The Impact of Trust on Women in the Workplace

The tell-tale data about women's trust in their employers over time

Author

Natalie Shaw
May 23, 2024

In the last newsletter, we covered the power of trust in the workplace and its impact on confidence and competence. Trust is essential for high-functioning individuals and teams.

According to research conducted by Deloitte, women trusted their employers 30% less than men at the same level by the time they reached director-level leadership positions.

“A team at Deloitte measured trust levels of 5,000 U.S. employees across job types and industries and found that while women and men enter the workforce with essentially the same level of trust in their employers, women’s trust rapidly falls behind men’s and continues to lag throughout their careers. By the time women reach the director level, they trust their employers 30% less than men at the same level.” - HBR.org, Research: Why Women Trust Their Employers Less Than Men Do

This data suggests a critical issue: women's trust in their employers drops significantly over their careers. Below is the graph showing the erosion of trust women experience over their career development:

If you feel unable to make the impact you are capable of in your role but can't pinpoint why, it may well be because your trust in your organisation and its leadership has declined.

As discussed in the last newsletter, the creation or erosion of trust is subtle. It occurs through factors like being recognized for your work, staying informed about company developments, building strong relationships, and receiving support for personal and professional growth.

For example, if you are left out of decisions critical to your role, lack information that would help you contribute more effectively, don't receive recognition for your contributions to the company's success, or don't feel you connect well with senior leaders, these issues can erode your trust in the organisation and your feeling of value.

You can learn more about the neuroscience of trust in this link.

So, what can you do about it?

If you are unhappy in your current job, finding a new one might be the best solution to break existing patterns. If you are suffering and can change your environment, do so, or speak to someone (a mentor) who can help you make this decision with confidence. It’s also important to know that many women in various organisations and industries experience biases. These experiences and feelings will likely reoccur unless you have effective strategies for building and maintaining trusted and productive relationships within your workplace.

The good news is that developing your ability to build trusted relationships will serve you well in all areas of life. Not only will it benefit you personally, but the impact of the relationships you cultivate will ripple outwards. I am convinced that addressing the quality of our relationships is key to solving many of the world’s larger problems.

Our mission is to make building trusted relationships your superpower.

There is a lot to talk about here. Let’s start with what is right in front of you—the only thing you really have any control over, and that is you.

Your capacity for building trusted relationships is linked directly to how much you trust yourself. Specifically, how much you trust yourself to do what needs to be done in alignment with your value system.

Do you know yourself, your wants, your needs, your values and your boundaries?

Do you trust in your ability to communicate these clearly to others?

Do you trust yourself to take the action necessary to rectify a situation for yourself so that your needs are met?

In our next newsletter or two, we’ll dig more into what it means to trust yourself, and how to work on this.

See you in the next newsletter!

Natalie Shaw
CEO @ OneUpOneDown