Employer Trust Building Strategies

86% of executives believe employee trust is soaring. (Yet only 67% of employees actually trust their leaders.) I remember confidently walking into our quarterly review. Our metrics were up. Our strategy was clear. I thought trust was high. I was wrong. Here's what was really happening: → Top talent quietly updating their LinkedIn. → Real feedback staying buried in private chats. → Innovation dying in "yes" meetings. → Engagement surveys hiding hard truths. After losing three star employees in one month, I realized: Trust isn't built in fancy workshops or team events. It's cultivated through consistent moments that matter. 10 science-backed trust builders that transformed my team: (And won us an award!): 1/ Kill Information Hoarding (It's Hurting You) ↳ 85% trust transparent communicators. ↳ WHY: In the absence of clarity, fear fills the gap. ↳ HOW: Share board meeting notes company-wide. ↳ Pro Tip: Share bad news faster than good news. 2/ Own Your Mistakes (Like Your Career Depends On It) ↳ Leaders who admit errors gain 4x more trust. ↳ WHY: Perfect leaders are feared, not trusted. ↳ HOW: Share mistakes in weekly all-hands. ↳ Pro Tip: Add what you learned and your fix. 3/ Master Active Listening (Beyond The Basics) ↳ 62% trust leaders who truly hear them. ↳ WHY: Everyone knows fake listening from real attention. ↳ HOW: Block "listening hours." No phone, no laptop. ↳ Pro Tip: Summarize what you heard before responding. 4/ Show Real Empathy (It's A Skill, Not A Trait) ↳ 76% trust leaders who understand their challenges. ↳ WHY: People don't care what you know until they know you care. ↳ HOW: Start meetings with "What's challenging you?." ↳ Pro Tip: Follow up on personal matters they share. 5/ Invest In Their Growth (Play The Long Game) ↳ 70% trust leaders who develop their people. ↳ WHY: Investment in them is an investment in trust. ↳ HOW: Give every team member a growth budget. ↳ Pro Tip: Help them grow, even if they might leave. The Results? Our trust scores jumped 43% in six months. Retention hit an all-time high. Real conversations replaced surface-level meetings. Your Next Move: 1. Pick ONE trust builder. 2. Practice it for 7 days. 3. Come back and share what changed. Remember: In a world of AI and automation, trust is your ultimate competitive advantage. ↓ Which trust builder will you start with? Share below. ♻️ Share this with a leader who needs this wake-up call 🔔 Follow me (@Loren) for more evidence-based leadership insights [Sources: HBR, Forbes, Gallup]

Trust is built in drops and lost in buckets, and we’re running out of buckets. If you're leading teams through #AI adoption, navigating #hybrid work, or just steering through the tempest that is 2025, there's a crucial factor that could make or break your success: #trust. And right now, it's in free fall. Edelman's Trust Barometer showed an "unprecedented decline in employer trust" -- the first time in their 25 years tracking that trust in business fell. It's no surprise: midnight #layoff emails, "do more with less," #RTO mandates, and fears of #GenAI displacement given CEO focus on efficiency are all factors. The loss of #trust will impact performance. The Institute for Corporate Productivity (i4cp) research shows high performing organizations have 10-11X higher trust between employees and leaders. Trust impacts #engagement, #innovation and #technology adoption, especially AI. My latest newsletter gets beyond the research and into what leaders can do today to start rebuilding trust You can't command-and-control your way through a complete overhaul of how we work... Trust is a two-way street. Leaders need to go first, but we also have to rebuild the gives-and-takes of employer/employee relationships. Three starting points: 1️⃣ Clear Goals, Real Accountability. Stop monitoring attendance and start measuring outcomes. Give teams clear goals and autonomy in how they achieve them. 2️⃣ Transparency with Guardrails. Break down information silos. Share context behind decisions openly - even difficult ones. Establish guardrails for meaningful conversations internally (instead of rock-throwing externally). 3️⃣ Show Vulnerability. Saying "I don't know" isn't weakness–it's an invitation for others to contribute. The word “vulnerability” seems anathema to too many public figures at the moment, who instead are ready to lock themselves in the Octagon with their opponents. But what’s tougher for them: taking a swing at someone, or admitting to their own limitations? This isn't just about CEOs. Great leaders show up at all levels of the org chart, creating "trust bubbles:" pockets of high performance inside even the most challenging environments. If you're one of those folks, thank you for what you do! 👉 Link to the newsletter in comments; please read (it's free) and let me know what you think! #FutureOfWork #Leadership #Management #Culture

