A recent study* has highlighted the link between an employee’s trust in their employer and their loyalty to their organisation. The results of this study suggest that approximately 32% of a worker’s desire to stay or go is the result of feeling or not feeling trust towards their boss and showed that the more an employee trusts his or her direct boss, the more likely he or she will remain in an organisation.

The report, based on a survey of 7,209 executives, managers and employees, suggested that five particular dimensions of trust or creating trust were the best at predicting that a worker would remain. Having a boss who listens constructively to a worker’s on-the-job problems was found to be the strongest predictor of loyalty to an organisation, accounting for fully 26% of their wanting to stay or go. Additionally, perceiving that their boss makes good decisions and is honest with them, contribute incrementally an additional 3% and 2%. Perceiving that their boss is helping with professional growth added 1% to their decision.

The message to organisations seeking to improve the retention of their talent is clear from the key findings from this study.  Trust drives results; the issue of trust is much more than a nice buzzword but actually significantly predicts employee loyalty.  Equally clear from the study is that there is not enough trust in today’s organisations; only 20% of the people surveyed strongly trust the top management of their organisation, while 44% ranged from not trusting to strongly distrusting their top management.  Employers who want to build a trusting workplace should assess how they rate against the factors that build trust; constructive responses from managers, managers who make smart decisions, honest and truthful bosses, bosses who help employees grow and develop professionally and bosses who provide consistent direction, and take active steps to create a positive change.

In this month’s ReConnect Africa, we speak to Adelaide Matlejoane and Kevin D’Allende of Matlejoane Staffing Services, a successful Black Empowered recruitment agency at the forefront of recruiting South African talent back into the country.  With the launch of the African Finance Corporation, we share journalist Carol Pineau’s observations on Africa’s little-publicised but thriving private sector.  The Africa Club at the London Business School sets the scene for lively debate and action during its forthcoming Africa Day and we bring you some insights on team leadership from actor, playwright and business coach, Lin Sagovsky.  Following advice from our careers coach, the final word comes from former Commonwealth Secretary General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, who shares his views in this month’s ‘5 Minute Interview’

Enjoy this issue of ReConnect Africa - and don’t forget to write in and share your comments on these articles.

* Leadership IQ, ‘Building Trust in the Workplace’ www.leadershipiq.com