Building Trust in Hybrid Teams: Honesty, Loyalty, and Competence

Trust is the glue that holds any team together, and it’s even more crucial in hybrid teams. When colleagues are scattered across cities or time zones, trust isn’t a “nice to have” – it’s make-or-break for effective collaboration. Classic research by Mayer, Davis, and Schoorman (1995) presents an Integrative Model of Organizational Trust, identifying ability, benevolence, and integrity as the core attributes of a trustee that drive trust

In our experience at Viessmann, we’ve found that trust in a hybrid work culture can be distilled into three similar pillars: honesty, loyalty, and competence. In other words, a team member is trusted when they consistently tell the truth and act transparently (honesty/integrity), demonstrate care and support for others (loyalty/benevolence), and show capability and reliability in their work (competence/ability). Below, I dive into why building trust is more important than ever for hybrid teams.

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Why Trust Matters More Than Ever in Hybrid Teams

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Hybrid work has amplified the importance of trust. When we aren’t all in one office, we lose the casual check-ins and “management by walking around” that used to reassure everyone that things are on track. Leaders have limited visibility into day-to-day work, and team members can sometimes feel isolated. In this environment, trust and a sense of togetherness become imperative for supporting innovation and creativity – without them, people retreat into silos and stop sharing ideas. A recent McKinsey analysis put it plainly: “Trust and togetherness are imperative to support employee innovation and creativity” in hybrid teams (mckinsey.com)

It’s telling that Google’s famed Project Aristotle study found psychological safety – essentially a culture of mutual trust and respect – was the key factor of high-performing teams (library.hbs.edu). In fact, researchers noted that whether teammates sit in the same office or are distributed around the world mattered far less than whether they felt safe to take risks and speak up. The flip side is also true: when trust is missing, fear and micromanagement creep in, collaboration stalls, and performance suffers. 

Building genuine trust is hard work – it develops slowly and steadily – but it’s absolutely worth the effort for any hybrid team. Trust is the foundation that allows team members to communicate openly, collaborate creatively, and lean on each other across distances. The following are the practices I’ve found most effective for cultivating each of the three pillars of trust (honesty, loyalty, and competence) in a hybrid setting.

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Honesty: Create Transparency and Open Communication

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Honesty is the first pillar of trust – the perception that a person adheres to sound principles and tells the truth. In a hybrid team, leading with honesty means proactively sharing information and context to bridge the gaps left by physical distance. You can’t rely on hallway conversations or osmosis for information-sharing when much of the team is remote. As leaders and teammates, we have to deliberately pull back the curtain:

• Over-communicate context and decisions: Be transparent about the “why” behind choices and changes. For example, I provide regular updates (via messages or virtual meetings) on what’s happening across the organization and the reasoning behind major decisions. This consistent context-setting prevents people from feeling “in the dark” and reduces anxiety.
• Admit what you don’t know: If you’re asked a question and don’t have the answer, say so honestly – “I don’t have that information right now, but I will find out” – rather than bluffing. Admitting uncertainty or mistakes actually builds credibility; it shows integrity and encourages others to speak up when they have concerns or make errors. I strive to model this vulnerability by openly acknowledging my own missteps or areas where I’m still learning. When your team sees you being real, it gives them permission to be honest too. That mutual candor becomes the bedrock of trust.
• Ensure clarity in roles and expectations: Miscommunication can easily breed distrust, especially in a hybrid environment where we don’t have as many casual touchpoints. To counter this, make sure everyone knows their responsibilities and how success will be measured. Document decisions and action items openly (for instance, in shared documents or team chat channels) so that there’s a single source of truth. In my team, we plan our quarterly Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) in one shared Google Sheet and update progress there for all to see – no one is left in the dark on purpose. By communicating frequently and clearly, you replace doubt with alignment. Over time, this consistency between words and actions cements your reputation for integrity.

Honesty and transparency might sometimes be uncomfortable (e.g. sharing bad news or admitting faults), but in the long run they pay off by creating a culture of trust. Team members learn that what they hear is truthful, that issues won’t be hidden, and that they won’t be punished for telling the truth. In short, you establish integrity, which is a cornerstone of trustworthiness in the eyes of your team.

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Loyalty: Foster Empathy, Support, and “Togetherness”

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Loyalty in a team context means having each other’s backs. In other words, do we genuinely care about each other’s well-being and success, aside from just our own gain? Demonstrating benevolence or goodwill builds a deep reservoir of trust, because people feel safe and supported. Especially when we’re not physically together, creating that sense of loyalty and belonging requires intention and empathy. Here are some ways we intentionally cultivate togetherness and show loyalty on a hybrid team:

• Create personal connection rituals: Since we don’t bump into each other in hallways, we schedule small rituals to connect on a human level. For example, our team has a light-hearted virtual chat every Monday morning to kick off the week. Once a month, a different team member leads fun icebreakers or games to spark laughter and curiosity. These moments of levity strengthen interpersonal bonds and remind us that we’re more than just faces on a screen.
• Express appreciation frequently: A short “Friday Thank You” – whether a quick call or a chat message – goes a long way. I make it a habit (and encourage others) to call out a colleague’s effort or help at the end of the week: “Thank you for jumping in to fix that issue” or “Appreciate how you handled that project hurdle.” Consistent gratitude and praise build goodwill. Team members feel seen and valued, which increases their loyalty to the team.
• Prioritize occasional in-person meetups: We prioritize gathering in person as a team every quarter (and as a company periodically). During these meetups, we don’t only talk shop – we share meals, do fun activities, and have unstructured time to chat about life. These real experiences and conversations forge a stronger personal attachment. When you’ve shared a laugh over dinner or did an activity together, it’s easier to remember you’re all in it together.

