Trust comes up a lot in conversations about flexible and remote working, but we don’t always talk about how hard it can be to build and maintain trust as a manager.

Having been on both sides – as a direct report and as a manager – I know I didn’t always find it easy.

There were times I probably came across as not fully trusting my team. Looking back, it wasn’t really about them, but about my own confidence and the pressure I felt to be a ‘good’ manager.

When you’re under pressure, it’s easy to hold on more tightly than you intend. I can remember checking in ‘just in case’, when really it was about my own worry rather than the work itself.

I was recently intrigued to respond to a problem in The i Paper’s careers column, where a colleague being caught working two jobs led to the manager micromanaging the rest of the team.

Trust is built over time, and communication plays a big role. Without honest, two-way conversations, assumptions creep in and small issues can grow quickly.

Managers need to be clear about expectations, transparent about what’s happening above them, and create enough safety for people to be open.

Team members have a role too. Being honest about capacity, keeping managers in the loop, and bringing ideas (rather than just problems) all help to build trust.

Better conversations make a real difference. Coaching can be especially powerful in creating space to step back, understand what’s really going on, and work out practical solutions together.

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