Why Hypocritical Values Destroy Employee Trust

What’s your real moat in a world of constant change? Today, where products, features, and even strategies get copied quickly, and when everyone claims to be customer-centric, what really makes the businesses different? You may not fully agree with me, but the truth is, it's the Culture, values, and behaviours. Those form the invisible backbone of any organization & shape how people think, act, and make decisions. When a clear value system shows up in every interaction, every touchpoint, and every transaction, it builds trust and loyalty that competitors can’t easily steal. But do these soft aspects really matter & make an impact? - Harvard study done over an 11-year period says, firms with strong performance-enhancing cultures grew revenues 4x faster than those without. - Glassdoor research indicates companies with high employee engagement; a byproduct of strong culture, report 2.5x higher revenue growth on average. - Companies on the “Best Workplaces” list consistently outperform the market with 3x higher operating margins. - While 2023 Gallup study point out disengaged employees cost companies an estimated $8.8 trillion globally in lost productivity—roughly 9% of global GDP. These soft aspects can set your business apart!! Yet less than 10–15% of organisations actually succeed in making their values real, lived, and sustained. Because most treat values as a branding exercise—a set of nice words for the website, office wall, or induction deck. Not as a lived culture. And even when they start with intent, they often fall short because of: > Leadership hypocrisy – When values are preached but not practiced by the top. > Inconsistency – Values are highlighted during onboarding, but never referenced in decisions, recognition, or performance reviews. > Lack of integration – They sit in HR slides but don’t show up in how teams hire, promote, resolve conflict, or make trade-offs. It results into cynicism creeping in, employees stop believing & the values become just rhetoric.   But do you know what those few (the 10–15%) that do it well? They don’t treat values as an initiative. They treat it as a strategic muscle. It shows up in: 1) Hard choices -like letting go of high performers who violate values, 2) Hiring filters - selecting for values-fit, not just skills, 3) Micro-behaviours of leaders- how they react under pressure, and 4) Recognition systems -rewarding everyday value-based actions, not just outcomes. When you treat values as living behaviours it influences everything from team collaboration to long-term strategic success, making them critical levers for sustainable growth. I have been part of organizations with fabulous culture, that built strong team bonding, passion and commitment which grew the business, teams & revenue multi-fold. What's your experience? #growth #culture #Values #behaviours

I have spoken to several executives who were terminated last week. Zero of them got the courtesy they're expected to give when they resign. Here's the brutal double standard destroying workplace trust: 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗲𝘀: → 8 AM phone calls or surprise meetings → Email access cut within minutes → Security escorts to collect belongings → "Nothing personal, just business" 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗲𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻: → "We need 2-4 weeks notice minimum" → "Think about team impact" → "Professional courtesy matters" → "Don't burn bridges" 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝘆𝗽𝗼𝗰𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴. No transition time. No professional courtesy. No relationship preservation. But somehow employees are expected to handle departures "gracefully." Here's what's really happening: Companies protect their interests ruthlessly Employee loyalty is too often a one-way street "Family culture" evaporates during restructuring Professional courtesy only applies to departing workers 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝗯𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀—𝗶𝘁'𝘀 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆. 𝗦𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗲𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘄: → Keep emergency funds (6+ months expenses) → Maintain active LinkedIn profiles regardless → Build external networks continuously → Document achievements in real-time → Never assume job security exists Fortunately not all companies and leaders follow this brutal playbook. It's in times like this that real leadership shows. 📥 Get insider jobsearch tips in your inbox twice a week. Subscribe to my free newsletter. Link 🔝.

My friend lost trust in his company overnight. At the start of the pandemic, his organization embraced the 100% remote work environment thrust upon them. They repeatedly expressed pride in their employees' results and sang the praises of remote work. For three years, my friend thrived in an environment where he: ✅ Knew his mental health was supported. ✅ Felt heard and valued. ✅ Celebrated the joys of trust and autonomy. ✅ Saved time and money on a tiresome commute. ✅ Over-delivered on his outcomes. ✅ Drove profitability for his company. But then, everything changed. “All employees are expected to be in the office a minimum of 2-3 times/week”. The rationale?  Team connection.   His team is dispersed across different countries and continents. And just like that, trust was gone. It wasn’t just about the return to office mandate feeling very heavy handed. He, and not a single employee believed the “team connection” rationale. He's likely to leave. And this this guy has a very hard to replace skill set - so when he does leave, it will cost the employer up to 400% of his salary to replace him. Great leaders are always transparent and thoughtful in their decision making. Especially when it comes to decisions that drastically affect culture. Without trust, the rest of your culture is doomed. Be transparent. 

