Are you a trusted leader?

Abstract

PurposeHaving worked internationally with senior executives within organisations seeking to restore lost trust, Endaba commissioned independent research specialists, OnePoll, to undertake a study amongst UK employees to establish trust levels within UK plc. This paper aims to outline the key findings.Design/methodology/approachThe research took place over a two‐month period. Responses were received from 5,114 employees working for organisations employing in excess of 500 people across 22 different industry sectors. These ranged from aerospace, manufacturing and fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) to government/government agencies and utilities. As well as seeking to determine what employees perceive as the most important characteristics present in trustworthy individuals, the study also evaluated employee levels of trust in their CEOs, senior management and colleagues – and in themselves.FindingsThe full results were formally released at the Endaba Trust Conference, which took place at the Royal Society of Arts on Wednesday, 28 January 2009. In brief, sustained success requires an inside/out process, based on trust and starting with leaders themselves.Originality/valueHR professionals will be able to use the findings outlined in the paper to benchmark trust levels within their own organisations and discover the main reasons why employees do not trust senior executives.