Trusting Employees to Deliver Results in Times of Change, by Jonathan H. Westover PhD

Abstract: Trusting Employees to Deliver Results in Times of Change explores the research foundation showing that building trust is key to empowering high performance, especially during periods of organizational change and uncertainty. Drawing from literature in psychology, management, and organizational behavior, the article discusses factors that contribute to developing organizational trust, with a focus on the pivotal role of managers as "trust anchors." Practical strategies are provided for fostering trust through transparent communication, participative decision-making, skill development support, and empowering teams with autonomy. The article also shares examples from the retail banking and technology industries to illustrate how trust-based approaches aided successful navigations of major transformations. The conclusion reinforces that trusting employees to problem-solve enables engagement and results, even amid disruption.