In a hybrid working world, trust is one of the foundations of company culture. However, mandated return-to-office strategies can hinder this trust, leading to disengagement. Our new series explores how to navigate RTO policies without sacrificing trust and why this issue matters so deeply to today’s employees.
One of the most significant concerns is the erosion of trust between employers and employees. Trust is one of the most important yet fragile elements in any relationship, and hasty implementation of rigid RTO policies after a trust-based culture of hybrid work can erode the progress and culture. Management might believe that rigid policies provide clarity, but they inadvertently create boundaries that employees find unacceptable.
When trust diminishes, it affects company culture, employee engagement, and productivity. Studies have found that a trust-based approach promotes a culture of information sharing and knowledge absorption leading towards enhanced innovation, improved organisational performance and sustainable competitive advantage. Leaders must carefully weigh the anticipated gains from increased face-to-face time against the inherent risks, ideally in advance of policy setting rather than in response to backlash.
Download the first article in our Incendium 10 series to find out more.