Transformation Is a Trust Inflection Point

The 2026 Edelman Trust Barometer Special Report: Trust at Work is here and finds that transformation is reshaping the employee experience and putting workplace trust under pressure. Employees are not opposed to change, but how they experience it matters.

When transformation brings heavier workloads, uncertainty or division, trust in managers and CEOs suffers. But when employees are empowered to adapt, have clarity about what comes next and opportunities to grow, change can strengthen trust, effort and loyalty.

Explore the findings below to see what builds trust through transformation and what puts it at risk.

Employer Trust is Eroding

Transformation Is the New Normal 

Top Findings

01

Job Insecurity Is On The Rise
⟲

77% of employees globally worry about losing their jobs due to factors such as automation, offshoring, insufficient training, or tariffs, up 4 points since August 2024.

02

Trust In "My Employer" Is Declining
⟲

Trust in employers remains high at 74% globally but has fallen 5 points since August 2024, the first decline since 2021.

03

Employees Are Navigating Multiple Types Of Transformation
⟲

Three in four employees have experienced at least one major workplace transformation in the past year, and more than 4 in 10 have experienced three or more.

Edelman Workplace Advisory helps organizations navigate change by putting trust at the center of the employee experience

Strengthening leadership, communication and engagement through moments of transformation.