Introduction
In the evolving nature of work, hybrid work and telework are among the most prominent phenomena, allowing employees to work entirely or partially outside their employer's physical location while communicating and operating through information technology. While hybrid work and teleworking arrangements are arguably more prevalent than ever, many have raised concerns that the physical separation amongst employees compromises workplace trust. Despite these concerns, research evidence indicating that telework negatively impacts workplace trust is limited.


Purpose
We hypothesize that telework may both diminish and promote trust via two pathways. Telework may diminish trust through less face-to-face interactions which subsequently may lead to less positive perceptions of co-workers' behaviors (friendliness and performance as team members) and subsequently to less trust amongst co-workers. Conversely, teleworking may promote trust via more electronic interaction which may lead to more positive perceptions of co-workers' behaviors.


Methods
We used two-wave data from two Finnish organizations, with 1203 participants who worked remotely. We employed structural equation modeling to analyze latent changes between November-December 2023 and May-June 2024.


Results
Increased telework was associated with decreased face-to-face interactions but not with changes in electronic interactions. Face-to-face and some of the electronic interactions were associated with increased perceptions of co-workers' friendliness and team proficiency, which in turn were associated with increased trust towards co-workers and felt trust from co-workers. Indirect effects of increased telework on decreased trust via reduced face-to-face interaction were significant, while those via electronic interactions were not.


Conclusions
Our study illuminates why telework may diminish trust and felt trust amongst co-workers. Telework may reduce trust due to less face-to-face interaction, emphasizing the importance of maintaining such interactions. Electronic interactions, while helpful, may not fully compensate for the loss of face-to-face interactions. The findings contribute to understanding hybrid work and trust dynamics.