Organizational Trust, Working Parents in Student Affairs, and the COVID-19 Pandemic

How do the actions of higher education leadership impact the trust employees feel in their organization? Using a theoretical framework that suggests that trust is shared, learned, and conditional, we investigate the way the actions of senior leaders and direct supervisors both helped and harmed employees’ trust in their organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing on interviews with 25 working parents in student affairs, we found that many felt abandoned by their senior leaders as institutions focused their actions on supporting students, often at the expense of employee health and well-being. Although some individual supervisors were noted for being supportive, their actions often were counter to the dominant culture, leading to overall feelings of disillusionment and distrust. This study’s findings extend far beyond the COVID-19 pandemic, illustrating how institutional behavior can influence employee morale.