Co‐worker trust as a social catalyst for constructive employee attitudes

Research into interpersonal trust within organisational contexts tends to concentrate on managers as a referent, largely ignoring the potential social benefits of trust amongst co‐workers. Hence, the aim of this study is to investigate the influence of co‐worker trust on selected organisational perceptions and attitudes. Results provided empirical support for the fundamental role of co‐worker trust. Co‐worker trust was found to be a significant predictor of perceived organisational support, lowered turnover intention, and greater affective commitment. In view of these results, it is suggested that there may be opportunities for organisations to improve individual and organisational effectiveness by engendering trust throughout peer levels.

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