Distrust In Management Research Articles

Working experiences of airport employees after a terrorist attack in Belgium: A qualitative study

Terrorist attacks can cause loss of human lives, a possible mental health impact on those directly exposed, but also large economic and structural damage. However, few studies have looked into the work experience of those directly exposed returning to a workplace that was the target of terrorist attack. In this study, directly exposed employees of the March 22, 2016 airport bombing in Belgium were interview. Eighteen interviews were conducted with four women and fourteen male employees at Brussels Airport. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed and analyzed using a reflexive thematic analysis. Four themes arose: unsafety at the workplace, fall-out of colleagues, distrust or support of colleagues, and a lack of trust in management. The need to reopen the airport clashed with the coping of the employees and resulted in a fall-out of employees throughout the years, distrust of management, and a general feeling of unsafety in the workplace. A lack of acknowledgment of the attacks and proper mental health aid offered to the employees seems to be at the basis of the problems indicated by the employees.

Political skill reduces the negative impact of distrust

PurposeA number of studies have explored the benefits (e.g. enhanced job performance and reduced strain), of being politically skilled. Within the framework of uncertainty management theory, the purpose of this paper is to explore the benefits of high political skill to affective commitment, job satisfaction, and perceived job mobility, under conditions of distrust in management.Design/methodology/approachSales representatives were surveyed and moderated multiple regression analyses were conducted to analyze the data.FindingsThe authors found that as distrust increased, affective commitment decreased for all persons, but was most pronounced for persons low on political skill. However, distrust in management had no impact on job satisfaction for those high on political skill, allowing persons high on political skill to enjoy their jobs despite high levels of distrust (an intrapsychic benefit of political skill). Finally, as distrust in management increased, persons high on political skill had increased perceived job mobility.Research limitations/implicationsThis study is cross-sectional, limiting conclusions about causality in the relationships studied and leaving open the possibility of reverse causation.Practical implicationsThis research has important implications, such that, under conditions of distrust, persons low on political skill are less committed, more dissatisfied, and feel a sense of job immobility, which could lead to poor work outcomes, such as decreased job performance.Originality/valueThe study is the first to examine how being politically skilled benefits employee outcomes when the employee distrusts management.

A Consideration of Literature on Trust and Distrust as they Relate to Auditor Professional Scepticism

With a view to expanding the discussion on professional scepticism, and motivating a broader perspective in research undertaken with the aim of helping auditors meet ongoing demands for an elevated level of professional scepticism, we consider the literature on trust and distrust as it relates to auditor professional scepticism. We draw on literature from a range of disciplines, and highlight new opportunities and previously unidentified challenges in helping auditors exercise an elevated level of professional scepticism. We distinguish between trust and distrust and note that the issue of professional scepticism is likely to be as much about auditors being insufficiently distrusting as it is about auditors being overly trusting. A number of potentially fruitful means by which professional scepticism might be enhanced are highlighted but we also encourage caution in that lower levels of trust in management, and increased distrust in management, may have unintended negative consequences.

A Consideration of Literature on Trust and Distrust as They Relate to Auditor Professional Scepticism

With a view to expanding the discussion on professional scepticism, and motivating a broader perspective in research undertaken with the aim of helping auditors meet ongoing demands for an elevated level of professional scepticism, we consider the literature on trust and distrust as it relates to auditor professional scepticism. We draw on literature from a range of disciplines, highlights new opportunities and previously unidentified challenges in helping auditors exercise an elevated level of professional scepticism. We distinguish between trust and distrust and note that the issue of professional scepticism is likely to be as much about auditors being insufficiently distrusting as it is about auditors being overly trusting. A number of potentially fruitful means by which professional scepticism might be enhanced are highlighted but we also encourage caution in that lower levels of trust in management, and increased distrust in management, may have unintended negative consequences.

Political skill reduces the negative impact of employees having distrust in management

A number of studies have explored the benefits (e.g., enhanced job performance and reduced strain), of being politically skilled. Within the framework of uncertainty management theory, our research...

Trust and distrust in safety leadership: Mirror reflections?

Although research shows that employees’ trust and distrust in management influences their safety behavior, less is known about how these attitudes develop. Based on two-factor models of trust, we hypothesize that distinct trustworthiness qualities precede the development of employees’ trust and distrust in their supervisors. Eighty-five UK construction employees responded to a paired comparison test of trustworthiness qualities, which provided 56 and 53 consistent rankings for trust and distrust, respectively. Consistent with our hypotheses, integrity (measured through honesty) was found to be the most important attitude in the development of both trust and distrust, while a reversed ordering of importance emerged for ability (measured through competence) and benevolence (measured through concern) in the development of trust and distrust. In all cases, only a small number of qualities were most important in the development of each attitude. We discuss how safety initiatives that focus on trust might gain by addressing the qualities that we identify.