Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
    • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
    • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

Public sectorEmployee engagementLine managers

Managers trust their employers the least in the public sector, finds survey

by Jo Faragher 24 Sep 2014
by Jo Faragher 24 Sep 2014

Managers in the public sector have the lowest levels of trust in their employers, according to a report released today by the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM).

The ILM report, “The truth about trust”, found that only 29% of public-sector managers have high levels of trust in their organisation, compared with 45% in the private sector and 46% in the not-for-profit sector.

Many managers are also distrustful of their colleagues, with 12% of those in the public sector stating that they trust “almost no-one” in their organisation.

The report polled more than 1,600 managers, and found that the individual industries with the lowest trust levels are central and local government, including the police and fire service, education, banking and insurance.

Only one-tenth of those working in central government had high trust in their organisations, compared with just under one-third in education, and 34% in banking and insurance.

Charles Elvin, ILM CEO, said low trust in public-sector employers was down to uncertainty after years of budget cuts and upheaval. He said: “This challenge is by no means unique to the public sector – we also see a real opportunity for leaders to transform low trust across the financial services industries by building open two-way relationships that enable high-performance workplaces.”

The ILM also identified five fundamental skills and qualities that leaders should have in order to be trusted by staff. The biggest driver was openness, ranked highly by 70% of employees, followed by effective communication, the ability to make decisions, integrity, and competence in their role.

The report also discovered a link between those organisations with the lowest levels of trust internally, and poor levels of trust from the general public.

Elvin said: “The first step to building trust with consumers is to focus on gaining the trust of your most important stakeholders – your employees. Trust is more than a nice-to-have, it is the lifeblood of sustainable organisational performance.”

Jo Faragher
Jo Faragher

Jo Faragher has been an employment and business journalist for 20 years. She regularly contributes to Personnel Today and writes features for a number of national business and membership magazines. She won the Willis Towers Watson HR journalist of the year award in 2015 and has been highly commended twice.

previous post
NHS trust had no contractual right to increase disciplinary sanction on appeal
next post
Does the costly BBC case shed light on when to settle tribunal claims?

1 comment

Avatar
Oliver Cromwell 24 Sep 2014 - 4:44 pm

“we also see a real opportunity for leaders to transform low trust
across the financial services industries by building open two-way
relationships that enable high-performance workplaces.”…
What a load of old bowlocks. Does that actually mean anything? Or is it just a winning line in Bullsh!t Bingo?

Comments are closed.

You may also like

Engaging frontline staff: employers urged to communicate better

20 Jun 2022

Managing underperforming managers (webinar)

20 Jun 2022

Workforce wellbeing and job design: Stephen Bevan talks...

17 Jun 2022

‘Summer of discontent’ ahead as more unions ballot...

15 Jun 2022

Whistleblowing nurse awarded £462k for unfair dismissal

15 Jun 2022

UK among worst in Europe for employee engagement

14 Jun 2022

Setback for civil servants’ union in bid to...

10 Jun 2022

Authenticity at work: Is it really ‘all about...

9 Jun 2022

NHS leadership review highlights ‘inadequacy’ in training and...

8 Jun 2022

Civil Service Fast Stream graduate scheme paused

31 May 2022
  • NSPCC revamps its learning strategy with child wellbeing at its heart PROMOTED | The NSPCC’s mission is to prevent abuse and neglect...Read more
  • Diversity versus inclusion: Why the difference matters PROMOTED | It’s possible for an environment to be diverse, but not inclusive...Read more
  • Five steps for organisations across the globe to become more skills-driven PROMOTED | The shift in the world of work has been felt across the globe...Read more
  • The future of workforce development PROMOTED | Northumbria University and partners share insight...Read more
  • Strathclyde Business School expands its Degree Apprenticeship offer in England PROMOTED | The University of Strathclyde is expanding its programmes...Read more
  • The Search for Talent: Six Major Employer Pitfalls PROMOTED | The Great Resignation continues unabated...Read more
  • Navigating the widening “Skills Confidence Gap” in 2022, and beyond PROMOTED | Cornerstone OnDemand conducted a global study...Read more
  • Apprenticeships are the solution to your recruitment problems PROMOTED | Apprenticeships have the pulling power...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2022

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2022 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
    • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+