Patrick Lencioni

Best trust-building questions for the workplace

What are the questions that get your teammates to open up? Here are some team-building questions that inculcate the bond of trust at work.

1. Ask about what they like

Personal questions are probably the best for building trust because they help your coworkers learn more about each other and understand each other.

That's why it's crucial to balance personal questions and other types of questions.

Start by asking your coworkers about what they like.

• What is their favorite book, movie, music artist?
• What would they love to recommend?
• What tv show do they haven't seen yet but want to?
• What is their favorite food or even their favorite color?

These are simple questions, but they can get the conversation going.

2. What makes you happy?

Once you have established who loves hotdogs and who loves romcoms, you need to ask another simple yet effective question: "What makes you happy?" It may be something small like nice weather or something big like an outstanding achievement at work.

Whatever it is, sharing it with others can help people establish stronger emotional bonds. Moreover, you can rephrase the question and ask the team about what made them happy today or how they would make a colleague happy if they saw the person was sad.

3. Ask about their traditions

Traditions are important because they are the culture that we carry with us. You might not be very religious, but the fact that your entire family gathers to celebrate Thanksgiving or Christmas can already be considered a part of your own culture.

Consider asking your colleagues about their traditions, family, or otherwise.

• What do they do for the holidays?
• Do they have any morning rituals that help them get ready for work?
• Do they have a particular habit that has become a tradition in its own right?
• Are there any traditions they would recommend to others?

4. What is your biggest dream?

Every person wants something from life. Someone dreams of buying a big house and having a loving family – someone else may dream of simply having more free time to spend on reading because that's their favorite thing in the world. So, the next question you should ask is: "What is your biggest dream?"

Keep in mind that not everyone will like to share this. Some people believe it is too personal, while others are afraid of being laughed at. Don't push them and let those who want to answer the question share their dreams while those who don't want to can listen.

5. Ask about their childhood

Another very personal topic that shouldn't be pushed onto your team but is still necessary is the topic of their childhoods. Most of the time, people can look back at their younger selves and laugh at how stupid they used to be, but sometimes childhoods are not filled with the happiest memories.

As from the custom writing reviews site, Online Writers Rating says,

"You can ask them about what they were like as kids, what were their silliest fears, their childhood dreams, and so on. But don't push them to answer if they don't want to."

6. How do you deal with stress?

Once the bond has been established, you can move on to more work-related questions. One of these is, "How do you deal with stress?" Everyone does it their way, so sharing it with their colleagues can show them their differences and similarities.

In addition to that, some of your employees may find something useful in their colleagues' replies. Perhaps someone has a pet at home that helps them relax once they return from work. Someone else might do some exercise during short breaks at work. Maybe someone else loves walking in the park or cooking.

7. Ask about their relationships

No, not their romantic relationships. The team's dynamic is essential to understand the company culture in your business better.

• How much do your coworkers trust each other?
• What do they believe their strengths are as a team and individually?
• What do they think their colleagues are good at?

Trust appears to be the most important component of strong company culture.

Understanding the relationships between your coworkers will help you build a better team and improve everyone's best skills and talents. It will also help you see the issues within the team that might have been concealed earlier.

8. Who is your role model?

One interesting question that is sometimes overlooked is, "Who is your role model?" Most of the time, people admire and strive to be similar. Asking your team members about their role models can help you bring them together and understand what they value in others.

Some will name their mother or father as their role model. Others will name celebrities or famous people who are well-known in a particular field or have achieved something that matters to your colleagues.

9. Ask about misunderstandings

Misunderstandings happen in the workplace all the time, so it's crucial to understand what their causes are and what their effects are.

In addition to that, it's essential to know how the misunderstandings were resolved afterward and whether your employees were satisfied. This will also help relieve all the remaining tension between your coworkers.

For example, the social media management platform Buffer has defined a value system that they follow in the workplace. They value transparency and promote positivity, make time to reflect, and focus on self-improvement. All of these lead to trust-building.

10. How has the world changed?

Last but not least, ask them, "How has the world changed?" It's not a difficult question, but it can help you end the discussion on a relatively positive note instead of just finishing on problems.

• What is something kids won't understand nowadays?
• What are they nostalgic about?
• What do they hope to see in their future?

11. Ask them for feedback

Once you finish the trust-building, ask everyone for feedback as it is a crucial part of building trust. You want your team to give their input about how the session went. Moreover, it's good to discuss the team's strengths and weaknesses.

