Less Than Half of Employees Trust Their Leaders. Here’s How to Be Different. In this era of tremendous change, any leader who wants people to follow them needs to build trust.

In an era of layoffs and shifting corporate values, less than half of workers trust their senior leaders. However, trust is the prerequisite for speed, transformation, and talent retention. After returning to the helm of my company to steer a major market shift, I identified five key behaviors that rebuild trust.

The 5 Strategies:

1. Show Up and Be Present: Physical and mental presence matter. Whether visiting global offices or joining a virtual call, leaders must avoid distractions and be reachable. If the CEO is disengaged, the culture follows suit.
2. Embrace Reality: Transparency requires sharing both wins and failures. Consistent, honest messaging about business goals—and unfiltered Q&A sessions—drives engagement even during difficult transitions.
3. Master the 1:1: Regular one-on-one meetings triple employee engagement. These should be agenda-driven sessions that end with concrete action plans, empowering employees to solve problems rather than just reporting them.
4. Prioritize Values: Consistency is key. Abandoning core values (such as DEI commitments) when political winds change destroys credibility. Values must be operationalized, not just listed on a website.
5. Trust People Back: You cannot demand trust without giving it. Grant teams autonomy and permission to fail. Leaders should absorb the blame for stumbles but ensure the team gets the credit for successes.

The Bottom Line: Trust is hard to earn and easy to lose. In times of uncertainty, leaders must actively work to win it through presence, honesty, consistency, and empowerment.