Sep 1, 2022 - Politics & Policy

New data: Employers are last bastions of trust

Mike Allen
Data: Edelman Trust Barometer. Chart: Jared Whalen/Axios

Most people trust their employers, despite falling confidence in government and media, the Edelman Trust Barometer finds in a new special report on "Trust in the Workplace" shared first with Axios.

Why it matters: That creates both an opportunity and an obligation for employers. They need to communicate clearly and consistently with workers, who are ready to listen.

After friends and family, the workplace has become the most important source of community — ahead of neighbors and religious organizations, Edelman found.

  • The report — which surveyed 7,000 employees in seven countries this summer — found a "trust crash" for governments, while employers remain a "bulwark of stability."

Context: The Trust Barometer found last year that businesses had become the most trusted institution in the world. They assumed that role midway through the pandemic, as governments botched their responses.

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