AUTHOR | NATALIE ALVAREZ
Trust is an essential component of social intelligence in the workplace. Understanding how trust is built and recognized across generations is critical to create a collaborative and productive workplace. Trust is built upon three distinct components – authenticity, empathy, and logic (“Begin with Trust”, Frei and Morriss, Harvard Business Review). However, there are significant variations on how trust is built and recognized across generations due to differences in generational values.
Workplace Trust: A Multi-Generational Perspective
Through surveys conducted in the workplace as part of graduate research, employees across generations agreed on the importance of empathy to build trust. Gen Z employees also highlighted the importance of empathy to build trust with colleagues. While logic was the least important factor for trust building for Baby Boomers, Gen X, and Gen Z, Millennials actually place a higher value on logic than authenticity. While there is universal value placed on empathy, generational differences exist on other methods of building trust.
The Trust Equation: What Makes or Breaks Trust Across Generations
To further understand differences in trust in the workplace across generations, employees were asked to think of recent interactions with coworkers to understand which elements of trust failed them. First, employees were asked to analyze which component of their behavior caused a colleague to not trust them. Across generations, employees believe they were not trusted because they lacked logic. Millennials also felt they were not trusted because they lacked authenticity. This aligns with the survey finding that Millennials value logic and empathy over authenticity. These findings highlight the need to understand generational preferences when building trust with colleagues.
Conversely, employees were asked to think of a recent situation where a colleague gained their trust. Across generations, employees felt that they trusted their coworkers most due to authenticity. Millennials also emphasized the importance of sound logic and empathy, in addition to authenticity, when building trust with coworkers. This finding aligns with the overall perception of empathy as the most crucial element of trust building. However, generational differences remain in how other aspects of trust are prioritized in the workplace.
Trust in the Workplace: Generational Gaps Emerge
Next, employees were asked if they felt trusted by their coworkers. Overall, employees feel they are trusted in their workplace, with Gen X feeling the most trusted at work. Millennials were mixed on whether they feel trusted in the workplace, likely reflecting the challenges and transition typical in mid-career. Baby Boomers displayed the widest range of trust levels at work. This suggests that career stages may play a role in trust dynamics in the workplace.
Finally, employees were asked if they trust the leaders in their organizations. Across generations, responses were mixed, indicating neither trust nor distrust in organizational leadership. Gen Z displayed the highest level of trust in leaders, while Baby Boomers displayed the least trust in leadership in their organization. This displays a generational divide in trust in leadership and may reflect challenges in organizational culture.
The Media vs. The Organization: Where Does Generational Trust Lie?
Interestingly, while Gen Z is the most trusting of organizational leadership, they are the least trusting of the media, doing more fact-checking than older generations. Conversely, Baby Boomers are the least likely to fact-check information, demonstrating more trust in media sources than their own organization leadership. This highlights the dynamic nature of generational trust in institutions.
Fostering Trust: Key Behaviors for Leaders
Ultimately, trust is a complex concept with many implications for workplace dynamics. Above all else, empathy is needed to build trust. However, generational differences exist in how other aspects of trust are valued. To foster a truly collaborative and productive work environment, employees provided several key behaviors for leaders to build trust across generations:
Empathy is Key: While generational differences exist, empathy consistently emerges as a cornerstone of trust-building across generations.
Generational Nuances: Understanding and valuing the diverse perspectives on trust held by different generations is critical for effective communication and collaboration.
Leadership Matters: Leaders play a pivotal role in shaping workplace trust. By embodying authenticity, transparency, care, knowledge, and collaboration, leaders can foster a culture of trust that transcends generations.
Open Communication: Encouraging open dialogue and actively seeking to understand colleagues' perspectives on trust can help bridge generational divides and build stronger relationships.
Trust in Action: Applying Insights on Your Team
We encourage the OP Community to reflect on these findings and consider how they apply to your own workplace. Take the time to understand the generational nuances of trust within your team and organization. By fostering open communication, embracing empathy, and valuing diverse perspectives, we can collectively build workplaces where trust thrives.
Author's Bio
Natalie is a proud San Diego native and currently works as a Senior Financial Analyst for Turner Construction Company. Her expertise in construction management includes engineering, project management, preconstruction, and finance. Natalie’s project experience spans the
aviation, commercial and K-12 education market segments in San Diego, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.
Building on her leadership experience across California, Natalie founded the Turner - San Diego Young Professionals group, with the goal of creating a cohesive community of engineering leaders who will become the champions and agents of change for San Diego’s growing market. Through the Young Professionals group, Natalie co-organized a virtual executive coaching session for Turner West Coast staff. Guided by her core values of integrity and equity, Natalie is actively involved in Turner’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives through study action teams, training, and college recruitment efforts. She is passionate about mentoring future engineers and exposing underrepresented students to the industry.
Natalie was recognized by the San Diego Business Journal as a Woman of Influence in Engineering (2021). She serves on the Board of Governors for the USC Alumni Association and is also a board member for The Bishop’s School Alumni Association.
Natalie holds a bachelors and master’s degree in engineering from the Viterbi School of Engineering at the University of Southern California, and a MBA from the Rady School of Management at the University of California, San Diego. In her spare time, she enjoys watching sports, reading, knitting, traveling, and playing golf.
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