Workplace-related trauma is real. And it usually originates with bad leadership. I’ve inherited a lot of employees over my career of leading teams, and I always stumble upon past work-related trauma when working to evolve my team's culture. Trauma stems from working with previous leaders who lack emotional control, show favoritism to others, or focus on just keeping employees happy rather than fostering their engagement. When I inherit a team or individual employees, I can immediately recognize the signs: 😕 Unhealthy Distrust of Leadership A history of broken promises, inconsistent behavior, or poor communication from previous leaders can erode trust. 😶 Unwillingness to Communicate Employees who have experienced negative interactions with leadership may become withdrawn and hesitant to share ideas or feedback. They might fear retaliation or believe that their input is not valued. 😬 Lack of confidence with innovation and decision-making. Past experiences of being micromanaged or having their ideas dismissed can lead to a lack of confidence in employees. They may become overly cautious and hesitant to take risks or make decisions. So how do you begin the healing process if you have someone on your team with workplace trauma? Three ways to rebuild your employee’s trust in leadership and confidence in their own work are: Transparent Communication 🗣 Be open and honest with your team. Share information regularly and be clear about your expectations, goals, and decisions. Transparency builds trust by showing that you have nothing to hide and are committed to keeping everyone informed. This includes admitting when you don’t have all the answers and being open to feedback and suggestions from your team. Be consistent in your own behavior 🔁 Consistency in your actions and decisions is key to building credibility. Employees need to know that they can rely on you to act fairly and predictably. This means upholding the same standards for everyone, being dependable, and following through on your promises. Consistency is essential to establishing trust again. Listen and Ask Questions 👂 Active listening is a powerful tool for building trust and understanding your team’s needs and concerns. Have genuine interest in what your employees have to say and validate their feelings and experiences. Ask open-ended questions to encourage dialogue and demonstrate that you value their input. Listening also involves acting on the feedback you receive, which shows that you are committed to making improvements based on their insights. Rebuilding trust and confidence takes time and consistent effort, but the results are well worth it. By prioritizing these in your leadership approach, you can transform a workplace culture from a frozen tundra to thriving rainforest. #leadership #leadershipmatters #culture #multifamily

Unpopular Opinion: It doesn't matter how many days a week you bring people back to the office if your organization lacks employee trust. I recently had a conversation with a young professional who believed that they couldn't speak up within their organization because, at one point, they were told by their manager that they didn't have enough experience to have an opinion. This type of behavior damages the individual's personal career growth, including their ability to develop the skills and experience if they don't feel like they can question their own assumptions and the assumptions of others. It also damages the overall organization's ability to succeed since it prevents people from bringing their best ideas forward and working together collaboratively and productively. Yet, in all the conversations around RTO from leaders, so much is centered around a need for more productivity and innovation. Trust is the glue that holds teams together, empowers individuals, and creates an environment where employees feel valued and supported. When employees trust their employers and colleagues, they are more likely to be engaged in their work, perform at their best, and take risks that lead to innovation. Numerous studies have highlighted the significant impact of trust on organizational success. According to a study conducted by the Harvard Business Review, companies with high levels of trust experience 74% less stress, 106% more energy at work, 50% higher productivity levels, and 76% higher engagement rates compared to low-trust organizations. So how can employers cultivate trust in the workplace? It's not by getting people to show up to the office more. Here are a few key strategies: 1️⃣ Lead by example: Trust starts at the top. Employers must demonstrate trustworthiness through their actions and decisions. When leaders consistently act with integrity, transparency, and fairness, it sets the tone for a culture of trust throughout the organization. 2️⃣ Foster open communication: Encourage open dialogue and active listening within teams. When employees feel heard and valued, they are likelier to trust their colleagues and share ideas freely. Regular team meetings, feedback sessions, and opportunities for collaboration can all contribute to building trust. 3️⃣ Provide autonomy and empowerment: Trust goes hand in hand with giving employees the autonomy to make decisions and take ownership of their work. When individuals feel trusted and empowered, they are more likely to go above and beyond, take calculated risks, and develop innovative solutions. 4️⃣ Recognize and reward trust: Acknowledge and appreciate trustworthy behavior. Recognize employees who consistently demonstrate trustworthiness and create a culture where trust is celebrated. This can be done through public recognition, rewards, or small gestures like a simple thank you. #management #leadership #returntooffice #employeeexperience #employeeengagment #trust

