PageViews Monthly: Issue 13

According to the 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer, employers faced a significant global drop in employee trust for the first time in years. Perhaps most alarming is the belief that government, media and business leaders all lie frequently is at an all-time high. On a similar (but different) note, the 2025 Page Confidence in Business Index finds that only 26% of the public believes that leading companies will be able to make a positive impact on the critical issues society currently faces.

Earlier this month, Page hosted a conversation with Jennifer Temple, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at HPE, focusing specifically on earning public trust in an era of uncertainty.Copy link

Shared Ownership of Reputation

One of HPE’s most effective tools is a standing Reputation Council, a cross-functional group that includes legal, HR, comms, investor relations and business leadership. The council meets regularly to surface reputational risks, consider the organization’s position and message on social or policy issues, and bring multiple perspectives into alignment before any public move is made.

The strength of this model is that it prevents reputational issues from being siloed. This kind of governance structure gives leaders time to assess the impact of their words and actions, especially when there is a sense of urgency to respond.Copy link

Internal Communication as a Trust Driver

Employees are hungry for information and connection, especially with mounting external pressures. Jennifer emphasized the need for frequent, tiered communication that can reach everyone, whether they’re managing teams, serving customers or working in the field. HPE has evolved its internal communications strategy to include quick, mobile-friendly updates, leadership forums and consistent post-earnings messaging for people managers.

This isn’t just about sharing news. It’s about reinforcing trust at a time when confidence is fragile. One of the biggest takeaways from the Confidence in Business Index was just how closely employees tie trust to visibility and clarity from their leaders; they are virtually inextricable.Copy link

Build Trust Now, Before Financial Anxieties Materialize

While economic indicators remain mixed, the sense of uncertainty among stakeholders is already very real. Employees, customers and investors are bracing for potential downturns, and their expectations of corporate leadership are sharpening in the process. 

Communicators can help their organizations stay ahead by giving stakeholders reasons to believe: in leadership, in values, in the consistency of action. It means using internal communications to address unspoken questions, equipping managers to deliver context and making space for two-way dialogue.

Trust built during stable times tends to hold when conditions change. But when trust is fragile to begin with, even modest turbulence can shake confidence. Now is the time to invest in the systems, messages and leadership presence that will carry organizations through what comes next.