Foreword

I believe that trust plays a vital role in building organisations where every person is valued and delivers value for their employer. Technology has promised so much in terms of the ability to transform our working lives, but time and time again I see that it has not delivered. I believe that it is a lack of trust, and consequently a reluctance to empower employees to make decisions about the best way that they can deliver value to their employer, that has proved a barrier to organisations grasping the opportunities that technological advances provide. That is why, as a member of Opportunity Now’s Advisory Board, I was personally very keen to lead this research. During my career, I have seen the pivotal role that leaders play in creating this environment of trust. We understand the enormous benefits agility can bring to individuals and organisations but we need to work harder to build the trust which will make this a reality. By living out our organisation’s values, by empowering our people to deliver their best and by using a little more imagination about the way that work is done, we can help to create an agile future for our organisations. I believe that this piece of research, the first in a series on this issue, will provide inspiration and insight to employers. The Advisory Board is clear that practical, pragmatic solutions for employers are central to the work of Opportunity Now and these will follow in the second report in this series on trust which will explore the issues raised here through focus groups and interviews in the workplace.

Ed Smith, Chairman of the World Wildlife Fund
and Oppportunity Now Board Member