Employees don’t trust companies. They trust people. That’s why most “trust initiatives” fail. Executives think trust comes from managers. Employees know it’s about the entire system. So, how do you rebuild trust in an organization ? Three things matter from employee side : 1. Benevolence : "I trust that you will do right by me." ✅ Back-up ✅ Mutual trust ✅ Opportunities for growth 💬 Manager: I trust my employee can grow with my business. 2. Competence : " I trust that you know what you’re doing. " ✅ Room for error ✅ Recognition  ✅ Best job match 💬 Manager: I trust my people have what it takes. 3. Integrity : " I trust that you are telling me the truth. " ✅ Pay transparency ✅ Fair promotion  ✅ Walking the talk. 💬 Manager: I trust my executives admit mistakes, seek feedback for continuous improvements. Trust isn’t a slogan. It’s built—or broken—with every decision. What else makes or breaks trust? Drop your take below. #trust #employerbrand #transparency #mercer Source : Global Talent Trends Mercer 2024

With each news cycle it becomes clearer and clearer that the traditional workplace social contract is shattered. Gone are the days when loyalty guaranteed job security and clear career progression. The rules have fundamentally changed what employees can expect and how we need to communicate as leaders. In this Forbes article, I explore this critical challenge: how do we effectively communicate in an environment where trust is fractured and the old guarantees no longer hold? According to Gallup, as of 2024, 67% of employees in the US and Canada are either not engaged or actively disengaged at work. With everything that's transpired since then, you can bet that percentage is way higher now. Run your leadership approach through this quick litmus test of 3 essential strategies for leaders in these times: 1. Embrace open communication, transparency, and honesty––even when it feels challenging and vulnerable. This means finding ways to share whatever updates you can regularly, even when the news is uncertain or unfavorable. 2. Create or allow for genuine spaces for employee voices––because at the end of the day, people want to be heard. Most people understand that many leaders are in an impossible situation. It's about validating experiences, even when we can't "solve" every problem. 3. Follow through consistently on your commitments. Because in a world where the old guarantees are gone, our actions as leaders speak louder than ever. Here's the bottom line: We're not only managing change––we're crafting an entirely new workplace dynamic and workplace social contract. One that acknowledges volatile or suboptimal realities while fostering loyalty, engagement, and shared purpose. Read the full article at the link in comments. What strategies have you found effective in (re)building trust in your workplace? LMK in the comments #LeadershipDevelopment #FutureOfWork #WorkplaceCulture #EmployeeEngagement

What kind of companies have soaring customer and employee loyalty? The kind of companies that design a culture based on:  📣 Open communication  👯 Respectful relationships  👀 Transparent interactions All of which contributes to establishing the most important element of successful teams: 👉 Trust And this isn’t just a feel-good fact. Trust within your team impacts your relationships with everyone touched by your business; from your employees, to investors and customers. 💸 And 91% of biz executives believe that cultivating trust directly impacts the bottom line. So what are some of the ways we can start to design a culture of trust and transparency?  Here’s a few things to consider: 1️⃣ Gain goodwill Trust takes time to earn but can be lost in seconds. If we demonstrate trust constantly, on those occasions when we have to make uncomfortable decisions we can use some of the goodwill we’ve built up to ease the impact 2️⃣ Define your do’s and don’ts   Intentionally define what you are and are not transparent about in your company. Be specific on what does and doesn’t get communicated, and the reason why. 3️⃣ Nurture transparent teamwork  Build a transparent environment through consistently making sure that people are listened to, understood, respected and feel safe to speak up. 4️⃣ Create comfortability in challenging  Design rhythms and rituals into your day-to-day interactions that encourage people to feel comfortable to challenge the leadership when they deliver and share information (and ideally in the moment) 5️⃣ Hire for honesty  To ensure you’re hiring people who support transparency and trust, develop values-based interview questions that explore a candidate’s empathy, openness and ability to give feedback. 6️⃣ Remove trust-wreckers Those who break-down or breed an absence of trust should be removed - and do it fast before it starts to destroy the energy, safety and cohesiveness of your team. And remember, we're all human, we don't always get it right. Be truthful about your trust-challenges and be sure to bring your team on the journey, as you test, learn and adapt. ❓ What would you add to the above? I would love to hear your ideas and experiences of building a culture of trust within your team. 👇 #Culturedesign #employeeexperience #trustbuilding _____________________ Like what you read here? 👋 I’m Alicia, co-founder of The Future Kind. Follow me for frameworks, stats and culture hacks that help you design a company culture that is your biggest competitive advantage. Click my name + Follow + 🔔 Excited to have you on this journey with me 🚀

