In today’s rapidly evolving workplace, work culture is more important than ever. It drives employee engagement, productivity, retention, and ultimately, organizational success. However, recent data highlights a worrying trend: leaders’ trust in line managers the vital frontline connection to their teams has fallen sharply. According to DDI’s 2025 report, trust in line managers has dropped from 46% in 2022 to just 29% in 2024, marking a significant 17-point decline.
This shift has serious implications for work culture and raises critical questions for businesses seeking to build resilient, motivated teams. Why is trust in line managers eroding? Why is this trend likely to continue? And most importantly, how can organizations reverse this decline to foster a healthy, thriving work culture?
Why Trust in Line Managers Is Declining
1. Increased Complexity of Managing People
Modern managers must navigate hybrid or fully remote teams, diverse workforce expectations, and heightened attention to employee wellbeing. These challenges can strain even the most capable managers.
2. Lack of Support and Feedback
Senior leadership often expects line managers to perform flawlessly without providing adequate coaching, resources, or honest feedback. This disconnect can leave managers feeling isolated and uncertain, undermining their effectiveness.
3. Pressure to Deliver Results Amid Uncertainty
In a volatile business environment, line managers face pressure to deliver immediate results while managing change and ambiguity. This tension can erode trust if managers appear inconsistent or unable to support their teams.
Why This Trend Will Likely Continue
Without intervention, the gap between leadership expectations and frontline realities will only widen. As organizations continue to undergo digital transformation, shifts in workforce demographics, and evolving employee expectations, the demand on line managers will intensify.
When trust in line managers declines, it weakens the overall work culture. Poor communication, low morale, and disengagement can spread rapidly, leading to decreased productivity, higher turnover, and ultimately, business setbacks.
The Critical Role of Work Culture in Organizational Success
A strong work culture acts as the backbone of any successful organization. It fosters collaboration, innovation, and resilience, enabling teams to overcome challenges together. When trust in line managers diminishes, it creates fractures in this culture, weakening employee engagement and loyalty.
Companies with healthy work cultures see lower absenteeism, higher retention rates, and greater profitability. Therefore, rebuilding trust in line managers is not just a managerial issue—it’s a strategic business imperative.
How Moody At Work Helps Rebuild Trust and Strengthen Work Culture
Addressing this challenge requires real-time, honest insights into how employees feel and how managers perform. Moody At Work helps bridge this gap by providing real-time, anonymous insights that rebuild trust and strengthen leadership impact at every level.
By capturing daily mood and performance data, Moody At Work reveals the true state of team dynamics and leadership effectiveness without compromising anonymity or creating additional work for managers. These insights empower senior leaders to support line managers with targeted coaching and resources, improving communication and morale.
Practical Steps to Improve Trust and Work Culture
In addition to leveraging tools like Moody At Work, organizations should consider these strategies:
Invest in Manager Training: Equip line managers with skills to manage hybrid teams, provide emotional support, and communicate effectively.
Create Feedback Loops: Encourage open dialogue between leadership and managers to share challenges and successes regularly.
Recognize and Reward Managers: Acknowledge managers who demonstrate strong leadership and foster positive team environments.
Focus on Wellbeing: Promote mental health and wellbeing initiatives to support managers and their teams.
Conclusion
The sharp decline in trust in line managers is a clear warning sign for organizations. Without urgent action, this trend threatens to undermine work culture, employee engagement, and business outcomes. By understanding the root causes and adopting data-driven solutions like Moody At Work, companies can rebuild trust, empower managers, and create a resilient culture that supports success.
Investing in your frontline leaders is investing in your organization’s future.