Staff have little trust in bosses

Sep 2 2009 by Peter McCusker, The Journal

ONE in three workers have little or no trust in senior managers, especially those in the public sector, according to a new study.

A survey of 5,600 workers found that chief executives were significantly less trusted than line managers, with the level of mistrust increasing at bigger companies.

The Institute of Leadership & Management (ILM) and Management Today magazine said their research showed that company bosses had to work harder to inspire trust in their staff.

Senior managers in local and national government and the media were the least trusted, while those in the charities and retail enjoyed higher levels of trust.

ILM’s chief executive Penny de Valk said: “Trust is crucial to the performance of an organisation, and a cornerstone of good leadership. Teams are more effective in a trusting environment, and people work better and harder if they trust their leaders.”