For instance, the content marketing software company Percolate has a value system, with ownership being one of the key elements of their culture. They own both their success and failure collectively. This leads to employees trusting one another more because everyone has the same goals.

20 More trust-building questions to strengthen workplace relationships

Building trust takes more than just team lunches and motivational emails. It requires real conversations—the kind that bring people closer, help them open up, and foster mutual respect. Whether you're a manager trying to build camaraderie or a teammate hoping to connect better, these questions are a great place to start:

1. What’s one personal value you never compromise on at work?
2. Can you recall a moment when you truly felt supported by a teammate?
3. What’s something you wish more people understood about you?
4. How do you prefer to receive feedback—direct or subtle?
5. What’s a strength you’re proud of that most people don’t know?
6. How do you show appreciation to coworkers?
7. What motivates you to give your best at work?
8. What’s a habit or routine that helps you stay grounded during stressful times?
9. What kind of work environment helps you feel psychologically safe?
10. Who in your life has shaped the way you work or lead?
11. What does “trust” mean to you in a professional setting?
12. What’s one thing you’ve learned from a failure at work?
13. When do you feel most confident in a team setting?
14. What’s your communication style like when you’re under pressure?
15. How do you usually deal with misunderstandings at work?
16. What’s a professional accomplishment you’re quietly proud of?
17. What kind of support do you need from your team when things get tough?
18. What helps you bounce back from tough feedback or setbacks?
19. When do you feel most included and valued in a team?
20. What can your team do more of to build better trust and transparency?

20 Trust-building questions leaders can ask to create a culture of openness

Strong leadership starts with strong trust. If you want your team to follow your vision, they need to feel seen, heard, and understood. These questions help leaders tap into what truly matters to employees—beyond tasks and KPIs.

1. What’s one thing we could do better as a leadership team?
2. Do you feel comfortable sharing your ideas openly here? Why or why not?
3. What’s one thing you wish leaders understood about your day-to-day work?
4. When was the last time you felt genuinely appreciated at work?
5. Is there something we’re doing that makes your job harder than it needs to be?
6. What kind of support do you need from me to feel more confident in your role?
7. What’s something we could stop doing that doesn’t feel useful or aligned with our goals?
8. If you could change one thing about how we work together, what would it be?
9. Do you feel you have enough autonomy to do your best work?
10. What makes you hesitate to speak up in meetings or with leadership?
11. What helps you feel included and respected in team conversations?
12. What’s one way we could improve communication across the team?
13. When was the last time you felt fully trusted by leadership?
14. Are there any decisions you’d like more visibility or input on?
15. How can we better recognize contributions across all levels—not just the loudest voices?
16. Do you feel like your growth goals are taken seriously here?
17. What do you wish more leaders would ask you?
18. What’s one thing you’re hesitant to say, but feel like we should hear?
19. Have you ever felt left out of something important? What could we have done better?
20. How do you define trust in a workplace—and how well do we live up to that?

How Empuls strengthens workplace trust and team bonding

Building trust isn’t a one-time activity—it’s a continuous process of recognition, communication, and shared experiences. That’s where Empuls comes in. Designed to enhance employee engagement and connection, Empuls helps teams break the ice, build strong bonds, and foster a culture rooted in trust.

Here’s how Empuls supports trust-building in the workplace:

• Personalized peer-to-peer recognition: Celebrate small wins, thoughtful actions, or collaborative moments. Empuls allows employees to recognize each other in real time, making everyone feel seen and valued.
• Employee communities: Whether it’s a shared hobby or a passion for learning, Empuls brings people together in dedicated communities that go beyond day-to-day tasks.
• Pulse surveys & feedback: Asking questions builds trust—but acting on feedback cements it. Empuls makes it easy to gather and respond to employee input regularly.
• Milestone celebrations: Trust grows when people feel acknowledged. From birthdays to work anniversaries, Empuls ensures every employee milestone gets the attention it deserves.
• Inclusive engagement programs: Use the platform to run regular trust-building initiatives—like virtual coffee chats, team bonding challenges, or even trust questionnaires.

When you make connection a priority, trust follows. Empuls helps your teams move beyond just working together—to truly collaborating with confidence and camaraderie.

Final thoughts

To sum up, there are some questions to ask people in the workplace that can help you build trust and promote teamwork in your company. Use the examples from this article as questions to check-in and use during the workplace team-building sessions.