Here's a wake-up call: 86% of executives believe employees highly trust them, but only 60% actually do, according to PwC's 2024 Trust Survey. That 26-point gap is costing companies productivity, retention, and innovation.

The data is clear: 95% of leaders agree organizations have a responsibility to build trust. Yet despite this recognition, executives are 2.5 times more likely than associates to trust their CEO to tell the truth about what is happening within their organization.

The stakes have never been higher. Companies with high-trust cultures outperform their peers by up to 400%, while trusting employees are 260% more motivated to work, have 41% lower rates of absenteeism, and are 50% less likely to look for another job.

Building trust is about creating a competitive advantage through intentional strategies that work, especially in a hybrid work environment where trust is harder to establish but critical for business success.

What does trust in the workplace mean?

Trust in the workplace is the foundational confidence that everyone—from entry-level employees to senior leadership—will act with integrity, follow through on commitments, and support each other's success.

According to McKinsey research, 89% of employees believe psychological safety is essential. This psychological safety—the ability to speak up, take risks, and make mistakes without fear of punishment—is intrinsically linked to workplace trust and helps employees feel safe contributing their ideas.

The two dimensions of workplace trust

Practical trust focuses on reliability and competence. Can you rely on a person to deliver quality work on time? Will they communicate delays promptly? Do they show up prepared for team meetings?

Emotional trust centers on psychological safety. Do you feel comfortable having honest conversations with your manager? Can you admit when you don't have all the answers?

Both dimensions are essential for creating genuine relationships, but research shows emotional trust often predicts long-term team success more than practical trust. When employees trust their workplace, they're more likely to engage in open communication and contribute to a productive workplace culture.

Why trust matters more than ever in 2025

The workplace has fundamentally shifted. Only 51% of employees are excited about using AI at work, and only 45% believe their company will use it beneficially. Add economic uncertainty, hybrid work challenges, and generational differences, and trust becomes the differentiating factor between companies that thrive and those that merely survive.

Consider these recent findings from a global survey of workplace trends:

• 70% of Gen Z workers have unhealthy work scores
• 78% of employees worry about job loss
• Employees who see action on feedback are 75% more likely to trust leadership

The message is clear: trust isn't a luxury—it's a business necessity. High-trust companies create environments where workers feel confident in their company's commitment to their success. When team members trust their organization, they're more willing to engage in hard work, share ideas openly, and focus on collaboration rather than office politics.

11 evidence-based strategies to build workplace trust

1. Practice radical transparency (but do it right)

Trust and transparency have a complex relationship, according to Deloitte's 2024 research. It's about sharing what matters in clear, honest ways that help employees understand the bigger picture.

What this looks like:

• Share the company's financial health during all-hands meetings so everyone understands the business context
• Explain the reasoning behind major decisions, even unpopular ones, to build trust
• Admit when leadership doesn't have the answers; honest conversations build respect
• Create regular internal communications channels that flow both up and down the organization

Pro tip: Use the "3+1" communication framework: Share what happened, why it happened, what you're doing about it, plus one question you want employee input on. This approach helps establish trust through transparency while inviting collaboration.

2. Build Psychological Safety Through Inclusive Leadership

BCG research shows psychological safety particularly benefits diverse groups, including women, people of color, LGBTQ+ employees, people with disabilities, and those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. This soft skills approach to leadership creates an inclusive culture where everyone can contribute.

Implementation strategies:

• Start team meetings with personal check-ins, not just project updates, to build genuine rapport
• Respond to mistakes with curiosity, not punishment—accept that errors are part of learning
• Ask "What's one thing we could improve?" at the end of meetings to encourage open conversations
• Model vulnerability by sharing your own challenges and learning moments with your team

Only 26% of leaders actively foster psychological safety in their teams, creating a massive opportunity for managers who get this right.

3. Close the feedback loop consistently

Daily feedback increases trust by 2.1x, according to Gallup research. Employees who receive daily feedback from their manager are significantly more likely to trust organizational leadership.

