Yes, building trust in person is easier than building trust virtually – no argument here. But let’s not lose the essence and value of trust either. It’s not simply about where trust is built, nurtured, or restored, but rather why and how the character, competence and behaviors are developed and nurtured to establish trusting relationships. The latter can occur in any environment, it just might take a little more work in the virtual world.

Now more than ever, business leaders and employees alike are being tested in many ways. As the pandemic lingers so do concerns about personal resolve, organizational resiliency, and the future of work. One thing is for certain – trust is and will continue to be a critical aspect for healthy and productive change to occur. Whether your organization is evaluating a future that is fully remote, fully in person, or a hybrid solution, there needs to be clear alignment and trusting relationships to move forward.

If trust has been an issue or concern for you or your workforce during the pandemic, there’s a good chance something might’ve been broken prior to. And, spoiler alert, bringing everyone back together in the same physical space is not going to magically fix all the problems. You will have to work at it.

It might be time to do a gut-check. Be honest with yourself.

  • Did a trusting culture truly exist at your organization prior to the pandemic?
  • Has organizational trust taken a hit because of the dispersed workforce?
  • Can effective change happen as you move forward with future of work solutions?

Trust is primarily about effort – truly putting forth genuine and consistent effort over time. For leaders that’s not a suggestion or an option, it’s part of the job. You can either fill the trust tank or run it on empty. If you’d like to work towards filling it, you’ll need to be intentional about building trust whether you’re in person or in a virtual environment.

Here are some new ideas to try! It’s all pretty simple and straightforward stuff, but sometimes we need a reminder. I know I do.