Younger talent, born into a gig economy with different expectations, seek flexibility, transparency, and fairness. The disconnect is real, but it’s not a skills gap. It’s a trust gap.
Building trust, not headcount
So how do we bridge this gap? The answer is not more engineers, but better leaders. Founders and managers who prioritize trust over headcount, fairness over optics, and alignment over empire-building. Companies that invest in their teams’ well-being, document equity agreements, and lead with integrity will find themselves with a more loyal, productive, and enduring workforce.
It’s time for African tech to shift its focus from a shortage of skills to a surplus of trust. When we do, we’ll find that the talent we need was there all along, waiting for leaders who would value them not just as employees, but as co-builders of the future.
And when that trust is built, African tech will rise to new heights, not held back by a skills gap, but propelled forward by a newfound trust in its own potential.
Younger workers today have a different perspective on the workforce compared to previous generations. Growing up in an economy of sudden layoffs, rising costs, and a constant comparison of global pay scales on platforms like LinkedIn, they have developed a sense of mistrust in local employers. Many see their peers securing remote roles with international firms that offer more flexibility, transparency, and security.
Instead of a skills gap, what some founders perceive in younger workers is actually a lack of trust in the institutions closest to them. When managers complain about African graduates lacking workplace etiquette or engineers seeking better opportunities too quickly, they are really expressing a lack of trust in their employees’ loyalty. Similarly, when young engineers witness their talented colleagues being undervalued or mistreated, they lose trust in their employers’ fairness.
This lack of trust not only leads to high turnover rates but also hinders company velocity. When employees feel undervalued and untrusted, they are less likely to fully invest themselves in their work, causing execution to stall.
One of the key indicators of trust in a company is how people are treated when they leave. While turnover is inevitable, how departures are handled can make a significant impact on the remaining team. When founders honor commitments, pay what is owed, and assist departing employees in finding their next roles, they build a reputation of trust and respect. On the other hand, burning bridges, withholding earned equity, or treating employees as disposable sends a message of one-way loyalty.
To bridge the trust gap between founders and talent, both parties have a role to play. Founders should document equity properly, align pay with sacrifice, invest in quality employees, be transparent about constraints, and handle exits with integrity. On the other hand, talent should be transparent about their needs, push for clarity on equity and growth paths, reciprocate commitment, and focus on building judgment along with credentials.
In Africa, where talent is abundant but trust infrastructure is lacking, building trust within startups is crucial for success. Skills are important, but without trust, growth and success are limited. Payroll, equity documentation, founder salaries, and exit practices are all key components of building trust within a company.
Ultimately, the true measure of a founder’s success is not in the number of employees they hire but in how many of those employees would choose to work with them again. Trust is the foundation of a successful company, and it is built through intentional choices and actions from both founders and talent.
About the author:
Toni Campbell is the Founder and Managing Partner at Kinfolk Venture Capital, an investment firm that has supported African startups such as Norebase, Bento, and Yassir. Are you tired of the same old routine? Are you looking for a change of scenery and a new adventure? Well, look no further because we have the perfect solution for you – travel!
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