SHRM's CHRO on Building Trust During Times of Change and Uncertainty | Honest HR

Why It Matters

Because trust directly influences employee engagement, turnover, and operational performance, HR’s ability to measure and reinforce it determines an organization’s resilience during periods of uncertainty.

Key Takeaways

• Trust hinges on consistent, truthful leadership communication across organizations
• Early warning signs include performance drops and employee sentiment
• Proactive leader development is top CHRO priority for 2026
• Social media amplifies perception gaps, demanding single source of truth
• Regular informal dialogue builds credibility across all organization sizes

Summary

The Honest HR episode features SHRM’s chief human resources officer Jim Link discussing how organizations can build and preserve trust amid layoffs, rapid change, and evolving employee expectations.

Link defines trust as “affirmed assurance in competence, skill, and strength,” and stresses that it must be taught at every leadership level. The 2026 SHRM CHRO Priorities report shows nearly half of CHROs prioritize leadership development, while 29% focus on employee experience and 31% on workplace culture. He warns that trust erosion can be spotted early through performance slumps, safety incidents, or declines in productivity, not just traditional engagement scores.

A vivid anecdote from Link’s early career at a GE plant illustrates how a single inaccurate statement can tarnish a leader’s credibility for years, even when the error was based on the best information at the time. He also cites his daughter’s job‑search research, highlighting how candidates now vet employers through online reviews and social media, turning every interaction into a potential trust signal.

The takeaway for HR leaders is to embed trust metrics into regular business dashboards, train managers in transparent communication, and maintain “walk‑the‑floor” dialogues that humanize leadership. By treating trust as a leading indicator, companies can pre‑empt disengagement, protect productivity, and sustain competitive advantage in volatile markets.

Original Description

This episode is sponsored by Intuit Quickbooks. Learn more at QuickBooks.com/payroll.

Trust can feel fragile in times of uncertainty, transformation, and rising employee expectations. SHRM’s CHRO, Jim Link, SHRM-SCP, joins host Nicole Belyna, SHRM-SCP, to unpack insights from the 2026 SHRM CHRO Priorities and Perspectives report and explore how leadership credibility directly impacts organizational trust. Together, they discuss early warning signs of a trust breakdown, how HR can assess alignment between messaging and employee experience, and practical ways to strengthen transparency and consistency across the workplace.

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