Skip to content Trust isn’t earned once. It’s exchanged daily.
In every people–manager relationship, trust functions like currency. It fuels openness, feedback, and collaboration. But like real currency, it loses value quickly when actions and words don’t align.
A Harvard Business Review study found that people working in high-trust organizations report 74 percent less stress, 50 percent higher productivity, and 76 percent more engagement than those in low-trust environments. (Paul J. Zak, “The Neuroscience of Trust,” HBR, January 2017). That’s a far greater return.
Trust isn’t a “nice to have.” It’s the foundation that turns work into commitment.
Everyday Moves
Deliver on commitments, even small ones.
Explain the “why” behind your decisions.
Invest time in genuine connection. Ask questions, listen, and learn what matters most to your people.
Trust doesn’t demand perfection. It demands consistency. When people consistently see care, fairness, and follow-through, they give more of their best in return. That’s the exchange that keeps value flowing. The most reliable way to strengthen culture is to make trust your daily operating system.
How do you keep trust in steady circulation with your people?
