Cynthia Milota and Mary Cheval of Ware Malcomb predict that measuring trust on the organizational, team and manager levels will be fundamental to establishing a sustainable hybrid work model.
– Stay tuned as we share more 2023 trends for the entire month of December & beyond –
Hybrid work, the blending of in-office and remote work is being called “the new normal.” Trust is an essential component to hybrid work. Many stories proliferate about employers changing the trust dynamics relative to working away from the office now that things are back to a new normal. Employees were trusted to work remotely during the heat of the pandemic (when there was no choice), and organizations did well. But now it is common to hear, we need you to be in the office for any given “fill in the blank” reason.
In 2023, we predict that measuring trust on the organizational, team and manager levels will be fundamental to establishing a sustainable hybrid work model.
Is trust granted or earned in your organization or team?
Not every person (or organization) builds trust the same. “Automatic trusters approach new relationships with at least some level of trust as the default, initially trusting the other party unless something happens to break that trust,” (Mortensen & Gardner, 2021). While “evidence based trusters approach a new relationship with distrust as the default, not exposing themselves to risk until the other party has proven their trustworthiness,” (Mortensen & Gardner, 2021).
Trust is reciprocal and bi-directional, “the more you trust someone and act accordingly, the more likely they are to trust you in return,” (Mortensen & Gardner, 2021). Building trust requires “evidence and reinforcement” in repeated consistent steps. Trust relies on predictability from the top down and bottom up.
There are numerous trust models, but we think the “The 3 C’s of Trust,” (May, 2010), best encapsulates today’s issues. One cannot artificially create trust or demand it from others. Think of that line “trust me,” which has immediate negative connotations. The 3 C’s of Trust are:
1. Consistency
The ability to repeatedly rely on something or someone. “Inconsistency erodes trust because it’s not predictable, dependable or reliable,” (May 2010). One must do what they say they will, being accountable for promises made.
2. Competence
The skills to accomplish the tasks set forth. Being “long on promise and short on delivery-erodes trust,” (May 2010). To establish credibility, we must be able to get the job done.
3. Caring
The display of sincere forms of behavior. These softer forms of trust include “responsiveness, confidentiality, empathy, objectivity, collaboration, self-disclosure, attentiveness,” (May 2010).
Underestimating the value of building and maintaining trust unleashes consequences on the organizational, team and individual. Let’s explore how to measure trust.
Measuring Trust
Exploring trust measurement models from the public relations industry, researchers James and Lauri Grunig and Linda Hon established the Grunig and Hon Relationship instrument which assesses trust across three dimensions: competence, integrity, and dependability/reliability, (Grunig & Hon 1999).
We are positing that this tool can be used to explore organizational, team and manager trustworthiness. These eleven questions (Paine 2016) scored on a 7-point Likert scale can identify trust gaps at all levels.
- This organization (team/manager) treats people like me fairly and justly. (Integrity)
- Whenever this organization (team/manager) makes an important decision, I know it will be concerned about people like me. (Integrity)
- This organization (team/manager) can be relied on to keep its promises. (Dependability)
- I believe that this organization (team/manager) takes the opinions of people like me into account when making decisions. (Dependability)
- I feel very confident about this organization’s (teams’/manager’s) skills. (Competence)
- This organization (team/manager) has the ability to accomplish what it says it will do. (Competence)
- Sound principles seem to guide this organization’s (teams’/manager’s) behavior. (Integrity)
- This organization (team/manager) does not mislead people like me. (Integrity)
- I am very willing to let this organization (team/manager) make decisions for people like me. (Dependability)
- I think it is important to watch this organization (team/manager) closely so that it does not take advantage of people like me. (Dependability) (Reversed)
- This organization (team/manager) is known to be successful at the things it tries to do. (Competence)
Benefits of Trust
Authentic and transparent trust extended by organizations, teams and managers offer strategic and tactical benefits such as providing psychological safety, reducing turnover, increasing employee engagement, building a diverse and inclusive culture, and delivering a stellar employee experience. The wellbeing aspects of a trusting work environment cannot be overstated. Offering choice and flexibility in a hybrid work model is meaningless unless there is explicit organizational, team and manager trust.
Trust is difficult to build, easy to lose but not too hard to measure.
References:
Grunig, J. & Hon, L., (1999, January), “Guidelines for Measuring Relationship in Public Relations,” Retrieved from:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/246348000_Guidelines_for_Measuring_Relationship_in_Public_Relations
May, M., (2010, September), “The 3 C’s of Trust,” Retrieved from:
https://www.americanexpress.com/en-us/business/trends-and-insights/articles/the-3-cs-of-trust-1/
Mortensen, M. & Gardner, H., (2021, February), “WFH is Corroding Our Trust in Each Other,” Retrieved from:
https://hbr.org/2021/02/wfh-is-corroding-our-trust-in-each-other
Paine, K., (2016, February), “Guidelines for Measuring Trust in Organizations,” Retrieved from:
https://instituteforpr.org/guidelines-for-measuring-trust-in-organizations-2/