Rebuilding trust. When I took on North America for CA in 2010, I had a problem; most of the CIO community had a misperception of who we were ( mainframe company ), and some ( ok, many ) had a terrible taste in their mouth (acquisition consolidation and mainframe pricing). If we were going to hit our targets, we needed to sell to them at the CIO level, and I needed to change that, which meant we needed to build trust, and to do that, we needed to listen to them fast. So, I went on a North American CIO “Oprah apology tour” to listen to and gain trust. When I finally got into- their office, they started to discuss their history. I asked them what exactly had happened and why they were so upset.  It was common for this to be the answer….” Well, it happened a long time ago, and the more I think about it … it didn’t happen to this company or me, but I think a friend told me a bad story a long time ago.”   "So you don’t like us, but you are not sure why?" This is a real brand problem that I need to fix fast.  “Well, from this point on, can we agree to start new and judge us on our word and actions?”   I knew we had to make this a program and methodically drive it. So we did. We color-coded and ranked the CIOs. ( like I do most things, I want to change) This became part of the Best Sales Force On The Planet's execution examples. 1. Green CIOs buy on a regular basis; we have regular access to power, and he/she speaks publicly on our behalf.  2. Yellow CIOs buy occasionally; we have some access and only quite random references.  3. Red CIOs do NOT like us, do not buy ( only acquisitions), we have zero access to power and absolutely no speaking on our behalf. The key was building the trust and then having the green CIOs convert the yellows to green; then, the converted yellow CIOs convert the red CIOs to yellow.  This became known as HVN High-Value Networking, a trust-building program.  It starts with listening, informing, and then doing what you say you will do.  #noshortcuts #programs #methodical #valueselling #buildtrust #bigdeals  

Too often, organizations look for armies of outsiders to help drive transformation. But sustainable change requires more than external support.  The key is creating psychological safety – an environment where your people feel secure taking risks, speaking up, and trying new things.  When employees trust that they won't be punished for mistakes or unconventional ideas, they gain the confidence to challenge the status quo and propel the organization forward. Building this trust takes time and intention. Leaders must: • Show vulnerability  • Invite dissent and tough questions • Celebrate intelligent failure • Give people space to learn and grow Prioritizing psychological safety isn't a quick fix.  But it's a powerful, underrated investment in your most valuable asset – your people.  Give them opportunities, room to stumble, and faith in their ability to evolve.  You'll be amazed at the transformation they can achieve from within.

🤝 What builds trust when teams are large, fast-moving, and under pressure? I work with large, complex organizations - where a dozen (or more) leaders need to align, collaborate, and deliver together. And here’s what I’ve seen time and again: 👉 Trust can be one of the first things to falter… and the hardest to repair. But trust doesn’t happen by accident. It’s built — intentionally — one interaction at a time. Here are five simple and real-world strategies my C-Suite clients rely on to build trust that lasts. 🔹 Do what you say — every time. Reliability is the fastest path to trust. No reminders needed. 🔹 Share openly, regularly, and briefly. Quick and honest updates reduce surprises and build credibility. 🔹 Clarify roles. Ambiguity breeds mistrust. Get clear on who does what – from the start. 🔹 Give credit generously. Spotlight others often. Trust grows when egos shrink. ➡️ What would you add to the list for how to build trust in the workplace? #Leadership #TrustBuilding #Collaboration #ExecutivePresence #CLevelTips Thinkers50 Global Gurus 100 Coaches Agency