School BUSRide April 2024 | Page 17

Impact of Trust on Organizational Culture and Driver Retention

By Dana Rosen
A quick search on Google for “ why do people leave jobs ’’ will report a range of interesting reasons , but the general theme is often the same . The main reasons for leaving a job usually relate to company culture , lack of career growth , poor management , feeling unappreciated , and working for a lousy boss . These reasons influence employees ’ decision to leave more often than pay , working hours , or workload . While it ’ s easy to blame low salaries or insufficient resources for high employee turnover in the school transportation industry , the real reason for this issue is often related to poor management , lack of training , and leadership . It ’ s essential to address the underlying reasons for employee turnover , which have little to do with the physical work environment and are influenced by leadership and organizational culture . You can find thousands of leadership experts with catchphrases and fancy books , each providing different approaches to management . However , leadership is similar to being an athlete - various types require specific skills and physical attributes . For example , a golfer doesn ’ t need the same skills as a sprinter but needs the basics of athleticism , like endurance and coordination . Leadership is the same ; while each company may need a different style of leader , there are essential qualities that build a consistently successful culture . TRUST is a crucial quality of leadership and the key to maintaining a positive climate and culture that encourages employees to stay and succeed .
Trust is a complex term that can be challenging to define . It varies in degree and situation , depending on the individuals and circumstances involved . We trust some bosses , but not necessarily all of them . So , as a leader , how do you develop trust with your workforce to ensure employees want to stay and work hard ? My research on trust began early in my career when I worked with teenagers who struggled to succeed in the school environment . These students would argue , fight , skirt around rules , blame others for their mistakes , lash out at adults for no apparent reason , and break rules just to see what would happen . As I built relationships with these
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