What builds mutual trust in flexible working?

Make trust visible through clear expectations about what employees need to deliver, rather than treating office attendance as the measure of contribution. The Frameworks argues that employees need tangible signs of trust and that leaders should value what people do more than where they do it. Agree clear objectives, acknowledge the discipline flexible working requires and recognise people who meet goals or go beyond them. Responsibility runs both ways: employers trust employees to deliver work on time and to a high standard, and employees take responsibility for doing so. Practical arrangements matter too. The Frameworks equipped its team with laptops and used Slack, Trello, Jira and Zoom to support flexible working. A 2025 Gallup survey found that 54% of US managers supervising remote workers strongly trusted their teams to be productive remotely, while 57% of US employees working remotely felt trusted by their manager to work productively remotely.

Make leadership behaviour match the message by having leaders model the working practices employees are encouraged to adopt. The Frameworks argues that command-and-control language is the wrong basis for flexible working: employees are not soldiers expected simply to obey orders. Internal communication should instead give employees a voice and help leaders understand how people want to work and how they want change delivered. Keep employees informed about what is working and what is not, listen to their views and remain open to adjusting arrangements. Leaders also need to demonstrate behaviours that support new ways of working, helping establish new cultural norms. Regular, authentic communication reinforces those behaviours rather than asking employees to accept a message that leadership practice contradicts.