Ben Smith on Creating a Culture of Trust

Building a Culture of Trust

At InfraBuild, safety starts with trust. For Ben Smith, General Manager of ARC, creating a culture where people feel safe to speak up is key to both safety and performance.

“A culture of trust means creating an environment where people feel safe to speak up, share ideas, and raise concerns without fear of judgement,” Ben said. “It’s about believing in each other’s intentions, empowering teams to make decisions, and creating an environment where collaboration and accountability thrive.”

Ben believes that when trust is present, people are more engaged, resilient, and committed to delivering their best.

Learning from error

For Ben, learning from human error is an essential part of continuous improvement across InfraBuild.

“Human error is an opportunity to learn, improve, and prevent future incidents,” he said. “By understanding why mistakes happen, we can strengthen our processes, enhance safety, and support our people to grow in their roles. Mistakes are inevitable, but harm doesn’t have to be.”

Leading by example

Ben says that trust is built through consistent action and transparent leadership.

“Trust begins with example,” he said. “I strive to be transparent, approachable, and consistent in my actions. I actively listen, value diverse perspectives, and recognise effort and achievement. Most importantly, it’s about doing what you say you’re going to do and being both consistent and disciplined.”

By holding himself and others accountable, Ben encourages open dialogue and ensures that people feel empowered to raise issues or offer suggestions.

Trust in action

Ben shared a recent example from ARC that shows what a culture of trust looks like in practice.

“Recently, a team member noticed a potential safety issue on site. Because of the trust we’ve built, they felt confident to raise it immediately,” Ben said. “The team collaborated to address the issue, preventing a possible incident. That’s what trust in action looks like – safety, accountability, and proactive problem-solving.”

A message for Safe Work Month

Ben says Safe Work Month is a reminder that safety is everyone’s responsibility and that trust plays a vital role in keeping people safe across InfraBuild.

“It begins with trust, communication, and the courage to speak up,” he said. “Each of us plays a role in looking out for one another, learning from experiences, and continuously improving how we work. When we prioritise safety and foster trust, we not only protect our people but strengthen InfraBuild as a whole.”