Available From UC Press

How do millions of Americans negotiate a work terrain increasingly defined by precarity? The answer lies in building trust, a necessary tool for navigating the inequities and insecurities of America’s polarized labor market—and one that too often exposes workers to risk. 
 
Trust Fall delves into the intricate web of workplace trust, exposing how modern work cultures use relational intimacy to both sustain and exploit workers. Drawing from years of immersive research across diverse industries—from bustling restaurants and tech startups to marketing agencies and ride-hail circuits—sociologist Sarah Mosseri examines how workers forge bonds of trust to navigate instability and precarity in overloaded and underpaid jobs.

With vivid storytelling and sharp sociological insight, Trust Fall reveals the seduction and costs of workplace trust, giving us a vocabulary to challenge the silent bargains we make to belong, thrive, and survive in today’s turbulent labor landscape.

Sarah Mosseri is a writer and sociologist whose National Science Foundation-funded research on workplace inequalities and cultures has appeared in leading academic journals. Her vast experience across frontline and professional roles grounds her sharp take on work's complex realities.