Every year, PR consultancy Edelman surveys tens of thousands of people across 28 countries, to measure trust across the world. Their annual trust barometer is crucial reading for politicians, strategists, and leaders of all stripes. However, for CEOs, Edelman’s latest barometer forecasts some blustery times ahead.

According to Edelman, a third of people don’t trust their employer. And while 64% of execs do have trust in their organisation, that figure plummets the further down the pecking order you go. Building trust, it seems, is something that we need to work on, particularly at entry and mid-levels.

Why is trust important?

It powers everything that matters in business. Research by Harvard Business Review neatly sums this up: In organisations where employees reported high levels of trust in their employers, engagement levels were 76% higher, stress levels were 74% lower, and productivity was 50% higher than those reporting low levels of trust.

And that’s just the stuff you can put a number on. When your talent pool trust those around them, and believe their managers and leaders have their back, they step up. When colleagues leave, they pull together to cover the gap. In the face of sudden change, they reach deep to adjust and thrive. Trust empowers high performing teams. It gives people the confidence to contribute and innovate.

Without it, your business risks stagnating. Trust is the lifeblood of your organisation. So how do you build trust into your company culture?

Recognise your people.

When someone does their job well, make sure they are celebrated for it. That public recognition won’t just boost their confidence, it will inspire others to put in the effort too. When people trust their employer to notice their successes, it does wonders for morale.

Strengthen team communications.

In a hybrid environment, it’s entirely possible for colleagues to never meet. New hires can remain strangers to those they work with every day, just another name in an email thread. Which is why it falls to line-managers to instil a sense of camaraderie between team members. Whether that’s through daily video calls, email bulletins, or team-days, the goal should always be to build trust and engagement between colleagues.

Share boardroom decisions with your people.

When it comes to building trust between your senior management and the wider workforce, sharing insights from high level meetings is critical. People want to know what the company is planning for the future. Providing regular updates, and consultations on major plans, is crucial towards building loyalty and trust. Leaders should ask for feedback and ideas before final decisions are taken. If information doesn’t flow down, rumour will quickly fill in the gaps, and that’s a sure sign that trust is being eroded.

Build a sense of shared purpose.

Profit and growth are important, but they aren’t drivers of trust and unity in an organisation. For many businesses, creating a sense of striving for positive change in the world is now a key part of their approach. After all, when your team feel they are involved in something meaningful, it’s much easier for them to trust in the decisions their CEOs are making.

Give your leaders the skills they need to inspire trust.

The greatest leaders in the modern era recognise that creating a culture based on trust is a two-way street. They have the ability to show vulnerability, and a willingness to listen, so they can create a psychologically safe environment where everyone feels inspired to contribute.

Of course, these crucial leadership traits can be developed and brought out with the right training and development. Which is where ABSTRACT come in. Our range of leadership training and cultural transformation programmes can help your organisation develop trust where it is needed most.

Looking to strengthen trust at all levels of your organisation? Speak to ABSTRACT today.