Beyond these connection habits, we try to live by a mantra: “Tough on content, kind to people.” I love this saying because it captures the balance of loyalty and high standards we strive for. Tough on content means we challenge ideas rigorously in discussions or debates – we’re not afraid to critique a proposal, dissect a strategy, or point out flaws in a plan. At the same time, being kind to people means we do this respectfully and with empathy, never attacking the person behind the idea. In practice, this might look like a lively debate in a meeting where we passionately argue the merits of different approaches (because we all care about getting the best outcome), but we do so without insult or resentment. We separate the idea from the individual. As a result, no one feels personally attacked when their suggestion is critiqued. Team members learn that feedback or dissent is not betrayal of trust – it’s how we collectively get better. This cultural norm builds trust because everyone knows that even if we disagree on what to do, we still support and respect each other as teammates. There’s a shared confidence that we’re on the same side at the end of the day. Fostering this kind of benevolence and loyalty yields a sense of psychological safety within the group. People feel secure that their team has positive intentions toward them. When crises or conflicts arise, a loyal team rallies together rather than pointing fingers. In a hybrid setting, that feeling of “we’re in this together” is priceless – it turns physical distance into a minor detail because emotionally the team is tight-knit. By actively cultivating empathy, support, and togetherness, you fulfill the benevolence aspect of trust and make colleagues want to be vulnerable with each other, knowing they’ll be supported

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Competence: Deliver Consistently and Empower Accountability

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The third pillar of trust is competence – doing your job well and reliably. In Mayer et al.’s model this corresponds to ability, the set of skills and competencies that enable a person to have influence or perform in a specific domain. Nothing erodes trust in a team faster than a pattern of missed deadlines or low-quality work. Especially in hybrid teams, where we can’t physically see each other’s work in progress, we rely on outcomes to tell us whether someone is competent and dependable. If those outcomes are consistently good, trust grows. If they’re inconsistent or poor, trust plummets – colleagues start to doubt if they can count on you. Building trust through competence comes down to a culture of ownership, excellence, and accountability. Some fundamentals we emphasize include:

• Do what you say you will do: This is the simplest trust-builder. If you promise to send a report by Thursday, make sure it’s sent by Thursday. Hitting your commitments shows your teammates they can rely on your word. And if something truly prevents you from delivering, communicate early and renegotiate the deadline – don’t drop the ball quietly. In a hybrid context, where each person’s workflow is somewhat invisible to others, these professional courtesies are amplified in importance. Consistency creates predictability, and predictability creates trust. Each time you follow through on what you said, it strengthens the team’s belief in your competence and reliability.
• Establish transparent workflows and accountability: To keep everyone confident in each other’s progress, it helps to have shared routines and tools. For example, our project teams holds a brief weekly OKR check-in meeting and updates task status in a shared project tracker (we use Asana) visible to all. These habits ensure that progress (or blockers) are apparent even if no one is in the same office. It also distributes responsibility – everyone knows they are expected to update the group, which fosters a sense of ownership. When every member consistently pulls their weight and updates the team, people start to relax any anxieties and trust the group’s competence as a whole. They know: “Everyone here is committed and pulling their weight; I won’t be left carrying the bag alone.”

Focusing on competence doesn’t mean expecting perfection; it means instilling a sense of responsibility in each team member. In a high-trust, high-competence culture, people hold themselves accountable because they don’t want to let the team down. Reliability becomes the norm. Over time, as the team delivers consistently, trust blossoms naturally – success builds upon success. Each project completed well is evidence that “we know what we’re doing,” which makes everyone more willing to trust each other with the next critical task or bold idea.

Conclusion: Trust as the Cornerstone of Hybrid Success

Building trust in hybrid teams is an ongoing journey – one that requires deliberate effort and consistency, but yields huge rewards. When honesty, loyalty, and competence become embedded in how we work, trust blossoms. And with trust comes a team that communicates openly, supports one another, and performs at its peak even across distances. In my view, trust is the ultimate enabler of hybrid work: A team rooted in trust can leverage diverse locations, and perspectives to be creative and responsive, because members feel secure in the relationships and information flow. I’ll be the first to admit I’m still learning every day how to build and sustain trust better. Trust-building is a leadership practice you never truly finish – it requires constant attention, honest self-reflection, and adaptation as your team evolves. But it’s absolutely worth it. If you invest in cultivating honesty (integrity), loyalty (benevolence), and competence (ability) within your hybrid team, you’ll create a resilient, high-performing group that can weather challenges and seize opportunities, no matter where everyone is sitting. 

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Sources:

• Mayer, R.C., Davis, J.H., & Schoorman, F.D. (1995). An Integrative Model of Organizational Trust, Academy of Management Review, 20(3), 709–734 – Defining trust as willingness to be vulnerable and identifying ability, benevolence, and integrity as key trust factors, makinggood.ac.nz

• Scharf, S. & Weerda, K. (2022). How to lead in a hybrid environment, McKinsey & Company – Emphasizing that trust and togetherness are imperative for innovation and creativity in hybrid work, mckinsey.com

• Edmondson, A. & Baskin, K. (2023). Four Steps to Building the Psychological Safety That High-Performing Teams Need, HBS Working Knowledge – Noting Google’s Project Aristotle found psychological safety (a climate of trust) to be a key component of successful teams, library.hbs.edu