Trust-based management in public sector organizations: The role of information flows for work autonomy and trust

This paper explores the relationship among flows of work-related information, work autonomy, and trust in trust-based management in public sector organizations. It presents the findings from an interdisciplinary, quantitative study that merges ideas and conceptualizations from the disciplines of information studies, organizational behavior, and public administration. The paper analyzes survey data from 721 employees at lower hierarchical levels in home care and schools in the City of Oslo. The results from path modeling using structural equations modeling (SEM) indicate that flows of work-related information contribute to the development of trust and increased work autonomy. The study highlights the importance of work-related information flows for work autonomy and trust in trust-based management. The availability of work-related information and information sharing by formal and informal information intermediators promotes the building of trust and increases work autonomy in practice. These mechanisms need to be integrated into internal communication systems. The results will help organizations increase work autonomy and stimulate more trust-based management by addressing their information flows. We believe that the general relationship among information flows, autonomy, and trust is portable for other types of organizations and more diverse groups of employees.