Trust and Mistrust At Work

Employees' trust in upward communication has risen dramatically in the past decade, according to MORI's latest research in the UK, presented at the Communicators in Business conference in May. The survey pinpoints the most and least trusted information channels, enabling internal communicators to fine-tune their communications strategies.

'We have found a dramatic increase in the trust employees place in upward communications,' explains Susan Walker, director of MORI's Human Resources research. A third (33%) of employees, mainly managers and professionals, trust the opportunities given to put forward their own views compared to less than one in six (15%) in 1994. Just as people are urged to become more involved and express their views in every walk of life, so they're expecting the same opportunity at work.

Line managers are employees' most trusted channels of company information. Around half of Britain's employees (48%) find their direct boss a reliable channel, an increase of nine per cent since 1994. This view is especially prevalent among those under 35 and junior managers or skilled manual workers. More than two in five employees (43%), especially managers and professionals, also trust the information imparted in team briefings - a rise of 14% on 1994.

MORI's research reveals a lack of confidence in senior management, with one in five (20%) people feeling they are not a trustworthy or reliable channel of information. On balance, only marginally more believe senior management than disbelieve them - a view that has not changed in 10 years. This mistrust affects employees' feelings profoundly: those who feel mutual loyalty is declining within their company, and who do not believe their organisation provides 'great products or services', are twice as likely to mistrust senior management.

Staff magazines or newspapers and company videos are mistrusted by more than one in seven employees (13% and 14% respectively). They find favour with just one in 10 (10%) and a mere three per cent of employees respectively.

Despite encouraging signs that trust in companies is increasing, there is still some way to go, says Walker. 'Although line managers are seen as the most trustworthy information channel, fewer than half of employees hold that view. MORI's trend data show that fewer than four in ten people find internal communications open and honest, while three in ten do not. The impact of these findings is critical to internal communications strategies. It emphasises the value of focusing on effective team briefings and upward communications channels as these are most likely to be trusted.'

MORI interviewed 776 people, of whom 607 were in full-time and 169 part-time employment, face-to-face in-home between 6 and 12 March 2003. There were 192 sampling points throughout Great Britain. Data have been weighted to reflect the national profile.

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas unless otherwise stated.

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