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How To Build Trust During Organizational Change
By
Ann Melinger
Change is never easy. Even when it’s necessary. Even when it’s overdue.
It asks people to let go of what’s familiar and move toward something unproven. That’s a tall order in the best of circumstances. But when people don’t trust the leaders asking them to change? That’s when transformation stalls before it starts.
And that’s exactly what’s happening.
According to DDI’s Global Leadership Forecast, trust in immediate managers dropped from 46% in 2022 to just 29% in 2024.
Your managers are the front line of change. They interpret strategy, deliver hard news, and hold space for employees to process what’s shifting. When trust breaks down at that level, so does everything else: alignment, engagement, progress.
Because change is already hard, and people will further resist change when there’s no trust.
And trust isn’t something you can build once the change is underway. It’s not a last-minute add-on to your comms plan. It’s the groundwork. The bridge you build before you ask people to cross.
As Stephen Covey, author of 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, puts it:
Change moves at the speed of trust.
And most organizations are moving far slower than they think.
Why trust fails during change
Trust doesn’t collapse overnight. When a change rolls out and falls apart, it’s usually because of one (or more) of these common mistakes:
1. Leaders announce change before earning belief
Big shifts get dropped like breaking news, without the foundation of trust to support them. Employees are expected to nod along, but inside? They’re questioning the motive, the timing, and whether leadership even knows what it’s asking.
When employees feel change is happening to them instead of with them, trust disappears fast.
2. Communication is one-way
A flurry of town halls. A casual change announcement. Maybe even a well-designed campaign. But none of it matters if communication is a monologue. Employees don’t just want to be told what’s happening. They want a chance to be heard.
Transparency is not the same thing as trust.
Transparency is what you say.
Trust is built when you listen.
3. Leaders skip the “why now” and “why you”
Without context, change feels arbitrary. It feels forced. Without a clear explanation of why the change is happening, what’s driving it, and how it will affect them, people are left to fill in the blanks. Doubt and uncertainty will fill the vacuum rather than understanding and action. Your company’s core values are key during a change. They need to be authentic, and your “why now” needs to be rooted in what you value as an organization.
This is especially true in hybrid or remote environments, where the lack of hallway conversations means misunderstandings grow faster. Erica Dhawan, author of Digital Body Language, reminds us that “clarity is the new empathy” in distributed teams.
How to build (real) trust before and during change
Obviously, you don’t build trust by saying “trust us.” You build it by doing the things that earn trust consistently, visibly and with integrity. Your employees are perceptive. You need to undertake this work authentically.
If you’re leading change, here’s what that looks like in practice:
1. Start the trust work early
Trust doesn’t kick in at the moment of change. It compounds over time. When employees have seen leaders listen, show up and act in alignment with the company’s core values, they’re far more likely to give the benefit of the doubt when things shift.
Think of trust as a bank account. If you’ve been making deposits through transparency, accountability and care, people are more likely to stick with you when you make a withdrawal.
Try this:
Highlight small decisions that reflect employee input. Don’t just announce outcomes. Show your reasoning and where people shaped the path forward. That means whenever you survey your people, you need to ensure you act on the feedback received and show your people that you heard them.
2. Anchor change in your core values
Values serve as the bedrock of your culture, especially during uncertainty. Connecting change to your foundational values creates essential continuity during transitions. When change aligns with established values, it feels like evolution rather than disruption. It’ll be easier to encourage employees to behave in alignment with your core values as well.
Take life sciences organizations, for example. When research teams developing breakthrough therapies or sales teams connecting with healthcare providers can see the through-line between company values and new directions, adaptation becomes easier. This principle applies across industries where teams need both innovation and stability.
Try this:
Create simple one-pagers that visually map how the change connects to specific values. For example, if customer focus is a core value, illustrate how a restructuring or new protocol will ultimately improve customer outcomes.
In healthcare settings, this might mean showing how changes support patient-centricity; in tech companies, it could demonstrate enhanced user experience. Use real examples from across different functions to make these connections tangible.
Build trust by:
- Explicitly linking change initiatives to your core values
- Showing how new approaches still honor the principles your organization stands for
- Recognizing when employees embody these values while embracing change
But first, be sure your core values are true to your culture.
3. Make dialogue the default
If you want trust, be willing to hear what people think, even if it’s uncomfortable.
Leaders often default to announcements and FAQs, but those aren’t conversations. They’re broadcasts. Employees want to understand the change, but they also want to shape it. That only happens when you create consistent space for two-way communication.
Try this:
Use roundtables, manager-led team check-ins, or anonymous surveys to gather insights. Afterward, share a short summary: what you heard, what you’re acting on, and what’s still being considered. Even when the answer is “not yet,” be transparent to keep the door open.
Build trust by:
- Creating space for questions and concerns before, during and after a change.
- Closing the loop when feedback is received. Share what was heard and what will happen as a result.
- Avoiding performative listening. Don’t collect input you don’t intend to use.
4. Equip managers ahead of the change
Managers are the bridge between strategy and reality. They’re the ones employees turn to with questions and fears. If managers are unclear, caught off guard, or skeptical themselves, that energy spreads and trust erodes.
A thoughtful rollout includes a manager engagement phase. That means sharing the plan with them early, walking them through the why and how, and giving them time to ask questions. When managers understand the direction and feel confident in their role, they’re more likely to model trust and help build it.
Too often, managers are handed talking points without context. They’re expected to champion something they didn’t help shape and don’t even fully understand. That’s not leadership enablement. That’s a recipe for misalignment.
Try this:
Provide tools managers can use in real-time like conversation guides, one-page summaries, and follow-up actions they can own.
Run pre-rollout sessions specifically for managers and ensure they include plenty of opportunities for discussion and dialogue.
Focus on training managers to listen, handle tough questions and navigate tough conversations.
Master these 7 internal comms fundamentals to ensure your communication strategies are effective.
5. Invite participation to make change exciting
People are far more likely to support what they help create. That’s how adults learn, adapt and commit.
Participation matters because it drives ownership, which builds trust. When employees can see their influence on the direction of change, it doesn’t feel like something is being done to them; it feels like something they’re actively helping shape. It’s exciting, even if it’s scary.
That helps employees shift from passive compliance to active engagement.
Try this:
Start with a small, cross-sectioned pilot group when launching a major change. Let them test, provide feedback and help refine the approach. This will improve the rollout and signal that employee insights are welcomed and necessary.
Ways to involve employees in shaping change:
- Pilot programs with employee volunteers before full-scale rollouts
- Employee advisory groups who consult on how change is communicated and implemented
- Cross-functional input sessions focused on surfacing blind spots early
Are you building trust before you need it?
Change is difficult even under ideal circumstances. Without trust, it becomes nearly impossible.
The question isn’t whether your organization will go through change. It’s whether you’ll be ready when it comes — and whether your people will be ready to move forward with you.
Remember: Trust takes time to build. It’s shaped by what leaders say, how they show up, and whether their actions actually match their words. It’s reinforced through communication that makes space for real dialogue. Long story short, you need a strategic plan to build organizational trust.
The best cultures are built with trust. Let’s do it together.
