Well-Managed Disruption Builds Trust Beyond Baseline, SparkEffect Research Reveals

New research shows organizations handling disruption with clarity and care achieve higher employee trust than companies experiencing no disruption at all.

SEATTLE, WA, UNITED STATES, October 14, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Trust is no longer a soft leadership virtue, it's a measurable driver of revenue, retention, and reputation. SparkEffect, a Seattle-based talent solutions firm with more than 40 years of experience, today released its 2025 Trust Research Report in collaboration with Dr. Aaron Delgaty, PhD. The study reveals a surprising outcome: organizations that handle disruption very well earn higher employee trust than those that experience no disruption at all, creating what SparkEffect has coined the "trust dividend."

The study surveyed employees across industries including technology, healthcare, financial services, manufacturing, and education, representing organizations from fewer than 100 employees to more than 5,000. High-trust organizations reported 97% confidence in financial performance compared to just 46% for low-trust organizations — a 51-point gap with direct implications for retention, customer advocacy, and market reputation.

"Trust isn't a soft metric anymore — it's a structural competitive advantage," said Kim Bohr, President & COO at SparkEffect. "Our research shows that when organizations treat trust as a business strategy during disruption, they don't just protect morale — they outperform peers who faced no disruption at all."

Key Research Findings

Disruption has become the norm, with 71% of employees reporting significant workplace disruption in the past 24 months. However, the research demonstrates that crisis creates opportunity when managed effectively. Well-handled disruptions scored 11.23 on SparkEffect's Trust Elasticity measure, compared to just 5.61 for poorly handled responses.

The research also reveals a critical vulnerability: manager trust is fragile. While employees trust direct managers more than organizational leadership, manager trust takes the steepest hit during crises, dropping 4.1 points compared to just 0.5 points for organizational leadership trust.

"Organizations that win will treat trust as a measurable, manageable business asset and equip leaders at every level to turn turbulence into competitive advantage," said Dr. Delgaty.

The Trust Performance Index

The research introduces the Trust Performance Index, SparkEffect's framework for measuring trust across five domains: Strategic Clarity, Psychological Safety, Relational Continuity & Cultural Belonging, Technology & Systems Trust, and Fairness & Change Impact Perception. This framework enables organizations to diagnose trust vulnerabilities and design targeted interventions.

"For our clients, this research confirms what we've seen for years — trust is not a side effect of good leadership, it's the engine of organizational performance," said Bohr. "By equipping leaders with the tools to communicate clearly, act with fairness, and lead through disruption, organizations don't just protect their culture — they strengthen it."

Practical Application

SparkEffect has translated the findings into practical field guides and organizational playbooks, giving leaders actionable frameworks for strengthening trust systematically across their organizations. For HR and business leaders facing layoffs, leadership transitions, or cultural shifts, the research underscores a critical takeaway: trust is measurable, manageable, and decisive for performance.

About SparkEffect

SparkEffect is a talent solutions firm that builds momentum across the talent journey. With more than 40 years of experience and original research on trust, we help organizations strengthen leadership, support transitions, and navigate disruption. By equipping people at every stage from emerging leaders to executives, SparkEffect enables organizations to drive revenue, protect retention, and elevate their reputations.

The complete 2025 Trust Research Report and accompanying field guides are available for download at [landing page URL]. SparkEffect is offering complimentary trust strategy consultations for HR executives through October 2025.

RESEARCHER CONTACT:
Contact Name: Dr. Aaron Delgaty
Title: Research Collaborator
Email: aaron@noteandniche.com

Jaime Navarro
SparkEffect
+1 206-369-4433
jaime.navarro@sparkeffect.com
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