Trust and leadership in the context of digital work

Abstract

This contribution to the journal “Gruppe. Interaktion. Organisation. (GIO)” investigates the relevance of trust between leaders and followers in the context of digitalization and comes to the conclusion that trust is getting even more important. The article reaches this conclusion by firstly identifying the psycho-social effects of digital work on an organizational level and secondly analyzing the possible interactions with trust. The analysis demonstrates that in the context of digitalization the application fields of trust are increasing significantly, whereas the potential of the alternative concept of power is decreasing while the concept of control can complement trust but cannot substitute the function and positive outcomes that trust has. The article ends with specific implications for the development of trust in the context of digital work.