Psychologist says employees have lost trust in bosses due to pandemic's great leadership: They got a 'champagne taste' of leadership.

You're not the only one struggling to trust your boss at the moment.

According to Ben Granger, chief workplace psychologist and head of employee experience advisory services at Qualtrics, many managers have reverted to their pre-Covid behavior, being less visible and interactive than they were in 2020 and 2021.

No more are the days of managers bonding over shared pandemic experiences and chatting about families and lifestyles during virtual meetings from their homes, he says.

"Granger explains to CNBC Make It that people experienced a champagne taste of communication when they had exposure to senior leadership. However, that exposure was scaled back, leading to a decrease in communication. This decrease could result in different perceptions of the intimacy of relationships with managers or leadership groups."

Granger reports that the percentage of employees who trusted and had confidence in their boss to make sound business decisions decreased from 67% in May 2020 to a lower number.

The pandemic has resulted in waves of layoffs, with some employees receiving abrupt notifications via email or Slack. As a result, employees are experiencing increased stress and a lack of trust, according to Granger.

Leading organizations can be challenging for bosses, and workers may choose to quietly quit or leave altogether.

How to improve workplace relationships

Granger suggests that bosses should prioritize three key elements: competence, integrity, and benevolence.

"People are more likely to trust their boss when they detect three specific things, according to him. He adds that even when people make mistakes, they will be given grace if they show that they care about others."

Granger notes that employees desire to work for someone with strong values, who consistently adheres to those values, and prioritizes the well-being of others.

According to Tom Gimbel, a workplace culture expert, communication, listening, and collaboration skills are crucial for both bosses and employees. These skills can help strengthen workplace relationships, build trust, and foster a culture that people want to be a part of.

According to Gimbel, CEO of LaSalle Network in Chicago, the more genuine you are, the more people will connect with you and appreciate your company.

It's a good idea to have informal meetings with your boss or manager every once in a while, suggests Andy Cohen and Diane Hoskins, co-CEOs of architecture firm Gensler.

"Gensler's younger employees will find 15 minutes on my calendar to grab coffee and chat about work or life outside of work, as well as our hobbies and interests, according to Hoskins, who told Make It in February. He enjoys those conversations immensely."

"These conversations can be very productive as most bosses are thinking about how they can assist their employees in exploring new career paths or ideas."

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