SECOND QUARTER 2026 25 NO. 104 B U L L E T I N By Amy Wischmann, SHRM–CP Trust: The Cornerstone of Organizational Culture In the workplace, trust is like oxygen. When present, it goes completely unnoticed, but when it disappears, everyone feels it immediately. Trust shapes how employees interpret decisions, how comfortable they feel raising concerns, and how willing they are to go the extra mile for customers, coworkers, and the company. The good news is trust is not accidental. Leaders build and maintain trust intentionally through thoughtful and consistent behaviors. The downside - leaders can also destroy it, and once gone, trust is very difficult to regenerate. Building Trust with Employees Trust begins with clarity, consistency, respect and transparency. Employees are far more likely to trust leadership when they understand what is expected of them and believe those expec tations are applied fairly across the organization. Be very clear in terms of what success looks like for each role, what standards of quality are expected, and where employees fit in the orga nizational puzzle. Having clarity around expectations allows employees to focus on performing well rather than wondering if they are doing things correctly. Consistency is important in both communication and follow-through. In many ways, maintaining trust is about predictability. Employees should know what kind of leadership they will experience each day. Leaders must avoid constantly shifting priorities, different messaging depending on the day, or seemingly “directionless” direction. With respect to follow-through, leaders build trust when their actions match their words. If a supervisor says they will look into an issue, employees expect they actually will. If a manager prom ises to revisit a pay review or a scheduling concern, employees notice whether promises are kept. Small actions, or lack of, have big impact. Trust is greatly enhanced when employees feel respected and heard. Employees must feel confident that their concerns can be raised without fear of retaliation or dismissal. Leaders build trust when they: • actively listen before reacting, • ask questions to understand the full situation, • take employees’ feelings into account, and • treat employees with professionalism, even during difficult conversations. Respectful communication communicates something power ful: you matter here. Finally, trust is strengthened when leaders are transparent about decisions. Employees don’t expect to be involved in every decision, but they do expect and deserve honesty. Explaining the reasoning behind changes helps employees understand the bigger picture and prevents unnecessary speculation. Maintaining Trust Over Time Maintaining trust requires ongoing attention. One of the biggest threats to trust is inconsistency. Employees carefully observe how rules, policies, and expectations are applied. If one employee is held accountable while another is not, trust will erode quickly. While not every situation can Note: All in-print DLI bulletins, including this one, are available on DLI’s Drycleaning Encyclopedia accessible in the Members Only section of DLIonline.org. This resource is available to Standard, Gold, Premier, and International Members. Leaders who build trust through intentional, consistent behaviors often have engaged employees who care more about their work and how it impacts the company.
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