THE military has been ranked the most trustworthy UK organisation, according to a new report released by the Institute of Leadership & Management (ILM).

The Truth About Trust report, drawn from a survey of more than 1,600 UK managers, revealed that 47 per cent of the military’s manager-level staff had high levels of trust in their organisation, well above the average of 41 per cent.

This is in stark contrast to the lowest-scoring sector, local and central government, with a trust rating of just 10 per cent.

Externally, 42 per cent of the public said that they had high levels of trust in the military, well above levels in the banking and finance (-30 per cent) and media (-23 per cent) industries.

Skills for success

The research highlights five fundamental skills and qualities that leaders need in order to be trusted by their staff. The most powerful drivers of trust were openness, effective communication, the ability to make decisions, integrity and competence in their role.

Charles Elvin, CEO of the Institute of Leadership and Management, said: “Our research shows encouragingly high levels of employee trust across the military, which is a testament to its clear organisational goals, defined lines of communication and responsibility and strong team ethic.”

“By identifying the five fundamental skills and behaviours needed to build trust, this research provides a useful framework for organisations to assess and develop the open, ethical and capable leaders and managers that today’s workers expect and demand.”

Want to know more?

Access the full report on ILM’s website.

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