As the old adage says, honesty is the best policy. It goes without saying that everyone values transparency in the workplace. When a business is being open and upfront with the employees about its management, this creates trust and leads to organizational success. A transparent workplace is defined as “an organization that works in a way that promotes transparency between management and employees.” Transparency in the workplace is an ongoing process that should be embraced to create a positive company culture. If you’re wondering how clarity could cultivate better engagement and productivity, here’s why transparency matters in the workplace.
Benefits of Transparency in the Workplace
Transparency in the workplace is proven to create long-term success. When implemented correctly, a culture of openness will foster trust between companies and employees, boost morale, reduce job-related stress – which is essential during the Covid-19 pandemic – and increase employee satisfaction and performance. To be more specific, here are some benefits of having a transparent workplace.
Companies that actively show effort to share information across the organization are usually ones that cultivate healthy work culture. It shows that the management appreciates, trusts, and respects all employees, thus minimizing the gap between upper, middle, and lower levels. This means that leaders are accountable for establishing a culture of transparency valued and expected throughout the business.
Employees will feel empowered to share if they see upper management being open and communicative with the rest of the company. They won’t be hesitant to reach out and discuss creative ideas, develop new strategies to improve workflows, or provide feedback during performance evaluations. When employees believe they can safely voice out their ideas and feedback, the culture of workplace transparency is nurtured well.
Employees that are engaged and fulfilled can give a long term benefit for companies. A transparent workplace acknowledges employees’ hard work and accomplishments and fosters trust between management and employees. On employees’ side, having a transparent workplace will give them a chance to get involved in giving constructive criticism for the company. This can result in happier, more engaged employees, thus increasing overall workplace satisfaction.
Improvement starts from the inside and is reflected in the outside, meaning that a transparent workplace can affect customer relations positively. Employees that are trusted and appreciated will want their company to succeed. Shared vision between employees and their company will give both parties the same urge to perform better service for the sake of customers. Thus, relationships with customers will improve.
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How to Maintain Transparency in the Workplace
Achieving transparency in the workplace is not a complex matter, as long as there is a solid will and determination from the management. There are some aspects to consider in maintaining transparency in the workplace and here are three of them.
Transparency in the workplace can start as early as the recruitment and hiring process. When hiring for a new role, transparency can be shown through detailed, accurate job descriptions, upfront communication with recruiters, as well as open discussions between interviewers during the interview process.
Instead of assessing a full year’s performance in one long review, shorter but more frequent assessments will allow managers and staff to stay in the moment and address current issues. Another form of transparency among employees can be done in the form of peer review, as coworkers’ evaluations can go beyond what the head of department sees. These factors contribute to a more open and less intimidating review process, which has been proven to increase employee engagement.
Being transparent with employees about the company’s performance and future objectives can minimize misinformation, lessen tension, and even provide a greater sense of trust. All of these characteristics are indicators of a highly engaged workforce, since engagement has a direct influence on how the organization operates.
Open communication is the fundamental of a good relationship between the management and employees. Getting everyone to involve and contribute to the company will improve organizational performance from the inside and to the outside. While keeping employees on the loop, leaders can promote a level of comfort that allows people to freely interact, making them feel more appreciated.
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