The complete feedback cycle:

1. Collect input through surveys, 1:1s, or team discussions to understand different perspectives
2. Acknowledge what you heard, even if you can't act on every suggestion
3. Share back your analysis and planned actions to maintain transparency
4. Report progress on changes you committed to making
5. Ask for feedback on how those changes are working to create an ongoing conversation

This approach helps employees see that their voice has an impact, which is essential for making decisions that gain trust across the organization.

4. Extend trust to build trust

This might sound counterintuitive, but trust is generative. People are more likely to trust others when they feel trusted. This creates a positive cycle where confidence builds throughout the workplace.

Practical applications:

• Give team members autonomy over how they complete their tasks, showing you appreciate their knowledge and judgment
• Delegate meaningful projects, demonstrating confidence in their abilities
• Set outcomes rather than micromanaging processes
• Trust team members to manage their own schedules in hybrid environments to create a positive employee experience

5. Invest in professional development

Career development builds trust, according to Great Place to Work research. When you invest in someone's growth, you signal that you see long-term potential in them and value their contribution to the organization's success.

Trust-building development initiatives:

• Create individual development plans for each team member based on their goals and job requirements
• Offer stretch assignments that challenge but don't overwhelm, showing confidence in their abilities
• Provide mentoring programs that connect workers across levels and build genuine relationships
• Fund external training and development, demonstrating commitment to career growth

This investment in people demonstrates that the organization values more than just immediate productivity.

6. Address the trust gap in hybrid teams

Remote and hybrid work creates unique trust challenges. Virtual teams require more intentional trust-building than in-person collaboration, as colleagues have fewer opportunities for spontaneous conversations.

Hybrid-specific trust strategies:

• Schedule intentional in-person collaboration sessions that focus on building trust
• Use video calls instead of email for important conversations, to maintain personal connection
• Create virtual "coffee chat" opportunities where team members can talk about personal interests
• Be transparent about how leaders are making decisions when team members aren't present
• Ensure remote workers have equal access to opportunities—fair pay, promotions, and project assignments should be consistent regardless of location

Building trust in hybrid environments requires extra effort, but the payoff in employee engagement and retention makes it worthwhile

Discover how Gable's office management solution enables hybrid teams to coordinate in-person collaboration effectively.

7. Recognize contributions

Recognition builds trust, and effective recognition goes beyond awards or generic messages. Meaningful appreciation shows employees that their work matters and leaders pay attention to their contributions.

High-impact recognition practices:

• Recognize effort and improvement, not just results
• Make recognition specific and timely: explain what the person did well and why it mattered
• Highlight how individual contributions support company goals, connecting personal work to a bigger purpose
• Use multiple recognition channels to reach different personalities

When colleagues see that good work is valued, it fosters a culture where people are motivated to give their best effort and support one another.

8. Create belonging through inclusive practices

Belonging and trust in the workplace are deeply connected—people trust environments where they feel valued for who they are and can bring their authentic selves to work.

Belonging-building strategies:

• Ensure everyone has space for different communication styles and perspectives
• Celebrate diverse backgrounds and perspectives
• Address bias and exclusionary behavior when it occurs; this shows the organization's commitment to respect for all
• Create employee resource groups that have real influence, giving people a voice in how the company operates

9. Model work-life integration

Work stress impacts employee relationships, but the degree of impact varies greatly depending on the overall health of the workplace. Leaders who model healthy boundaries help create a culture where workers feel supported.

Leadership modeling:

• Take vacation time and disconnect, showing that rest and personal time matter
• Respect boundaries around after-hours communication to demonstrate work-life balance
• Share your own challenges with work-life balance to show authenticity
• Offer flexible arrangements that meet business needs and personal circumstances

When business leaders act with integrity, it signals to employees that the organization genuinely cares about their well-being.

10. Make data-driven decisions

You can't improve what you don't measure. Many leaders lack ways to measure trust. Without clear metrics, it's impossible to know whether trust-building efforts are working or what to improve.

