Clarifying the importance of trust in organizations as a component of effective work relationships

Abstract

Organizational trust is an important element of an organization's long-term success, as it is a central component of effective work relationships. This study examines the extent to which one's trust in the organization mediates the relationship between three drivers of social exchange relationships and three attitudinal outcomes. The results from a sample of 1,300 manufacturing employees revealed that trust in the organization partially mediated the relationship between perceived supervisor support and turnover intentions, affective organizational commitment and job satisfaction, and fully mediated the relationship between distributive justice and information receiving and these outcomes. This paper extends the empirical literature about the antecedents and consequences of trust in organization, giving special attention to the mediating role of trust in organizations.