ADP CEO Maria Black says employees who trust their CEO and senior leaders are 41% more likely to be engaged at work

ADP CEO Maria Black says employee trust in senior leadership is closely associated with stronger engagement at work. Employees who trust their CEO and senior leaders are 41% more likely to be engaged, according to Black.

Trust starts with the leadership team

Black’s message puts CEOs and other senior executives at the center of efforts to improve employee engagement. Rather than beginning with workplace programs or employee-focused initiatives, she says company leaders should first ask whether their workforce trusts them.

The point matters because engagement is not presented solely as an employee issue. Black’s statement connects employees’ relationship with the people leading the company to their likelihood of being engaged in their work.

Why the finding matters for businesses

For companies focused on engagement, the figure offers a leadership-focused measure to consider: whether employees have confidence in the CEO and senior team. It also suggests that executive credibility and employee experience are linked in the workplace.

Black did not provide additional details in the statement about how the 41% figure was calculated, including its timeframe, sample or methodology. The available information therefore supports a clear takeaway, but not a broader assessment of differences across industries or companies.

A leadership question for employers

Black’s advice is direct: organizations seeking more engaged workers should begin by examining trust at the highest levels. The statement makes leadership trust a starting point for the engagement conversation.