How Transparency Can Transform Your Work Environment
You’ve heard the word “transparency” used to describe the right approach to managing a successful business. It isn’t just a buzzword: transparency really does play a key part in cultivating success, and profits are not the only reason. A transparent workplace serves employees and clients, too, and offers plenty of tangible benefits overall.
Keep reading to learn how to identify ways to further incorporate transparency in your work environment and foster a positive workplace.
What is Transparency in the Workplace?
In a work environment that successfully incorporates transparency, employees and the employer are able to communicate openly with each other. Transparency should always be encouraged with the goal of elevating trust. This means employees are made aware of relevant information in a respectable manner, and they are included in decision-making as much as possible.
READ MORE: The Uncomplicated Truth About Leadership
The Benefits of a Transparent Workplace
Increases trust
A healthy relationship between employees and their employer is the key to a positive workplace. Trust is important to this relationship. By communicating transparently with employees, a sense of trust is built. Otherwise, a lack of trust can lead to confusion and even hostility.
READ MORE: How to Establish Trust in the Workplace
Builds relationships
Transparency can make it easier for employers and employees to get along on a personal level. This is more consequential than you may think: employees frequently leave jobs because of hostile relationships with others at work rather than the job itself. Communicate transparently to avoid hostility: a hostile dynamic can create distractions and discomfort, among other problems.
Fosters engagement and feedback
Transparency isn’t just about sharing with employees but letting them share, too. When workers are engaged, and their opinions are considered, they feel like they are valued. This will encourage innovation, and ultimately, cultivate a positive environment.
Boosts production, performance, and innovation
You’ll quickly learn after incorporating transparency methods that it’s good for business. Your employees will have more information to work correctly, and as a result, they’ll be more motivated to be productive.
Improves workplace morale
Open communication will simply make employees feel like they belong within the company, whereas closed communication feels like rejection or dismissal.
READ MORE: Effective Ways To Improve Workplace Morale
Employee retention
If you don’t communicate openly and fairly with your employees, they’ll find someone else who can. You want your employees to foster a long-term experience with your business, and transparency can help.
Satisfaction and trust from customers and clients
Customers and clients prefer choosing businesses that are easy to communicate openly with. Plus, transparency can help you avoid crises on social media caused by a disgruntled employee or customer who wasn’t communicated with properly.
How to Show More Transparency in the Workplace
Communicate your company’s vision and mission statement
A mission statement is a written description of a company’s goals, ethics, and values. By sharing a strong, precise, meaningful mission statement, your employees will have a better understanding of the company’s aspirations, both in the cultural and business sense.
Engage employees to provide honest feedback
Employees deserve to know that their concerns are valid and that they would be taken seriously if brought to management. Feedback is not a hindrance. It can improve morale and trust and bring attention to problems that you might not have otherwise been aware of.
Tell the truth
Employers often don’t give employees enough credit. They are smart and can tell when they are being given a twisted or incomplete version of the truth. When communicating with employees, avoid inserting holes or giving an unnecessary, positive spin on announcements. Instead, communicate relevant information in a precise, honest manner. Even if there is bad news, employees will appreciate the honesty and be more compelled to engage and problem-solve.
Don’t delay information
Information always has a way of getting around. You don’t want important information being distributed through water cooler talk or the “telephone game” — this breeds misinformation and mistrust. Instead, give employees the same amount of time to process information as those in upper management positions. Even if the information doesn’t necessarily pertain to all employees, they’ll appreciate being kept in the loop.
Keep communication consistent.
Transparency isn’t simply a switch you flick on once. It requires consistent effort to keep your workplace transparent. That means building a habit out of your communication efforts and consistently checking in with employees for feedback.
Make important documents available
Employees will be better equipped to do their job with relevant resources that are easily accessible. They will also understand the company’s framework better. As a result, they will know their rights and know what to do if any issues arise.
Consider remote workers
It’s more common than ever for companies to hire employees who work from home some or all of the time. The distance itself can make them feel disconnected from the company. Instead of allowing the disconnection to grow into mistrust, make sure to keep remote workers in the loop as much as those who work in-person.
Involve employees in the decision-making process.
Imagine finding out that a decision that will affect you was made without your knowledge, consent, or input. That is what many employees grapple with in workplaces that don’t value transparency. Instead, ask employees for their input on important decisions. This will create a more positive workplace, and your employees’ creativity may lead to more effective solutions.
Make data available
Give employees the opportunity to see the impact of their hard work. With open data, employees will feel a stronger sense of belonging within the work culture.
Be available to employees
Employees should feel safe knowing that they, too, can communicate transparently. Ensure there is an easy way for employees to ask questions and provide feedback.
The Takeaway
Transparency is vital for a business to succeed and operate in a positive work environment. It can be achieved by communicating in a manner that is open and considerate. By increasing transparency within your company, you’ll notice a stronger sense of morale, increased productivity, and culture of helpful, effective communication.
READ MORE: The Key Elements of Any Successful Organizational Culture
