Building Trust in an Age of Cynicism

Trust in organisations is at an all-time low.

We’re in an ‘age of cynicism’, driven by distrust in media, politics and the perception that organisations will fail, time and again, to do the right thing.

The British Post Office scandal, recently serialised in the ITV drama series has shone a spotlight on the shocking behaviour of the decision makers who sought to attack and undermine. We may have previously assumed that a large, trusted institution would protect its employees, rather than victimise, misdirect and lie. Even the notion that our government is there to uphold the nation’s moral and legal framework is under fire, after reports that 20% of Covid PPE contracts had “signs of corruption”, costing UK taxpayers £2.7bn.

Even corporations don’t emerge unscathed, when comparing the fact that CEOs pay has risen yet further, to 118x the average workers’ wage – despite a dramatic rise in the cost of living. It should be no surprise, then, that HR Magazine reports that 26% of us don’t trust the top leadership of our organisations.

What does trust do?

Trust (and lack of it) is extremely difficult to measure – and even more difficult to connect to business outcomes in a meaningful way. Correlations can be drawn, such as Slack’s study of 10,000 desk workers, finding trust is the biggest driver of productivity. Or Bloomber’g report that when people are trusted to make decisions about how and where they work, those companies outperform their peers by 400%.

But irrespective of the causative links to productivity, moreover it’s the right thing to do. Rather than treating people as mere units of production – pawns in the pursuit of profit – we can create better companies, institutions, and society. A society in which employees, members and the electorate are central to how we operate. That we have their best interests at heart.

Is that so tough?

Scandals aside, it’s the mundane, every-day behaviours we demonstrate that can make a real difference.

Leaders cultivate trust when they:

• Establish clear goals and describe the expectations they have of others
• Share plans, context, and rationale
• Open up about challenges, and be honest about personal failings
• Involve teams in decision-making, and ask them what they think
• Listen empathetically and support work-life balance

Organisational Development and HR colleagues can:

• Create systems that promote fairness and equity, i.e. in recruitment and talent assessment
• Democratise access to learning and career development
• Connect your strategy to genuine ESG goals, which are rooted in business for good
• Give whistle-blower access and make it available to all
• Create people metrics that reward positive behaviours, rather than promoting ‘brilliant jerks’

What’s the outcome?

I’d argue that our colleagues in OD and HR have some of the most privileged and impactful roles in the world. Our organisations have arguably a greater impact on society than our governments, and can certainly move faster!

Considering that adults spend around 45% of their waking hours in a work-related activity, we have a bigger bearing over their mental health than their doctors, and more influence on their financial health than their accountants.

More than that, we have a social contract. We can help them grow their skills and careers, enabling them to live fulfilling and balanced home lives, with fair pay. We can enact policies that trust and include the marginalised, and create ones that spark social change… Because it’s the right thing to do.

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