Increased trust 'where flexible working is offered'

02/09/2010

In firms where flexible working was offered to employees instead of involuntary redundancies and office closures, the workers have more trust in chief executive officers (CEOs), according to new research.

There was a sharp drop in CEO trust in companies which responded with brutal cuts during the recession, according to the 5,000 employees surveyed for the second annual Index of Leadership Trust from the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM).

Firms which took a more measured approach to the downturn, by cutting budgets and allowing employees to work more flexibly, saw trust index scores of 68, compared to 51 in the others.

"It is clear that the actions of senior managers are scrutinised to a far greater extent during times of crisis, and major cuts are often seen as the direct result of poor management – even when this might be beyond their control," said Penny de Valk from the ILM.

The ILM exists to support, develop and inform managers at every stage of their careers.

Posted by Emma Noble