The last couple of years have been trying for many with the pandemic turning everyday life upside down, warring nations close to home, as well as the severe economic downturn affecting each of our lives in some way.
From a UK point of view, social instability has been exacerbated by a year of unprecedented Governmental scandals and subsequent changes in our national figureheads. It’s no surprise, then that the 2022 Edelman Trust Barometer Special Report: Trust in the Workplace, reveals trust in government has seen an 18-point decline among UK employees since May 2022.
According to the report - 74% percent of employees in the UK trust ‘My Employer’, with 79% trusting their co-workers and 72% trusting their managers to do what’s right. In fact, employees say they are more comfortable debating societal issues with co-workers than neighbours, and they see the people in their workplace as the most significant source of community after friends and family.
Purpose is key to driving trust in the workplace
The workplace is now seen as a forum that can help address societal issues and people want to work in companies that support what they think is right, with 50% (Edelman Trust Barometer 2022) of employees in the UK saying they choose a place to work based on their belief and values.
On average, two thirds of respondents in the UK say it is a strong expectation or deal-breaker for a job they are considering to deliver societal impact, and a rising number of employees in the UK say they are more likely to work for an employer who takes a stand on human rights (66%), racial justice (65%) and climate change (60%). A powerful consideration for employers amidst the recruiting crunch many are calling the Great Resignation / Great Reshuffling.
What can employers take as learnings?
Based on the 2022 Edelman Trust Barometer Special Report: Trust in the Workplace data, I have boiled the learnings down to five key actions:
- Trust your employees and they will trust you back in abundance - the report’s data shows that when employees feel trusted by their CEO, they are roughly twice as likely to trust their employer.
- Your employees see you as a believable source of information – so behave accordingly. Ensure you have different ‘voices of Trust’ that speak to different people within your organisation. The global data shows non-managers trust their co-workers the most to tell them the truth about what is happening within their organisation. Moving up the ladder, managers are most trusting of their managers and senior managers trust their CEO more than any other organisational voice.
- Be ready to address topics that matter to your employees. Nobody has all the answers but be ready to engage, debate and discuss. And remember, saying nothing also says something.
- Be open to engaging and listening, as 82 percent of UK employees consider the ability to give input/feedback on company decisions as important when considering a potential employer.
So, whether you are an employer or an employee, now is the time to truly work together to create the workplace of the future you want it to be. And if you are wondering how you can do this effectively, get in touch, I’d love to show you.
Vicky Bramham is a Senior Director in the Health Team at Edelman UK