Corporate hypocrisy is a culture killer. Some people never blow smoke. They do what they say and are upfront and honest about their shortcomings. We trust them. I was on the phone with someone like that just yesterday. I found myself wanting to find ways to work with them. Others try to sell you their solutions while not living them themselves. Leaders do this. Companies do this. And for a while, they might get away with it with prospective clients. I say only for "a while" because the company's own employees see the hypocrisy. Operating this way is like living on credit. Eventually, those creditors—the employees who know the truth—won't accept the debt any longer. They will foreclose unless the credibility deficit is paid back in full, with interest. This reality is amplified by social media, as companies routinely and publicly go on record about the best ways to operate. The part of the world that sees and evaluates that messaging the most is a company's own workforce. Blowing smoke is a bad idea for both people and organizations. The blowback is real. Best to live up to what we teach. And to be honest about how we, too, might still be struggling to do so. That's a person and company I can trust. The congruent ones.

I had a leader tell his team the most important value was work-life balance. But then he sent slack messages 24x7 always expecting an immediate response. Inspiration without modeled behaviors falls flat. You can give the most rousing speech, but if your actions don't back it up, people will question your authenticity. Your team is watching. They notice every time you don't practice what you preach. Every hypocritical slip chisels away at their trust. Trust-Gone Inspiration-Gone Frustration-Begins So walk your talk. Make sure your day-to-day behaviors align with the values and priorities you claim matter.  True leadership means matching words and deeds.  #trueleadership #tech #product #leaders

This one hit hard…not because I haven’t seen it….but because I’ve been guilty of it. Good intentions.  Nice words.  But no real change behind them.  CAREWASHING is real. And if you’re in a position of influence - leading teams, managing culture, or shaping messaging - you’ve probably done it, too. ➤You say “we care about mental health,” but pile on deadlines with no boundaries. ➤ You say “we value integrity,” but keep toxic top performers around because you’re afraid to lose their numbers. ➤You say “we’re like a family,” but hand out years-of-service awards while treating people like they’re disposable behind closed doors.   The gap between what we say and what we do is where trust erodes.  And in that gap, people leave…emotionally, then physically.   One of my deepest beliefs:  Psychological Safety is the foundation of trust and trust is what makes real impact possible - in teams, organizations, and communities.   You want to amplify it? 🔸Listen more. 🔸Say “thank you” when someone challenges the norm. 🔸Back people up, especially young women in male dominated spaces.   Because trust doesn’t live in the core values on your office walls; it lives in what your team experiences every single day. https://lnkd.in/g4rA6YA8

Employee trust is at an all-time low. And that’s on every leader. We've swung from toxic hustle culture to "quiet quitting" and "bare minimum Mondays" in a heartbeat. And honestly? I get it. This isn't about laziness. It's about broken trust. For years, employees have watched companies: - Demand "family culture" while laying off thousands - Preach work-life balance while texting at midnight - Talk about transparency while hiding bad news After decades of grinding themselves into dust, employees are drawing hard lines between work and life. They're protecting themselves from getting screwed over. Because employers have shown that they can’t be trusted. That trust won't rebuild itself. As leaders, we need to: 👉 Actually give a shit about our people 👉 Connect roles to their purpose, not corporate BS 👉 Invest in their growth 👉 Give fair compensation tied to results 👉 Create room for two-way feedback without fear The days of expecting blind loyalty are over. And that's a good thing. Great cultures aren't built on buzzwords and free snacks — They're built on mutual trust and respect. Want your employees to care? Show them you care first. ____ 📌 PS. Join our free newsletter & community of 100,000+ https://lnkd.in/gRxdayew