In the midst of coronavirus chaos, employees need a strong steer from their leaders. They need to trust them to be transparent, tell the truth and treat them fairly. Without trust, employees can quickly become mentally paralyzed by the uncertainty and ambiguity in their working lives. Giving people autonomy is a great start. Creating a culture of appreciation is also key. Giving employees opportunities to experiment and take risks—and helping them learn from what goes wrong, as well as from what goes right, can create a powerful bond. Not only will leaders who invest in building trust be able to emerge from the pandemic, they will also become a stronger organization than ever.