Trust measurement strategies:

• Include trust-specific questions in employee engagement surveys to get regular pulse checks
• Conduct regular surveys on psychological safety to understand how safe employees feel
• Track metrics like retention rates by manager and team to identify trust patterns
• Use tools like exit interviews to understand trust breakdowns and learn from departures

Research from Harvard Business Review and other sources consistently shows that organizations with strong measurement practices are better at building and maintaining trust over time.

Gable's workplace analytics provide the real-time insights you need to track team collaboration patterns.

11. Lead with consistency, not perfection

Following through on commitments means others can rely on you, and this consistency is key to building trust. Employees don't expect leaders to be perfect, but they do expect them to be consistent and honest about their limitations.

Consistency in action:

• Follow through on commitments to show that your word matters
• Communicate delays or changes as soon as possible to maintain transparency
• Apply policies fairly across all team members, avoiding favoritism
• Show up as the same leader whether things are going well or poorly—authentic leadership builds confidence

The goal isn't to have all the answers or never make mistakes, but to create predictable, honest relationships where employees know what to expect.

The ROI of trust: What the data shows

The business case for trust isn't just theoretical. Here's what research reveals:

• High-trust cultures perform 2x better than the general market in earnings
• People who work at high-trust companies experience 74% less stress
• High psychological safety reduces quit risk to 3% compared to 12% when it's low
• Teams with psychological safety show higher performance and lower interpersonal conflict

Building trust in the age of AI and uncertainty

As workplaces continue to evolve, trust-building strategies must also adapt.

"When a workplace is a great place to work for all, all stakeholders will benefit from AI abundance," says Michael C. Bush, CEO of Great Place To Work. "The secret ingredient is trust. Companies that have it are going to build much faster and go much farther than their competitors."

Future-ready trust strategies:

• Be transparent about how AI will be used in your organization
• Involve employees in decisions about technology adoption
• Provide training and support for new tools and processes
• Maintain human connection even as work becomes more digital

Measuring progress: Trust metrics that matter

Building trust requires ongoing measurement and adjustment. Here are key metrics to track:

Quantitative measures:

• Employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS)
• Retention rates by manager and team
• Internal promotion rates
• Engagement survey scores on trust-related questions

Qualitative indicators:

• Frequency of upward feedback and suggestions
• Speed of problem-solving and decision-making
• Quality of cross-team collaboration
• Innovation and risk-taking behaviors

Taking action: Your 30-day trust-building plan

Week 1: Assess and listen

• Survey your team on current trust levels
• Conduct one-on-one talks about trust experiences
• Identify trust gaps in your workplace

Week 2: Start small changes

• Implement daily check-ins
• Share one piece of previously internal information transparently
• Begin recognizing specific contributions more frequently

Week 3: Build systems

• Create regular feedback loops
• Establish consistent communication rhythms
• Start measuring trust-related metrics

Week 4: Expand and Reinforce

• Train leaders in trust-building behaviors
• Celebrate early wins and progress
• Plan long-term initiatives for building trust

FAQ: Building trust in the workplace

How long does it take to build trust in the workplace?

Building workplace trust typically takes 3-6 months to see meaningful improvement and 12-18 months to establish a strong culture of trust. However, trust can be damaged much faster, which is why consistency in actions is crucial.

What's the difference between trust and psychological safety at work?

While closely related, trust and psychological safety serve different functions. Trust is about believing others will act with integrity, while psychological safety is about feeling safe to take risks, make mistakes, and speak up.

How do you measure trust in a hybrid workplace?

Measuring trust in hybrid teams requires both quantitative and qualitative approaches. Track metrics like retention rates by manager, frequency of voluntary feedback, cross-team collaboration instances, and employee Net Promoter Scores.

Conclusion: Trust as a competitive advantage

The companies that will thrive in 2025 and beyond are the ones where employees feel trusted and valued, and where transparency replaces secrecy.

Building trust is a daily practice. It requires intentionality, consistency, and a willingness to acknowledge when you fall short. But the investment pays dividends in engagement, retention, innovation, and performance that no other workplace initiative can match.