A new study from Mercer Human Resource Consulting confirms what many people already suspect: US workers’ trust in management is low.

According to Mercer’s 2002 People at Work Survey, which surveyed a representative sample of nearly 2,600 US workers, only 34% agreed with the statement, “I can trust management in my organization to always communicate honestly. ” Four in 10 (42%) disagreed, and the rest (24%) gave a neutral response. Even among senior managers, just 60% agreed. In addition:
§ When asked whether they believe their organization as a whole is well managed, just 40% said yes. One-third (33%) said no and the remainder (27%) gave a neutral response. Only 66% of senior managers agreed that their organization is well managed.
§ When asked whether managers in their organization demonstrate concern for the well being of employees, just 50% of the respondents said yes. One-quarter (26%) said no and the remainder (24%) gave a neutral response.

“Given all that’s happened in the last year, with the decline of the economy and the outbreak of corporate scandals, it’s understandable that employees express little confidence and trust in management,” says Rod Fralicx, PhD, Mercer’s global employee research director. “What’s interesting, though, is that employees don’t necessarily express the same feelings about their overall organization or their specific job. They clearly are making a distinction here. ”

In contrast to the relatively low views of management, more than two-thirds of the workers surveyed (68%) agreed that their work gives them a feeling of personal accomplishment, and 58% said they feel a strong sense of commitment to their organization. In addition, 64% said they are proud to work