Employees are likely to have higher levels of trust in their business leaders if they feel they have been properly treated during the recession.
According to research published by the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM) and Management Today, staff at organisations that have seen office closures and involuntary redundancies have much lower levels of trust in management.
On a scale of one to 100 with an average trust level of 63, these employees typically scored 51, while those who have been treated in a more measured way – with budget cuts and flexible working – have increased trust levels to 68.
Interestingly, trust in chief executives (CEOs) was found to be higher in the private sector than in the public sector for the second year running, with women CEOs more trusted than men (66 compared to 63, on average).
Penny de Valk, chief executive of ILM, said: "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.
"In those organisations where impacts of the recession have been seen to be managed well, trust levels are significantly higher."
The ILM/Management Today research showed that female bosses are believed to better understand employees' roles than males, while women are also generally considered strong in terms of ability and integrity.
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