In today's corporate world, leaders often share information about their
activities and decision-making even when the employees are not directly
affected. An example is a town hall meeting. I have worked for several
companies, including my current job, and they all have virtual town hall
meetings. At the town hall meetings, management shares the company's
information, such as the directions the company is heading, any significant
changes, and recognition of individuals in the company. To many others, the
information does not directly affect their day-to-day responsibilities, but
they feel more involved as part of the company. The management wants to
create trust and transparency with individuals in the organization, and the
best way is to share information. In the past, many lower-level employees
did not know their company executives, so it was hard to create trust
between employees and the company. The corporate world has changed.
Now corporations are putting values and cultures above many other things.
To be transparent is to gain your employees' trust and create a happy work
environment for the employees. In today's world, you don't manage, you
lead. You don't force people to work, you gain trust and respect from your
employees, and they will work for you.
As a manager myself, team building is essential. I am transparent as much as
possible, including admitting my mistakes so we all can learn and improve. I
give and ask for feedback from my team members so I can improve. I
encourage employees to speak up and have a no-retaliation policy. I share
the company's information if it is not confidential (except for those I signed
NDAs). Instead of telling employees what to do, I often ask for their opinions,
get them involved in the process, and tell them not to be afraid if they are
wrong. Besides treating employees correctly, being transparent brings many
benefits to corporations. The benefits I see in my team include less turnover,
and the team members are happier and working harder. An article from
Forbes lists other benefits transparency can bring to a corporation, including
employee happiness, facilitating a better search for candidates, helping
management solicit great ideas, making for a smoother operation, and
staying compliant, resulting in better customer relationships and earning
greater profitability (Craig, 2018).
Through required reading material and research, it is found that
transparency in the workplace is crucial to the overall success of the
firm. As a leader of an organization, being transparent elevates the
effectiveness of the team, improves workplace communication, and
displays accountability from said leaders. Providing more than
required information showcases a business that is proactive and
forward thinking.
Even when certain employees are not directly involved with the
solution, providing critical knowledge decreases the chance of
misinformation spreading and increases the opportunity to
collaborate. I am in agreeance with the stance of authors Reina &
Reina from Trust and Betrayal in the Workplace. Their stance is by
providing more details than required, the better the outcome.
“Sharing information should be seen as a way to provide cohesion in
the workplace, ensuring each employee has clarity and confidence in
their job” (Reina & Reina, 2015).
Reference
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, William (2018, October 16). 10 things transparency can do for your
company.
Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/williamcraig/2018/10/16/10-things-
transparency-can-do-for-your-company/?sh=3926a59725d0
