Trust - Research Insights

Trust

Trust plays a pivotal role in organizations as it influences interpersonal relationships, communication, cooperation and ultimately affects key organizational outcomes. A study by Gopalan, N., Beutell, N. J., & Alstete, J. W. (2023) examined the relationship between trust in management and employee attitudes, behaviors and wellbeing.

They conceptualized trust as an employee’s confidence in the dependability, integrity, fairness, and honesty of their organization’s management. Trust in management involved the belief that leaders will act ethically, behave consistently, and keep promises.

The study’s key findings highlight the pivotal mediating role of trust in management in linking supportive work conditions (supervisor support, coworker support, and meaningful work) to positive employee outcomes (job satisfaction, maintaining a healthy lifestyle) and reduced negative outcomes (turnover intentions). Specifically, the authors found that:

Trust in Management as a Mediator

Trust in management significantly mediates the relationships between:

• Supervisor support and job satisfaction, healthy lifestyle, and lower turnover intentions.

• Coworker support and job satisfaction, healthy lifestyle, and lower turnover intentions.

• Meaningful work and job satisfaction, healthy lifestyle, and lower turnover intentions.

When employees perceive their supervisors and coworkers as supportive and find their work meaningful, these positive experiences lead to higher trust in management, which then fosters more satisfaction, wellbeing, and retention.

Influence on Employee Outcomes

Higher levels of trust in management are associated with greater job satisfaction and healthier lifestyles. Trust contributed indirectly to lowering the likelihood of employees wanting to leave by improving their overall work experience (enhanced satisfaction and wellbeing).

Overall, the findings underscore trust in management as a crucial factor that not only shapes how employees perceive their work environment but also facilitates better employee health, satisfaction, and retention.

Take away

Assess the level of trust that exists among your team and in your organization. Do you (and your leadership team) do what you say and say what you'll do? Keep promises? If you are unable to deliver on your promises are you communicating why you are unable to keep them? Building trust is a long term proposition and on-going endeavor. You build trust by intentionally acting in ways that build trust.

Gopalan, N., Beutell, N. J., & Alstete, J. W. (2023). Can trust in management help? Job satisfaction, healthy lifestyle, and turnover intentions. International Journal of Organization Theory and Behavior, 26(3), 185-202. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOTB-09-2022-0180