Cathal Divilly
Business Partner, at Great Place to Work® Ireland
Marina Rivas
Marketing & Brand Manager, of Great Place to Work® Ireland
Economic uncertainty rarely creates organisational problems — it reveals them. As pressure mounts, weaknesses in trust, communication and culture become harder to ignore. The organisations that perform best are often those that invested in their people long before uncertainty arrived.
The experience of Ireland’s Best Workplaces™ reflects this. Employees are significantly more likely to believe leadership is both accessible and responsive. While 88% say management is approachable and easy to talk with, compared with 61% nationally, 81% believe management genuinely seeks and responds to suggestions and ideas, compared with just 52% nationally.
Why trust matters
Trust influences how organisations respond to challenges. Employees who feel informed, listened to and involved are often more willing to adapt and collaborate with management through change.
The same pattern appears elsewhere in the data. While 84% of employees in Ireland’s Best Workplaces™ say people are willing to give extra to get the job done, only 61% of employees nationally agree. Similarly, 81% say management shows sincere appreciation for good work and extra effort, compared with 53% nationally.
Organisations that perform best during uncertain periods are usually those
that have already invested in building trust long before it’s tested
As organisations navigate AI and changing workforce expectations, adaptability becomes increasingly valuable. Companies where employees trust leadership and feel connected to organisational goals are often better positioned to embrace change and respond to evolving customer needs. That ability to adapt may prove to be one of the strongest drivers of long-term performance.
Employees who feel valued perform better
“Great Workplaces are high-trust workplaces, and trust becomes a form of currency during periods of uncertainty,” says Cathal Divilly, Business Partner, Great Place to Work® Ireland. “Organisations that perform best during uncertain periods are usually those that have already invested in building trust long before it’s tested.”
Marina Rivas, Marketing & Brand Manager, Great Place to Work® Ireland, believes one of the biggest risks organisations face during uncertain periods is failing to listen to their people. “When employees stop believing their voice matters, organisations lose access to one of their most valuable resources: the insight of the people closest to the work.”
The question isn’t whether uncertainty will arrive. It’s whether organisations have built the trust needed to withstand it.
