There is a concerning downward trend in the workforce that’s hindering team and culture performance.
Employees’ trust in leadership and their belief that the organization cares about their well-being have remained near record lows in 2026, according to Gallup.
While the concepts of trust and well-being aren’t typically linked in organizations, they are, in fact, interconnected.
In developing the 5Cs model, a scientifically validated model that captures the five critical elements that create high-performing teams and thriving cultures, we discovered that the element of connection is crucial: It reflects the level of connection everyone feels with each other, and it encompasses the sub-factors of trust and well-being.
The 5Cs research results highlight that trust and well-being are foundational for teams and organizations to reach their full potential. Working in environments where we trust and care holistically for each other boosts all other areas.
Unfortunately, organizations often struggle with not having a roadmap or knowing where to focus to move the needle on these areas, as demonstrated by the declines in both trust and well-being.
My recent book, Connected Culture, provides a roadmap for leaders to build high-performing teams and thriving cultures with the 5Cs model. The five elements are: Connection, Candid Communication, Clarity, Collaboration, and Contribution. In a series of five posts, I’ll dive into each element in depth, starting with connection.
Overview of the Connection Element of the 5Cs
What it means: Connection within a team and organization reflects the ties that everyone feels with the entity’s ethos and with their colleagues. Connection encapsulates a deep sense of mutual trust that goes beyond mere association or involvement, and well-being that includes the physical, mental, and emotional health of members of the team and organization.
The Subfactors:
- Well-being is a measure of the emphasis placed on physical, mental, and emotional health by the team or organization.
- Trust refers to the trustworthiness and mutual trust that is fostered and reflected within the team or organization.
Recent research results reveal that connection is the superpower for improving team cohesion and culture. The key reasons are:
- Connection is the most important ring of the 5Cs.
- The Connection ring impacts every other ring more significantly than the others.
- Connection is the individual element most predictive of job satisfaction, though all 5Cs combined are more predictive.
Challenges When Connection Is Low:
Low connection environments don’t allow teams and organizations to produce the maximum level of results. People often feel isolated or disconnected from their peers or the organization’s culture. Overall, it creates an environment where all other elements of the 5Cs suffer—it’s not possible to reach high levels of the other elements.
Low levels of trust have physiological implications and actually change our brain chemistry. Low trust is linked with being in a state of increased fear, where we feel threatened, act reactively, don’t have access to think clearly, and create silos. It’s not an environment where people can do their best work or lean on each other.
When well-being is low, individuals don’t feel like the organization adequately supports their well-being. People don’t feel like they are cared about as whole people, that self-care is valued, or that their mental health is supported. Low levels of well-being can impact an employee’s overall satisfaction and performance. It creates a negative environment, adversely impacting individuals, teams, and the organization.
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Benefits When Connection Is High
Environments of high trust and care create an upward spiral of openness and engagement. To the outside, it can look like teams are accomplishing the impossible. Magic happens when what teams and organizations can accomplish is much greater than the sum of their parts.
High connection is the heart of how organizations accomplish all aspects of what they want to achieve.
High-performing teams work effectively together, lean on each other and get into positive cycles for their own growth.
In a high-trust environment, people feel safe, collaborate, and have access to their full cognitive abilities. In “The Neuroscience of Trust” HBR article, Paul Zak discovered through his research: “People at high-trust companies report: 74% less stress, 106% more energy at work, 50% higher productivity, 13% fewer sick days, 76% more engagement, 29% more satisfaction with their lives, 40% less burnout.”
When well-being is high, everyone demonstrates they care about people mentally, physically, and emotionally, which allows teams and organizations to progress to the next level of performance. Gallup found that when employees believe their organization cares about their overall well-being, they are over 4 times more engaged, 7 times more likely to recommend their organization, 73% less likely to feel burned out at work, 53% less likely to be looking for a job, and 50% more likely to thrive in life.
Leaders Can Foster Connection by Showing They Care
To acknowledge and show care for the whole person, create a dialogue around well-being and be open to speaking about it. I encourage leaders to share their own journeys with well-being. When they do so, they model caring for their well-being and give permission for the team to do the same. It doesn’t mean you need to expose your personal life. It does mean we can care about each other more holistically, and not just for our productivity.
Leaders, you can open a conversation with your team by asking: How are we caring for ourselves and each other as a team, as humans?
Ultimately, the connection element of the 5Cs emphasizes bringing greater humanity into the workplace. We must place trust and well-being at the center of how organizations operate and integrate both aspects into how we approach improving leaders, teams, and organizations.
