Only 46% of employees trust their leaders. A BCG partner says the fix is simpler than CEOs think

Only 46% of employees trust their leaders, according to a recent BCG partner. This is in stark contrast to the confidence of CEOs, who believe that their employees trust their leadership. The reason behind this disparity can be traced back to how leaders interact with their employees. Employees have the power to choose how much energy, creativity, and effort they want to give to work each day.

They are not forced to work hard, but rather evaluate whether their daily tasks, culture, administrative processes, and interactions with managers are worth it. This makes the work environment a product that employees choose to engage with or not, just like any other product. To ensure that employees choose to engage with their work, leaders need to make the product good enough to be consumed consistently.

Emotional features, such as feeling that work matters and being respected, supported, and connected with colleagues, are more important than functional features like pay, benefits, and flexibility. This good news for leaders is that these emotional features can be delivered without much cost, as they only require leaders to change their daily behaviors.

For instance, Dropbox redesigned its work model as a product that must delight employees after the Covid pandemic. They implemented a "Virtual First" approach, which included flexible workdays, clearer collaboration windows, simpler meeting rules, better documentation methods, and intentional in-person interactions. The result was a significant increase in employees feeling successful at work, rising offer acceptance rates, and a decrease in attrition.

Another example is a client of the BCG partner who improved operational productivity without spending much. They analyzed the performance of frontline managers and found that the difference lay in their ability to inspire, motivate, and coach their teams, which met the emotional needs of employees. By redesigning daily routines, such as shift handover meetings, they created a sense of community among team members, leading to increased enjoyment and better financial performance.

Ultimately, the key to improving employee trust and productivity lies in the small, seemingly insignificant actions leaders take daily. These include celebrating employees' achievements, getting involved in their work, and providing help where needed. Simple behaviors like acknowledging great work, being present in the workplace, and offering assistance can have a profound impact on employee motivation and overall company success.