Trust in Management and Grit Among Employees in the Environmental Management Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65150/EP-jmrr/V2E5/2026-05Keywords:
Trust in management, grit, PhilippinesAbstract
This study determined the level of trust in management and its relationship with the grit of employees in the Environmental Management Bureau IX of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources during calendar year 2025. It employed survey and descriptive-correlational research methods involving 113 regular and job order employees selected through complete enumeration. Data were gathered using structured questionnaire checklists on trust in management and grit. The data were analyzed using weighted mean, standard deviation, and Spearman Rank-Order Correlation Coefficient with JAMOVI as the statistical software. Findings revealed that the perceived level of trust in management was very high, particularly in terms of competency and management integrity, while working relationship was rated high. The perceived level of grit was also very high, with consistency obtaining a higher rating than persistence. The test of relationship showed a large/high positive and significant correlation between trust in management and grit (rho = 0.521, p < 0.01). The findings imply that employees who report stronger trust in management are more likely to demonstrate perseverance, diligence, and consistency in pursuing work-related goals. It is recommended that the Environmental Management Bureau, through the Human Resource Management Office, use the findings as input for training and development programs that strengthen relational trust, managerial support, and employee grit.
References
1) Abou Assali, M., Reyes, A., & Francisco, M. (2024). Resilience and tenacity in education: A grit-based approach to teacher development. Philippine Journal of Educational Psychology, 20(1), 34–50.
2) Abun, D., Natividad, E., Ambrocio, B. E., Agudelo, R. B., Galat, M. A., & Raguindin, C. A. B. (2025). Discovering the effect of employees’ trust in management on organizational citizenship behaviour and the employees’ grit. Divine Word International Journal of Management and Humanities, 4(2).
3) Betchoo, N. K. (2016). Public sector management: A millennial insight. Bookboon.
4) Bucero, A. (2012). Collective trust. PM Network, 26(8), 29.
5) Christopoulou, M., Lakioti, A., Pezirkianidis, C., Karakasidou, E., & Stalikas, A. (2018). The role of grit in education: A systematic review. Psychology, 9(15), 2951–2971.
6) Credé, M., Tynan, M. C., & Harms, P. D. (2017). Much ado about grit: A meta-analytic synthesis of the grit literature. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 113(3), 492–511.
7) Cumlat, J., Galat, M., Macaspac, L., & Julian, F. P. (2024). Does employees’ trust in the management predict employees’ work engagement? Divine Word International Journal of Management and Humanities, 3(1), 566–584.
8) Dale, G., Sampers, D., Loo, S., & Green, C. S. (2018). Individual differences in exploration and persistence: Grit and beliefs about ability and reward. PLOS ONE, 13, Article e0203131. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0203131
9) Datu, J. A. D. (2021). Beyond passion and perseverance: Review and future research initiatives on the science of grit. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, Article 545526. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.545526
10) Dirks, K. T. (2022). Trust within the workplace: A review of two waves of research and a glimpse of the third. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 9, 247–276. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-orgpsych-012420-083025
11) Duckworth, A. L. (2016). Grit: The power of passion and perseverance. Simon & Schuster.
12) Fabelico, F., & Afalla, B. (2020). Perseverance and passion in the teaching profession: Teachers’ grit, self-efficacy, burnout, and performance. Journal of Critical Reviews.
13) Ghimire, B. (2019). Factors affecting employees’ trust in management. NCC Journal, 4(1), 31–39.
14) Gray, J. (2016). Investigating the role of collective trust, collective efficacy, and enabling school structures on overall school effectiveness. NCPEA Education Leadership Review, 17(1).
15) Hill, L., & Lineback, K. (2019). To build trust, competence is key. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2012/03/to-build-trust-competence-is-k
16) Jachimowicz, J. M., Wihler, A., Bailey, E. R., & Galinsky, A. D. (2018). Why grit requires perseverance and passion to positively predict performance. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 115(40), 9980–9985. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1803561115
17) Kevin, J., Varsha, J., & Sreelakshmi, T. (2020). The influence of grit and self-efficacy on teacher’s teaching motivation on school teachers. International Journal for Science and Advance Research in Technology, 6(4).
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/346656558
18) Kim, M. L., & Kim, J. (2019). The role of grit in enhancing job performance of frontline employees: The moderating role of organizational tenure. In Advances in Hospitality and Leisure (pp. 61–84). Emerald Publishing Limited.
19) Lan, Y. (2022). The role of teachers’ grit and motivation in self-directed professional development. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, Article 922693.
20) Paschina, S. (2023). Trust in management and work flexibility: A quantitative investigation of modern work dynamics and their impact on organizational performance. [Journal/source details needed].
21) Price, I. (n.d.). Consistency at work: What does it mean? https://ianpricenewplace.co.uk/consistency-at-work-what-does-it-mean
22) Schreurs, B., Guenter, H., van Emmerik, I. H., Notelaers, G., & Schumacher, D. (2015). Pay level satisfaction and employee outcomes: The moderating effect of autonomy and support climates. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 26(12), 1546.
23) Shahid, A., & Azhar, S. (2013). Integrity and trust: The defining principles of great workplaces. Journal of Management Research, 5(4), 64. https://doi.org/10.5296/jmr.v5i4.3739
24) Subebe, R. R. G., & Naparota, L. C. (2025). Grit and teachers’ work performance: A study in the South District, Schools Division of Dipolog City. International Journal of Arts and Social Science, 8(7).
25) Sunil Kumar, R., & Sumitha, R. (2023). Trust in workplace: A conceptual study. Journal of General Management Research, 10(1), 38–58.
26) Tyranska, M. (2016). Managerial competencies for various management levels. Zeszyty Naukowe Uniwersytetu Ekonomicznego w Krakowie, 11(959), 21–38. https://doi.org/10.15678/ZNUEK.2016.0959.1102
27) Verlinden, N. (n.d.). Organizational citizenship behavior: Benefits and best practices. AIHR. https://www.aihr.com/blog/organizational-citizenship-behavior/
28) Wang, W., Mather, K., & Seifert, R. (2020). Job insecurity, employee anxiety, and commitment: The moderating role of collective trust in management. In Multilevel trust in organizations (pp. 84–101). Routledge.
29) Wang, X., & Cheng, Z. (2020). Cross-sectional studies: Strengths, weaknesses, and recommendations. Chest, 158(1S), S65–S71. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chest.2020.03.012
30) Widodo, W. (2021). Enhancing teachers’ professional competence through grit, personality, and creativity. Management Science Letters, 11, 129–138. https://doi.org/10.5267/j.msl.2020.8.022
31) Yohana, C. (2020). The effect of integrity, professionalism, and innovation on service performance. Journal of Business and Behavioural Entrepreneurship, 4(1), 26–42.
32) Zak, P. (2017). The neuroscience of trust. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2017/01/the-neuroscience-of-trust
33) Zyl, L. E., van Vuuren, M., Roll, L. C., & Stander, M. W. (2022). Person-environment fit and task performance: Exploring the role(s) of grit as a personal resource. Current Psychology, 42(27). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-022-03461-9
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Ryan I. Almadin, MPA, Leo C. Naparota, PhD (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
