Americans displayed the largest gap in trust between the people they work with and the organization for which they work. While 50 percent of U.S. workers said they had a high level of trust in their colleagues or boss, only 38 percent expressed the same warm feelings toward their employer.

Baby boomers are significantly more likely to place trust in their employer than younger workers. Just over 50 percent of employees ages 51 to 68 have a great deal of trust in their employer while only 41 percent of Gen Xers and 42 percent of millennials express a great deal of trust for the company they work for.

The survey also showed that well-compensated employees are probably more likely to trust their employer. Although the most-cited factor in determining trust for an employer or boss was whether they "deliver on promises" (67 percent), it was followed closely by "provides job security" (64 percent), and "provides fair compensation and good benefits" (63 percent).

In the U.S., women are much more likely to say that their trust in an employer was linked to whether it "provides equal opportunity for pay and promotion regardless of differences." Three-quarters of American women said that was a very important factor in determining trust, compared to only half of men.

The good news for employers is that, while many workers are clearly not willing to put full faith in their company, the great majority have not lost all hope. Only 15 percent said they have no or very little trust in their employer.

Finally, Ernst & Young conducted a separate survey of members of Generation Z, most of whom are not yet full-time employees. The poll showed that the person most likely to influence their employment decisions is their mother (58 percent), followed by their father (53 percent), teachers (39 percent), and current employees of the organization (35 percent).