Playing it Safe is a High-Risk Strategy
68%of employees globally worry that business leaders deliberately mislead them.
49% of workers experience low psychological safety - meaning almost half feel unable to speak up without risk of embarrassment or blame.
Only 19% of frontline employees trust their CEO as a truthful source of information.
Edelman Trust Barometer 2025 · 33,000 respondents · 28 countries
Only 19% of frontline employees trust their CEO as a truthful source of information.
49% of workers experience low psychological safety - meaning almost half feel unable to speak up without risk of embarrassment or blame.
Only 19% of frontline employees trust their CEO as a truthful source of information.
Edelman Trust Barometer Special Report: Trust at Work · 2024
49% of workers experience low psychological safety - meaning almost half feel unable to speak up without risk of embarrassment or blame.
49% of workers experience low psychological safety - meaning almost half feel unable to speak up without risk of embarrassment or blame.
49% of workers experience low psychological safety - meaning almost half feel unable to speak up without risk of embarrassment or blame.
APA Work in America Survey · 2024 · based on Edmondson's framework
Most leaders think their people trust them! Really?
71% of UK consumers demonstrate trust in a brand by making more purchases - trust converts directly into commercial value.
73% say their trust in a brand increases when it authentically reflects real culture. Only 27% respond to product focus alone.
73% say their trust in a brand increases when it authentically reflects real culture. Only 27% respond to product focus alone.
Adobe UK Consumer Trust Study · 2024
73% say their trust in a brand increases when it authentically reflects real culture. Only 27% respond to product focus alone.
73% say their trust in a brand increases when it authentically reflects real culture. Only 27% respond to product focus alone.
73% say their trust in a brand increases when it authentically reflects real culture. Only 27% respond to product focus alone.
Edelman Trust Barometer Special Report: Brand Trust · 2025
87% of consumers say they will pay more for products from a brand they genuinely trust.
73% say their trust in a brand increases when it authentically reflects real culture. Only 27% respond to product focus alone.
87% of consumers say they will pay more for products from a brand they genuinely trust.
Capital One Shopping Research · Branding Statistics · 2024
Sameness is drift with better branding
6x faster growth for brands with cultural vibrancy - brands that are distinctive, present and emotionally relevant to their audience.
6x faster growth for brands with cultural vibrancy - brands that are distinctive, present and emotionally relevant to their audience.
6x faster growth for brands with cultural vibrancy - brands that are distinctive, present and emotionally relevant to their audience.
Kantar BrandZ · 2025
3.5 revenue growth for brands that consistently deliver on their promise across every touchpoint versus those that do not.
6x faster growth for brands with cultural vibrancy - brands that are distinctive, present and emotionally relevant to their audience.
6x faster growth for brands with cultural vibrancy - brands that are distinctive, present and emotionally relevant to their audience.
Forrester Global Total Experience Score Rankings · 2025
23% average revenue increase for businesses with a cohesive, recognisable brand identity versus those without.
6x faster growth for brands with cultural vibrancy - brands that are distinctive, present and emotionally relevant to their audience.
23% average revenue increase for businesses with a cohesive, recognisable brand identity versus those without.
Energy and Matter Branding Statistics · 2024
Silence is the proof of fear
74% of employees don't feel their voice is heard at work. Employees who feel heard are 4.6 times more likely to feel empowered to perform their best work.
62% of employees globally are not engaged. 15% are actively disengaged. Most of them are not leaving. They are staying and doing the minimum. The silence that is costing your business is not coming from people who have left.
Google Project Aristotle - studied 250 attributes across 180 teams over 2 years, and they found the high-performing teams were the ones with the greatest psychological safety.
Source: Salesforce - State of the Connected Customer, 2022. Based on a survey of over 17,000 consumers and business buyers globally.
Google Project Aristotle - studied 250 attributes across 180 teams over 2 years, and they found the high-performing teams were the ones with the greatest psychological safety.
62% of employees globally are not engaged. 15% are actively disengaged. Most of them are not leaving. They are staying and doing the minimum. The silence that is costing your business is not coming from people who have left.
Google Project Aristotle - studied 250 attributes across 180 teams over 2 years, and they found the high-performing teams were the ones with the greatest psychological safety.