What Tomorrow’s Employees Expect That Organizations Aren’t Ready For
- Brainz Magazine
- 7 days ago
- 6 min read
Diondra Filicetti is a Learning and Development professional, best-selling author, and two-time TEDx speaker. She specializes in team engagement, leadership effectiveness, and communication, helping organizations create motivated, high-performing teams.
One of my aunts recently shared a horrifying recruitment story with me. She had been approached by two recruiters, and after a few conversations, she realized they were from two different recruitment agencies, both recruiting for the same role. As the process unfolded, my aunt felt that one recruiter was genuine, while the other seemed disingenuous. She told me that if it came down to it, she would move forward with the recruiter who appeared to have her best interests at heart.
In the interest of building trust and transparency, my aunt was upfront with both recruiters. She told each of them, “Just to be transparent, I’d like to let you know that another recruiter from a different agency has also reached out to me about the same position.” Both recruiters assured her this was fine and explained that, for large companies, it is common practice to work with multiple agencies. With that understanding, everyone proceeded.
The recruiter who had seemed less genuine ended up being the first to secure an interview for my aunt. Before the interview, the recruiter sent her a copy of the job description. In that document, the salary range was clearly listed as $90,000 to $110,000, depending on experience and skill.
During the interview, my aunt was asked about her salary expectations. She stated $90,000 to $100,000. To her surprise, the interviewer responded by saying that this might be above what was offered for the position. Slightly confused, my aunt reiterated her expectations. After the interview, she sent a follow-up email:
“Thank you so much for your time today. It sounds like an exciting opportunity, and I enjoyed hearing about the team and the work ahead. There does appear to be a potential hiccup around the salary. However, I thank you for the discussion and look forward to hearing from you.”
When my aunt reconnected with the recruiter, she mentioned the salary discrepancy. The recruiter then told her that the position was paying between $80,000 and $85,000. My aunt responded by pointing out that the job description she had been sent clearly listed a salary range of $90,000 to $110,000, and that with her education, skills, and over 15 years of experience, those expectations were reasonable.
The recruiter replied, “Oh, you weren’t supposed to receive the copy of the job description that included the salary.” Pardon?
Unsurprisingly, my aunt chose not to move forward with the company. While the salary did not meet her expectations, neither did the level of trust.
The current job market is challenging for both employees and employers. That said, in an era shaped by social media, artificial intelligence, and eroding confidence in political and economic systems, trust has become a deal-breaker.
Without trust in the employee-employer relationship, employees unconsciously slip into psychological survival mode. In this state, people are no longer focused on doing their best work. Instead, they are constantly scanning for signs of exploitation, inconsistency, or broken promises. Energy that could be spent on creativity, collaboration, and performance is instead spent on self-protection.
Let’s explore each of the social elements driving up the value of trust.
The social media effect: Trust in the spotlight
Social media has fundamentally changed how employees evaluate workplaces. It has given people unprecedented insight into the lived experiences of others and provided a powerful platform for storytelling. A quick search for “horrible workplace stories” yields thousands of videos where people openly share what happened to them on the job. In some cases, if the experience is damaging enough, individuals even name the companies involved.
These stories travel fast. They shape perceptions before a candidate ever applies or an employee accepts an offer. Whether entirely fair or not, they contribute to a growing sense of caution and scepticism in the workforce.
AI and the rise of doubt
At the same time, the rise of AI has introduced a new layer of uncertainty. People now question whether emails, videos, and online content are real or AI-generated. Applicants are likely to have come across AI-generated job descriptions, for which they may submit AI-edited resumes. Inside the workplace, employees may wonder whether colleagues are using AI to complete tasks, whether genuine thought or effort has gone into the work, or whether digital communication is authentic.
Over time, this constant questioning rewires our brains. We become conditioned to doubt what is in front of us. When that mindset enters the workplace, it can quietly erode trust.
The broken social contract
There was a time when the social contract was clear: go to school, get a good job, and if you remained loyal to the company, that loyalty would be rewarded. In return, workplaces provided a stable salary, benefits, and a sense of long-term security, often including retirement savings.
That contract has shifted.
Between widespread layoffs, restructuring, and the stories employees hear every day, many no longer believe that companies will take care of them. As a result, employees approach interviews and jobs with their guard up.
Whether in the interview process or on the job, employees feel the need to be alert to signs that they are being taken advantage of. Personally, I, too, have experienced my fair share of unkept promises made during interviews, leading to disappointment once in the role.
Once trust has been broken, how can an employee feel committed to stay for the long term? And what suffers? Retention.
The question is, how can we build trust, deliver on employee expectations, attract great talent, and keep them?
I’d like to focus on two simple principles: transparency and reliability.
How trust is built at work for employees
Transparency
Transparency and honesty are two very different things. Honesty is telling the truth, while transparency is revealing the bigger picture so that someone can make an informed decision.
Transparency begins in the recruitment process.
I’ve experienced both ends of the spectrum: interviews that lacked transparency and those that prioritized it. I recall one interviewer in particular who was remarkably open. She shared unfavourable details about the role, details that were not in her best interest to disclose. Yet that honesty made a lasting impression on me. It signalled integrity. It made me feel respected. It gave me clarity for the decision. Ultimately, her transparency was the reason I chose to move forward.
On the other hand, there have been interviews where transparency was missing. Although I still moved forward with the role, once in the position, I felt like I had been bamboozled (what a great opportunity to use that word!). The trust was severely damaged, and my engagement at the company suffered before my inevitable resignation.
Reliability
Reliability is the consistent performance of trust in an environment. It reflects how confident we are that people will follow through on the promises they make. It’s when leaders and organizations do what they say they will do. It shows up when timelines are honoured, when compensation matches what was discussed or what was listed in the job description, when expectations are clear and realistic, and when feedback aligns with actual performance rather than shifting goalposts.
Reliability does not mean perfection. It does not require getting it right 100 percent of the time. What it means is that most of the time, follow-through happens as expected. Then when it doesn’t, when we fail to meet a deadline, for example, or if circumstances change, that lapse is seen as an outlier. Because reliability has already been established, the rare missteps can be forgiven.
In low-trust environments, however, the opposite is true. Each broken promise confirms the doubt. It reinforces the belief that leaders cannot be relied upon and that employees must protect themselves.
Reliability, then, becomes a stabilizing force. It offers psychological safety. Reliability means that employees can spend less time bracing for disappointment. It allows them to focus on their contributions.
Trust is a deciding factor in whether people stay at an organization.
In a world shaped by social media scrutiny, AI-driven uncertainty, and a broken social contract, employees are paying close attention to indicators of mistrust.
In my book, Engagement Economics, I explore the consequences of low-trust workplace environments, examining how doubt fuels disengagement, drives duplication of effort, and creates barriers to effective communication.
When it comes to employee expectations, trust is no longer optional. However, if done correctly, with transparency and reliability, it can even become a competitive advantage.
Read more from Diondra Filicetti
Diondra Filicetti, Team Engagement & Communication Expert
Diondra Filicetti is a distinguished Learning and Development professional, best-selling author, and two-time TEDx speaker. As the founder of Driven By Co., she helps organizations enhance performance through engaging workshops, leadership programs, and communication training. Her book Engagement Economics explores how employee engagement drives profitability and success. With expertise in adult learning and instructional design, Diondra has empowered thousands of professionals to lead with purpose, connect effectively, and inspire growth.
