The trust equation: Is your company prepared for the future of work?

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The work landscape has experienced a marked shift. With hybrid work becoming the norm for most industries, harnessing the flexibility and opportunity that this brings will be central to unlocking the future of work. But with geographically dispersed teams, building trust, psychological safety, and a high-performance environment becomes paramount.

Not only has the workplace shifted closer to home, but employee expectations have also had to shift. A pitfall of working from home has been employees developing an ‘always on’ mindset. While cutting out the commute and working from anywhere are inherent perks of hybrid work, employees somehow feel as attached to their desks as ever. Understandably, this has led to employees seeking work-life balance.

What people want from ‘work’

A recent study in the Middle East by the international insurance group Zurich revealed that 84 per cent of respondents would consider a job with the same pay but better employee benefits. This aligns with PwC’s findings, where UAE’s young workforce – particularly Gen Z – values work-life balance, community, flexibility, and freedom of choice. They see themselves as having options and pushing companies to champion mental and physical wellbeing.

Companies that fail to prioritise these aspects risk losing top talent in a competitive job market. The same PwC survey highlights that 39 per cent of Middle East employees are more likely to job hop compared to 30 per cent reported last year.

The UAE leads the region in hybrid work adoption. However, building trust and psychological safety in a virtual environment can be challenging. Unlike in a traditional office setting where trust develops naturally through daily interactions, hybrid work necessitates deliberate strategies. Trust can be treated as an equation: Transparency + open communication + shared ownership = Psychological safety.

This psychological safety is the foundation for a thriving hybrid team, fostering a sense of belonging, risk-taking, and, ultimately, innovation. Open communication is the bedrock of trust.

Regular company-wide meetings keep everyone informed and connected and help avoid isolation. However, companies need to go beyond just meetings.

Anonymous feedback initiatives and quarterly surveys can fuel co-creation sessions with senior leadership and ensure every voice is heard.

This, in turn, creates a sense of ownership and emotional safety and empowers risk-taking and idea-sharing. Another way to achieve this is through cross-functional working groups that tackle key organisational challenges. This open dialogue builds trust and strengthens the feeling of being part of something bigger, while subsequently bettering the work environment.

This collaborative approach can even be used in more formal settings, such as performance management processes.

The best asset

Companies need to recognise that people are their greatest asset. Their creativity, dedication, and brainpower are the engines behind success. Organisations need to challenge the status quo by adopting a people-first culture and actively creating environments for people to thrive, both inside and outside the office. This translates to a happier, healthier, and more innovative workforce – a win-win for everyone.

Employees who are involved in the business, and not just working for it, will always be willing to create more value. However, a hybrid work environment risks exacerbating the feeling of employee disconnect, which is why building a strong trust equation is fundamental.

To be truly prepared for the future of work, organisations need to embrace a people-first approach, earning the trust of their employees and ensuring their wellbeing is a top priority.  This will make them feel trusted, valued, empowered and deeply connected to the company’s mission and vision.

Read: Beyond the merger: Creating a resilient company culture

The writer is the group people Officer at Beyond ONE