Less than half of professionals around the world put a great deal of trust in their employer, boss or team and colleagues, according to an EY survey.
The survey, which combines responses from approximately 9,800 full-time employees across eight countries including the U.S., reveals that some groups are less trusting than others, but there are specific strategies employers can deliver on to improve good faith in the company.
Here are three key findings from the survey for employers and leadership to make note of.
1. Who is least trusting? In particular, Generation X respondents — ages 35 to 50 — were least likely to place "a great deal of trust" in their employer, boss or team and colleagues. And while EY reported no significant difference between men and women's levels of trust, women reported a greater tendency to look for another job, work the minimum number of hours required and be less engaged and productive than men if they had low levels of trust in their employer.
2. Why is trust so low? Respondents who reported a low level of trust said this sentiment was a result of unfair compensation, unequal opportunities for pay or promotion, lack of leadership, high employee turnover, and/or a work environment that is not conducive to collaboration, among other reasons.
3. What can employers do to build trust? EY asked professionals to rate the aspects of a job that were very important in building trust in the workplace. The most important workplace characteristic that can build confidence in employers was fairly simple — employees want leadership to deliver on promises. They also look for job security, fair compensation and benefits, open and transparent communication, equal pay and promotion opportunities and ethical operations.
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