The importance of communications in delivering trust

As we near the end of the first week of ‘Lockdown Lite’, we will look back on it as a pretty momentous few days. Firstly, with what’s been happening on the other side of the pond, and then this week’s positive vaccine news. This leads in nicely to today’s musings.

The list of what COVID-19 has affected gets longer by the day, but one of the core areas that has dramatically changed is our attitudes to trust.

Back in the Spring, in a special pandemic update to their 2020 Trust Barometer, Edelman showed a record rise in trust in government, as efforts to combat the virus led to a jump by nearly 30 points when paired with business, placing it as the most trusted institution for the first time.

Things have radically shifted again since and I would expect those numbers to make very different reading now. Here in the UK confusion around lockdown rules and mixed messages (are we staying home to save lives or eating out to help out?) have been the source of immense frustration (and the inspiration for countless memes), while – in the face of a lost election – we are currently seeing factions within the US government work incredibly hard to undermine any semblance of trust in the very democracy and voting process which grants it power.

As partisan politics and populism continue to be dominant forces, with the media's varying political allegiances still a source of disquiet for many, this makes still-trusted channels all the more valuable and, arguably, places a bigger burden on companies as they support employees.

We have just seen a huge boost in external trust in business; with hopeful news of a vaccination on the horizon, the stock markets have seen a much-needed bounce, with the FTSE 100 closing yesterday up 4.67%, it’s best day since March. But there are still big hurdles to overcome – not just in our economy but on the ground, as fears and uncertainty about secure workplaces, viability and rising unemployment figures, and reticence to return to normal practices surrounds us. The trust between employers and employees is more important than ever: trust to provide a safe place of work; trust that jobs will remain; trust that employees are being considered in strategic decisions; and – with all the confusion and noise out there – trust in what we’re being told. These are no easy things.

Communication of course has a critical role in all of this. Indeed, Emperor's purpose is to help our clients bring trust and confidence to their audiences. But it goes deeper than that – basic attitudes and core purpose must be aligned, otherwise, however good the messaging, it will ultimately be empty.

This is a key moment for business. The last week has brought an injection of optimism and it is vital we build on these foundations.