"Communication is the key to life". He could not have been more right. When communication is
used as a tool and not a chore it can do amazing things for your business and your personal life
(relationships).
Being transparent from the top down has its pros and cons in my opinion but I believe the pros
vastly outweigh the cons. William Craig talks about in Forbes Magazine what some of the benefits
of being transparent are, he mentions that " it fosters happiness in employees, helps you solicit
great ideas from anywhere in the company and aids in the creation of a flatter company hierarchy"
(2018). Being transparent will have an impact on the employees, even if the information you are
communicating is not directly involving those employees. It is about setting a culture of discussion
and communication. Transparency plays a crucial role in any workplace, particularly in high-risk
professions like firefighting, in my perspective as a firefighter and management student specializing
in emergency management. Reina and Reina (2016) propose that leaders should disclose
information regarding their activities and decision-making processes, even if employees are not
directly impacted. I support this idea because transparency fosters trust, respect, and integrity
among co-workers and assists in avoiding misunderstandings, conflicts, and mistrust.
Leaders might provide information about their activities and decision making for several reasons,
even when employees may not be directly affected. First, transparency promotes accountability and
responsibility among leaders, as it shows that they are willing to stand behind their decisions and
actions. Second, it enables employees to understand the rationale behind the decisions and to see
the bigger picture of the organization's goals and strategies. This can motivate employees to work
more effectively and collaboratively towards achieving these goals. Finally, transparency fosters an
open and honest communication culture, where employees feel comfortable sharing their ideas,
concerns, and feedback without fear of retaliation or retribution.
Transparency is essential in any workplace, but it is especially critical in high-risk professions such as
emergency management and firefighting. Leaders must provide information about their activities
and decision making, even when employees may not be directly affected, as this promotes
accountability, fosters trust and respect, and enables employees to understand the bigger picture of
the organization's goals and strategies. As a firefighter and a student of management, I strongly
support the notion of transparency in the workplace.
Transparency is an important part of establishing good business relationships which lead to
effective team environments. a One reason for this is because increased transparency establishes
better trust and communication lines between employees and managers. a If an employee trusts
that a manager is open with them, then the employee will not need to look elsewhere and
encounter misinformation, and will not need to make assumptions that would likely favour the
negative side due to the lack of trust. The established trust in this instance would also lead to an
employee feeling more comfortable admitting to their mistakes, and asking for advice on situations
in their job, and truly contribute 100% to the company because they trust in the leadership and
direction of the company. a Managers sharing their decision-making processes can also help
employees when they encounter their own situations, and in terms of learning and growth (Reina &
Reina, 2006). a I know in my personal experiences I gain a lot more when my boss explains his
thought process in deciding issues, more than if he just mentioned the outcome, because it helps
me understand the motivations and anticipate these decisions as more situations come up in the
future. a Also, from personal experience I previously worked for a company that would use regular
companywide "townhall" meetings, where different executives or department heads would explain
the recent success of the company or if there were concerns what ways the company plans to avoid
issues, and open the floor up for any questions, to demonstrate transparency. a Sometimes the
information shared did not really change the way I would do my job, but it did help me feel like a
part of the company, and contributed to my trust in the direction of the company, and those
leading it. Therefore, I do think transparency is helpful to establishing the trust and ethical nature
in the business even when it is not directly related to the job at hand.
Reference:
Reina, D. S., & Reina, M. L. (2006). Trust and betrayal in the workplace: Building Effective
Relationships in your organization. Berrett-Koehler. Retrieved April 20, 2023, from
https://learning.oreilly.com/library/view/trust-and-betrayal/9781576759493/.
Dennis Reina PhD, & Michelle Reina PhD. (2015). Trust and Betrayal in the Workplace: Building
Effective Relationships in Your Organization: Vol. Third edition, revised and updated. Berrett-Koehler
Publishers
Craig, W. (October, 2018). 10 Things Transparency Can Do For Your Company. Forbes. Retrieved
April 18, 2023, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/williamcraig/2018/10/16/10-things-
transparency-can-do-for-your-company/?sh=276a916025d0
