How To Earn Employee Trust During Major Tech Implementations

InnovationHow To Earn Employee Trust During Major Tech ImplementationsByExpert Panel®,Forbes Councils Member.for Forbes Technology CouncilCOUNCIL POSTExpertise from Forbes Councils members, operated under license. Opinions expressed are those of the author. | Membership (fee-based)May 18, 2026, 01:15pm EDT gettyLarge-scale technology implementations rarely fail because of the technology alone. More often, trust erodes when employees feel decisions are being made around them instead of with them or when communication becomes inconsistent as rollout pressures build.For adoption to last beyond launch week, change management teams have to treat trust as an ongoing operational priority, not a one-time messaging exercise. Below, members of Forbes Technology Council share practical ways leaders can earn that trust early and sustain it through every stage of a major tech rollout. Rebuild Change Playbooks Around TrustMany implementation playbooks are outdated and need to be rewritten to reflect the trust challenges created by rapid AI adoption. The objective must shift from “trust the tech” to “trust the people behind it.” That means empowering credible change champions, pacing change in line with culture, and increasing executive visibility throughout implementation. - Rochelle Blease, G2 Risk SolutionsClarify The AI Strategy EarlyDefine the AI strategy early and sponsor it from the top. People need to know the direction, the rationale, the expected outcomes and how it affects their role. Make clear these tools exist to boost productivity and competitiveness, not to replace people. But also be honest: The gap between those who adopt and those who don’t will become unsustainable for any company competing in this market. - Samuel Martinez, SDG GroupForbes Technology Council is an invitation-only community for world-class CIOs, CTOs and technology executives. Do I qualify?Show The Logic Behind DecisionsMake decision logic visible early. Trust builds when teams can see how and...