'Crisis of grievance' erodes trust in government, business, media, NGOs

What you probably already know: We are experiencing a crisis of civility across the globe and one way to track that is to look at how much people trust the institutions that govern their lives. Global communications firm Edelman has tracked changes in global trust levels of government, business, the media, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and shares its findings through its widely cited annual report, the Edelman Trust Barometer. This year’s report surveyed over 33,000 respondents across 28 countries, revealing worsening distrust in business leaders, government leaders, and the media. Roughly 6 in 10 people hold grievances against government entities, business leaders, and the wealthy, citing convictions that government and business serve only a select few. Most people surveyed believe government officials, businesses, and journalists are purposely misleading them, and 4 in 10 are in favor of using hostile actions — attacking others online, spreading disinformation, threatening or committing violence, or damaging property — to bring about change.

Why? Edelman’s report points to a long series of institutional failures as the root cause of widespread grievances, attributed, in part, to class divides, a lack of quality information, political turmoil, and negative outlooks on the future. Edelman’s findings also reveal that women have consistently been less trusting of institutions than men. Today, the gap between men and women is five points wide — wider among Gen Zers — and women distrust institutions in twice as many countries as their male counterparts. The most notable gender gaps in trust occur in the UK, Germany, South Korea, Ireland, the Netherlands, and the U.S., with women in the latter scoring 42 on Edelman’s trust index compared to 53 for men. Women, especially those who are older or live in developed countries, are also less likely than men to feel optimistic about the next generation’s future, according to Edelman data. Liz Foster, managing director and global client leader at Edelman, calls it a “gender spread of grievance.”

What it means: Foster said one of the most important findings on this year’s trust barometer is that more men and women of all ages and income brackets are worried about discrimination. “You can see why we're at the point we are in this crisis of grievance. All of this distrust, lack of optimism, and fear of discrimination has led to this moment,” she said while discussing Edelman’s latest findings at the International Women’s Forum World Leadership Conference. “People are feeling like they’re personally disadvantaged because of it.” Public trust is drowning in a rising tide of grievance, slowing collective progress.

What happens next: Foster said these findings should serve as a wake-up call for leaders to notice, understand, and address pervasive grievances. Many people feel backed into a corner, leading more to approve the use of hostile activism in the absence of other effective means of being heard. Edelman’s data shows a need for more competence among government entities in delivering policies that benefit citizens. Businesses also have the opportunity to step into leadership roles on societal issues by delivering fair-wage jobs, providing competitive skills training to support job security, and nurturing workplace stability. Foster said restoring confidence in the system requires focusing on underlying grievances, considering gender dynamics and generational swings, and transparent collaboration between business, government, media, and NGOs.