Jodi Quemelen

And how to rebuild it:

Viewing Trust as Currency in the Workplace

It took me a few months into my first managerial role that you can have the fancy job title and the best onboarding process in your entire field, but if trust is missing? None of it matters. People, especially Gen Z can sense when they’re not being trusted. And when that’s the vibe, they’re valid in withdrawing their trust from you, too.

This generation isn’t asking for perfection from leadership. They’re asking for partnership.

But here’s the thing: a lot of Gen Zers don’t fully trust their managers. And a lot of managers don’t fully trust their Gen Z employees. That tension silently builds, creating workplaces full of silence, resentment, and second-guessing.

Let’s talk about why the trust gap exists and how we can begin to close it.

WHY TRUST IS MISSING

We didn’t get here by accident.

In his book Trust and Inspire, Stephen M.R Covey makes the case that many leaders are still operating from a “Command and Control” mindset, even if their methods appear to be fit for the modern world.

Command and Control isn’t always in-you-face or aggressive.

• Prioritizing policies over people
• Focusing more on compliance than contribution
• Believing employees need to earn trust rather than receive it from the start.
• Micromanaging instead of mentoring / coaching.

Covey challenged this by encouraging leaders to make a shift from “Command and Control” to a “Trust and Inspire” model.

The Trust and Inspire model of leadership looks like:

• Seeing people as a whole, not simply as a means to an end.

• Mistakes are learning opportunities and not dealbreakers
• Leaders create space for autonomy and support
• Feedback flows in both directions, not just from top-down.
• Employees feel safe enough to ask for help when needed.

This model naturally builds trust, and compounds that trust over time.

Many of us grew up watching companies lay off entire departments via email. We saw adults give decades to a job and walk away burned out and underappreciated. So we entered the workforce with a mix of hope and the expectation that things would be different.

And for some of us, a lack of consistency is what leads to the breaking of trust.

I once had a mentor that I admired, until encouragement turned to control and constant criticism. It made my work life miserable and completely shattered my trust in leadership for a long time.

That’s the thing about trust: when it breaks, it doesn’t just hurt in the moment, it changes how you show up in every relationship after that. You can become overly cautious, and it can easily hinder your ability to truly show up and contribute your best work. 

It’s not drama. It’s playing defense. 

Trust isn’t missing because young professionals are entitled. It’s missing because, too often, our effort was exploited and their openness was punished.

WHAT BROKEN TRUST LOOKS LIKE AT WORK

Whether you’re a manager or a team member, here’s how a trust deficit might show up:

• Employees don’t ask questions and they fear judgment
  
• Managers micromanage because they don’t trust follow-through
  
• People withhold feedback because it feels useless or risky
  
• Everyone does the bare minimum because no one feels safe to do more
  
• Constructive criticism is seen as personal because relationships aren’t strong enough to see it as constructive or out of support.
  

And here’s the irony: both sides are frustrated, but neither feels empowered to say the truth.

7 Ways to Rebuild Trust in the Workplace

Trust isn’t about grand gestures, it’s built in small, consistent actions. And the good news? Anyone on the team can start.

1. Listen without judgment

Be present. Ask questions. Create a safe space where people feel heard, not fixed or dismissed.

2. Ask how you can be of support

Don’t assume the needs of others….ask. Speak their language, not yours. Learn how you can work with them, not just over or under them. Make accountability mutual, not hierarchical.

3. Communicate boundaries clearly, calmly, and consistently

Boundaries aren’t barriers. They’re bridges to strengthen relationships and build understanding of one another. They protect relationships, not restrict them. Talk openly about preferences for communication, feedback, and capacity.

Tip: Ask how your team prefers to receive constructive feedback and share your preferences, too.

4. Don’t make assumptions

If something feels off, ask before you interpret. Trust grows when curiosity replaces judgment.

5. Lead with integrity

If you mess up, own it. If you miss something, acknowledge it.

6. Lead with empathy

Learn your team’s personal “why.” Understand their motivations, fears, and hopes. Humanize the work, don’t just focus solely on the output.

7. Practice trust, even when it’s scary

Yes, it’s vulnerable. Yes, people will disappoint you sometimes. But if you never give trust, you’ll never receive it either.

“You can’t build trust in an environment where no one is willing to go first.”

The bottom line is that rebuilding trust won’t always be easy, but it will always be worth it. The workplace of the future will be thankfully built by leaders who are willing to innovate by fostering cultures rooted in trust, partnership, and inspiration. 

See you next week!

Peace,

Jodi Q.