From Trust to Distance: The Consequences of Erosion of Trust in the Relationship with a Supervisor

Purpose: Trust is one of those research categories that is particularly difficult to conceptualize. This article pays special attention to trust between a subordinate and a superior, exposing the structure of managerial behaviours that result in the erosion of trust. Design/Methodology/Approach: The research process used the CAWI method, based on an original survey questionnaire. The collected empirical data was subjected to statistical analysis, in which, among others, a multifactor logistic regression model and polychoric correlations were used. Findings: Analysis of the collected data showed a significant relationship between selected managerial behaviours and the consequences of loss of trust in them experienced by employees. Moderating variables such as gender, age and work experience differentiate the obtained results. The analysed data revealed the strongest relationship between: unfair treatment of employees (A9) and negative attitude to work (B1), manager's abuse of their function and/or position (A2) and unethical behaviour among employees (B7) and treating employees as a source of generating costs (A8) and limited development opportunities (B4). Practical implications: The analysis of the collected empirical data confirmed a significant relationship between the variables, which proves that the behaviour of the manager and the way they treat their subordinates is very important in human capital management. It has a direct impact on the quality of relations between employees and their well-being. Originality Value: The article was created based on the analysis of domestic and foreign literature and a thorough analysis of the collected research results, which revealed the correlation between specific behaviours of managers and the experienced consequences of loss of trust among employees. It is addressed to scientists dealing with the subject of employee trust in the supervisor and managers managing the most valuable resource of the organization – people.