Crafting employee trust: from authenticity, transparency to engagement

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to propose and test a model examining how three influential organizational factors – authentic leadership, transparent organizational communication, and employee engagement – are linked to employee trust. Design/methodology/approach This study conducted an online survey on a random sample of 391 employees across different industry sectors in the USA. Findings Authentic leadership, transparent organizational communication, and employee engagement directly and significantly influenced the level of trust that employees have toward their organizations. Authentic leadership indirectly impacted employee engagement through transparent organizational communication. Authentic leadership also indirectly affected employee trust via the presence of transparent organizational communication and employee engagement. Practical implications The study informs communication managers and organizational leaders with the importance of integrating authentic leadership and transparent communication skills, strategies, and tactics in various training and mentoring workshops. Creating a motivating, nurturing, and transparent organizational environment contributes to employee engagement and trust. Originality/value This study examines the drivers of employee trust by testing the effects of employee engagement, authentic leadership, and transparent organizational communication.

Authentic Leadership and Openness to Change in Pakistani Service Industry: The Mediating Role of Trust and Transparent Communication

“…This study has shown that there is strong direct relationship between transparent communication and trust. it is consistent to prior research, according to (Jiang & Luo, 2018;Rawlins, 2008) which state that scholars of Public relations have consistently found that transparent communication provide various positive employee outcomes, such as employee trust contribution. Furthermore, the study shows that Accountability is a significant relationship with trust.…”

“…Which can comprise of several factors including lack of feedback, one way of flow of information but at the same time effective and transparent communication can result in positive outcome including employees trust, motivation and self-confidence. Public relations scholars have consistently found that various positive employee outcomes are achieved by transparent communication and which contributes to several positive employee outcomes including employee trust (Jiang & Luo, 2018;Rawlins, 2008). Due to emerging consideration of implementing change in organization, the significance of transparent communication is emerged.…”

“…2007; Elving, 2005) Public relations scholars have consistently found that transparent communication contributes to various positive employee outcomes, such as employee trust (Jiang & Luo, 2018;Rawlins, 2008), corporate reputation and employee-organization relationships (Men & Stacks, 2014)Previous study found out that, trust also results from effective internal communication and in turn affects employee behaviors and overall organizational outcomes (Shockley-Zalabak & Ellis, 2006) (Devos, Buelens, & Bouckenooghe, 2007;Ertürk, 2008). In organization, several factor can also influence level of trust that include leadership behavior of supervisor and managers Men, 2015;Men & Stacks, 2014) and communication in organization (Mishra, Boynton, & Mishra, 2014).…”

“…Hence, based on above discussion, following hypothesis are proposed. ISSN 2162-3058 2020 transparent internal communication Demonstrate the genuine interest of the organizational leaders to maintain and enhance the relationship with employs following that transparency is opposite of secrecy It is characterized by openness (Rawlins, 2009) Internal communication is characterized by transparent communication (Men & Stacks, 2014) and the strategic communication has gained that prominence in literature (Jiang & Luo, 2018)Transparent communication build organizational trust is identified by communication ( (Jiang & Luo, 2018;Rawlins, 2008) And help in employee-organization relationships enhancement (Men & Stacks, 2014) Whereas transparency is comprised of three elements informational participatory and accountability transparency and these three -work together but are analytically distinct‖ (Balkin, J M, 1999, p. 393) . Furthermore, (Rawlins, 2008)and (Jiang & Men, 2017) they found that There's is a direct relationship between employees trust toward organization and transparent internal communication.…”

Prioritising employee-organisation relationships in non-profit organisations in Kenya: Antecedents, queries and contradictions

“…Huang's definition captured two of the key concepts in OPR: trust and satisfaction. Trust continues to be a key variable of interest in relationship management studies (Rawlings, 2008;Paine, 2013;Jo & Shim, 2005;Jiang, 2016) particularly in relation to relationship outcomes.…”