High levels of trust between bosses and their employees are the currency of every great business. It is the glue that holds the organisation together—helping to align everyone around shared goals, fuelling collaboration and team effectiveness, which are the hallmarks of a high-performing organisation. But right now, trust between leaders and their teams hangs delicately in the balance across many workplaces. This loss of cohesion is not helped by decisions to roll back investments in DEI or sustainability, return-to-office mandates, or poorly managed workplace change, which leave employees wondering if their leaders will sacrifice their well-being in exchange for a quick win.

It seems the slipping grasp on employee trust is not driven by people thinking their leaders are incompetent—it is largely because they feel that leaders do not care about them. For example, findings from Qualtrics’ 2025 Employee Experience Trends study reveal that 56% of workers believe their boss prioritises short-term business gains over their wellbeing, 67% say their leaders’ behaviours align with organisational values, and 68% say their leaders are competent.

While employees are somewhat positive about their leaders’ competence and integrity, they are much less likely to believe they will act with benevolence. And that matters because, at the heart of trust, is a belief that leaders genuinely care about people’s well-being.

Three behaviours of highly trusted leaders

Demonstrate people are the priority

Trust will erode if employees feel that leaders do not care about them. Often, leaders over-index on demonstrating competence, such as through increased transparency of decisions and acting with integrity, but overlook the importance of taking the time to demonstrate care and understanding for others. As a result, highly trusted leaders are known for checking in with employees and providing the support, resources, and direction they need.

Proactively ask for and act on feedback

Leaders who continue to be successful into the future are those who actively seek feedback and value ideas from a diverse range of employees, beyond their immediate network. This requires an openness to invite perspectives that challenge, contrast, or differ, and the courage to take action on them with intent. While this feels like an impediment to fast decisions, investing in these actions upfront will save time down the line through better decisions being made and facing less resistance to them.

Make informed decisions that build trust

A surefire way to erode trust is the phrase “trust me.” But the reality is many leaders are making daily decisions that impact people, often in the absence of timely and relevant insights from employees. Leaders will struggle to build trust if they only inform their decisions based on financial and operational information. Access to actionable information about employee experiences is critical to enabling smarter, better decisions that build trust, increase profitability, and sustain organisational performance.

Maintaining trust through change

No one enjoys experiencing rapid change, disruption, and uncertainty. But those who work in an environment of trust will have the resilience to meet these challenges together, while others fracture and compete over scarce resources. This is why trust is not a “nice to have.” In the pursuit of greater workplace productivity and better employee experience, trust is a must-have. It is the glue that holds people within organisations together. But during times of change and uncertainty, like today’s, leaders have to listen to employees more and work harder to maintain it.

By prioritising cultivating the three behaviours of highly trusted leaders among leadership teams—proactively asking for and acting on feedback, demonstrating care and empathy for people, and making experience-informed decisions—organisations will be well placed to close the trust gaps that exist in the workplace and reap the rewards of an engaged, motivated, and high-performing workforce.