The Cross-level Relationship Between Organizational Trust in Leadership and Job Satisfaction

Abstract

Previous research has rarely addressed trust in leadership at the organizational level. This study addresses this research gap by examining the influence of the magnitude of organizational trust in leadership and consensus about this trust on job satisfaction. The magnitude refers to shared trust in leadership among organizational members, whereas consensus captures the variability in perceptions within organizations, even when overall agreement exists. Moreover, the study examines the mediating role of perceived communication quality in the relationship between the magnitude of organizational trust in leadership and job satisfaction. The sample was composed of 486 employees of 34 transport organizations. Results showed that the magnitude of organizational trust in leadership influenced employees’ job satisfaction through perceived communication quality, but its direct effect on job satisfaction was non-significant. Moreover, the organizational consensus on trust in leadership was also positively associated with job satisfaction. Overall, the findings contribute to better understanding trust in leadership as an organizational phenomenon.

Keywords

• multilevel
• trust in leadership
• job satisfaction