If Elon Musk’s contentious purchase of Twitter has taught us anything, it’s that leadership style and how it affects company culture (not to mention benefits and workplace policies) has a huge impact on employee engagement, retention and performance.

And while Musk’s polarizing methodologies aren’t typical of the majority of CEOs, a new study by Gallup has found that the vast bulk of leaders are losing trust with their employees.

Today, only 21 percent of American workers strongly agree that they trust the leaders of their organization, down from 24 percent in 2019. 

And these figures, which coincide with the start of the pandemic versus where we are today, highlight how new ways of working—and their shortcomings—have undoubtedly played a part in triggering these feelings of distrust. So how can leaders work to regain the confidence of their workforce?

Cultivating a culture of trust

Gallup’s data suggests that in order to foster or reinstate trust, leaders need to adopt a three-pronged approach: communicate clearly, inspire confidence in the future, and lead and support change.

It argues that when these three elements are in place, 95 percent of workers trust their leaders.

While the pandemic and work from home orders allowed employees to see a more human side to their employers, the uncertainty that started to infiltrate remote workplaces as Zoom fatigue set in directly correlates with how well leaders were able to communicate with their staff.

This disconnect—both physical and metaphorical—made it harder for leaders to offer reassurance on the future state of play and in turn, led to employee disengagement.

The real cost of bad leadership

While there are many reasons why employees become disengaged and halt their personal investment in a job or organization, the overwhelming takeaway is that leaders must gain back trust in order to tackle this issue head on.

In fact, high employee engagement has been proven to improve productivity, reduce turnover and boost revenue—it’s estimated that low employee engagement costs the global economy $8.1 trillion per year.

That being said, creating a sense of belonging and an environment where employees can thrive doesn’t come easy.

Employers must actively work towards generating opportunities for meaningful work, pioneer real flexibility in the workplace and open up channels for dialogue that allow for two-way feedback.

And if these kinds of measures aren’t put in place and you’re struggling with a leader who continues to fail in their endeavors, it could be time to reconsider your current position and look towards a company that champions a more inclusive approach.

If this is the case, The Hill Job Board has thousands of openings across the country, like the three below.

Senior Representative, Federal Relations, CFC, Sterling

National Cooperative Services Corporation, or NCSC, located in Dulles, Virginia, is a privately funded, member-owned cooperative providing specialized financing services to electric cooperatives since 1981. NCSC is an affiliate of National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation (CFC). It currently has an opportunity for a Senior Representative to lead advocacy efforts and liaise with the electric cooperative industry trade association on legislative and regulatory matters of importance to National Cooperative Services Corporation (NCSC) and affiliated organizations and provide representation where needed. This position is also responsible for providing support for the advancement of the National Cooperative Services Corporation and its affiliated organizations’ positions with Federal agencies and Congress. View more details here.

Senior Domestic Policy Analyst, Bread for the World, Washington

Bread for the World is a Christian advocacy organization urging U.S. decision makers to do all they can to pursue a world without hunger. Its mission is to educate and equip people to advocate for policies and programs that can help end hunger in the U.S. and around the world. As Senior Domestic Policy Analyst you will provide organizational leadership, strategic advice and implementation strategies on domestic policies and legislation affecting people living in poverty and hunger in the U.S. This includes raising Bread’s profile and amplifying the voices of persons impacted by hunger on Capitol Hill; serving as a liaison for Bread’s work at the federal government level; and Identifying emerging trends on relevant policy issues. See the full job description here.

Transit & Mobility Planner, ICF, Buffalo

ICF is a global consulting firm and its transportation portfolio specializes in addressing complex planning, policy, and program issues at the nexus of transportation and the environment, energy, and communities. As Transit & Mobility Planner you will be responsible for supporting and leading project tasks related to public transportation agencies in New York State and across the Northeastern U.S. Examples of transit planning efforts will include coordinated rural transit planning, Mobility On Demand integration with traditional transit service planning, First and Last Mile connectivity to transit planning, statewide transit coordination support, advisement to transit agencies and consulting partners on transit data standards development and implementation, trip planning tools, and data analysis. Get more information about this opening here.

For more roles in companies that successfully lead their employees visit The Hill Job Board today