RETHINK SPECIAL: The key to a rapidly changing workplace is trust

‘The Future of Trust and Work’ series (Part 3)

Rethink Specials are deep dives into big trust issues in the world of work and beyond. Deep research. passion and thinking are poured into them, so they are only for paid subscribers. To read, please upgrade to paid! Enjoy 😊

Dear Rethinkers,

When I say the phrase “future of work” what comes to mind? Perhaps it’s related to technological changes including generative AI, robotics, or automation. Maybe your mind goes to fluid work schedules or different forms of remote work. Or perhaps you think more broadly about generational changes and attitudes towards work. These disruptive forces are all very different, but they have one thing in common -   they require more trust.

Trend reports on the future of work tend to skim over a systemic problem: trust at work – specifically between employers and employees - has gone backwards over the past few years. A recent worldwide survey by Slack of over 10,000 people revealed that more than 1 in 4 ‘desk workers’ do not feel trusted by their employers. 1 in 4, yikes.

Yikes because not feeling trusted to do your job is the number one cause of dissatisfaction at work and many other related problems:

• Employees who don’t feel trusted by their employers report higher stress and anxiety, and a much lower sense of belonging. Not surprisingly, they are twice as likely to look for a new job.

• Employees who feel trusted reported better focus, double productivity and four times greater satisfaction with work.

In part III of my Rethink Special series on The Future of Trust and Work, I map out the key trust issues causing a disconnect between employers and employees. If you’d like to create a high-trust culture that can stand periods of intense uncertainty, or want to fix a trust issue of your own, do read on!

The Future of Trust and Work series is only available to paid subscribers of Rethink. Upgrade to paid to read this full report. It’s packed full of insights, actionable tips and links to useful studies and research.