Generally, I find that full transparency, within reason, is always the best option. I have previously
worked on projects with coworkers who shared only what they felt was necessary, but in my opinion
that attitude created a challenging environment and hindered the final project. Transparency is key to
developing trust. "When information is not shared or there is a perception that information is not
shared, employees feel betrayed. They feel as though they have not been trusted, and therefore their
trust in leadership erodes." (Reina, page 38) Employees and managers may have very different
perceptions of what information is required to do their jobs, and I learned that transparency is critical
to job performance while working in the call center. I could read callers the script that management
had written, but when I could genuinely speak to the reasons for a particular process our customers
could felt that the interaction was much more genuine and trusted me more as a representative of the
company. Honesty is also ranked as the top determinant of trust. (Cardon, page 9)
Managers may not be able to be completely transparent, but alerting employees to the boundaries of
confidentiality is valuable as well. "People are able to understand and respect the need for
confidentiality and leadership’s responsibility to maintain it. When a leader says, 'I am not able to
share all the pertinent information at this time,' that degree of honesty enhances people’s trust in their
leader. Even though they are not provided with 'all the information,' employees feel informed." (Reina,
page 38)
My name is Desiree Thomas and I live in Frederick, Maryland with my husband and our two
daughters. This is my final term in the MS. Human Resources Management program. Much of my past
working experience in the HR field has been outside of the United States and it’s only been a year and
a few months since I started my first HR job here in the US. I am truly looking forward to gaining the
knowledge and expertise needed to be an exceptional HR professional.
“Trust of communication” helps to build workplace connections that are infused with positive energy,
a sense of community, and shared purpose (Reina & Reina, 2015). Trust is also critical to developing
open, honest communications within the workplace. For leaders to cultivate trust, they must be willing
to share information. Giving and receiving information is in fact giving and receiving trust (Reina &
Reina, 2015. p. 49). When leaders fail to share information, people feel left out and betrayed.
Transparency involves sharing all relevant information and decision rationale with stakeholders
(Cardon, 2021. p. 10)
Do you support this notion? Explain why or why not.
Both managers and staff need timely information to function effectively in accomplishing the
organization’s purpose and strategy. As such, it is imperative that leaders share and receive the
information that is needed to do their jobs. When employees are informed of what is going on, they are
able to focus on performing their jobs with confidence rather than expending time and effort trying to
fill information gaps (Reina & Reina, 2015). When information is shared people understand clearly
what needs to be done and they can pass this information to others to build collaborative relationships
(Reina & Reina, 2015). Sharing information also helps people to feel safe, informed, and connected.
However, if the information is confidential, leaders will need to be clear about what information can
and cannot be disclosed. A leader’s genuine honesty and commitment to maintaining two-way
accountability will increase others’ trust in him (Cardon, 2021).
, "Communication is the most important part of any relationship". I have found this to be true whether
it is personal or business. I think when it comes to leadership that they should be transparent. When
working with a team if they understand why something new is being tried they would be more open to
changes coming later that might affect them. If people know things that don't really affect them then
they will trust their leader more than if they were kept out of the loop. They have a chance to see the
big picture so when it comes down to changes the team or department may see later they will be able
to understand more. This also gives them a chance to find out why the decisions are being made. Trust
and honesty are important when building relationships with employees.
Trust, communication, and transparency have interesting interactions in the workplace. There are
numerous reasons why a leader might want to share information about their activities and decision
making with members of the team. Firstly, knowing what the team leader is up to allows for better
synergy. Team members can be made aware of which time blocks are open for meeting and which are
blocked out for focused work - further, they can get an idea of the leader's workload and leverage
themselves into supporting positions or help handle distractions. Regarding decision making, a leader
might find that giving team members insight into the process results in greater trust concerning the
outcome. Individuals often seem to have an innate desire (spoken or unspoken) to be involved and are
often easier to work with when they feel included (Salazar, 2017).
I disagree that all information needs to be shared. Reina and Reina in Trust and Betrayal in the
Workplace chapter 3 talk about people feeling left down and disappointed. This is true and
organizations should provide specific information on goals and changes. c However, as I work in HR if
we shared every detail of information on process and changes many times it would cause confusion.
An example would be implementing new nursing schedules according to business needs. We share
that our business needs are changing and that our nurse staff schedules will need to be changed. We
had a meeting asking for input from the nursing staff on what would benefit our patients and staff.
However, if we shared the analysis process and how we came up with the new schedules there would
be mass confusion. Instead, we provide basic explanations and leave our doors open to additional
questions. We say we are wrong when we are and let them know we will get an answer if we do not
know. c My name is Vanessa, and I am studying to receive my Masters in Human Resources. This is my
second to last class! I have my B.S. in Business Administration, with a concentration in Marketing.
My educational goal is to finish my graduate degree in Human Resources and figure out life.
Sometimes I wonder if I should have gotten my MBA, but I am close to the finish line, so here we go!
I have been a garden educator for eight years now. I have recently started my own business called
Sprouted Joy. Sprouted Joy is a vegetable/fruit/flower garden consulting business. I help home
gardeners, community gardens, and school gardens grow food. I feel like humans are multifaceted in
interests and abilities. This pathway has just easily opened for me. I guess my Master’s Degree is a
safety net of sorts. Even so, I have thoroughly enjoyed HR subjects.
Employers might provide information about their activities and decision-making to demonstrate
transparency, even if it does not apply to the employee. Transparency by sharing information is a trust-
building behavior (Cardon, 2021, p. 9). Establishing trust through regular transparent communication
in an organization brings credibility to the organization among stakeholders and customers. I support
this notion because I also want to trust the organization to which I give my time and skills to support.
It also helps provide context to the ever-changing environment in the workplace when there is
frequent, transparent communication. Ultimately, I want to trust the organization I work for, so I agree
with this behaviour.
Reference
Salazar, M. (2017). “Let’s be clear”: Exploring the role of transparency within the organization.
Cornerstone: A Collection of Scholarly and Creative Works for Minnesota State University, Mankato.
https://cornerstone.lib.mnsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1718&context=etds
Why Transparency in the Workplace Matters. Culture Partners. (2022, May 31). Retrieved April 20,
2023, from https://culture.io/resources/transparency-in-the-workplace/
Cardon, P. W. (2021). Business Communication (4th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw Hill Education.
Covey, S. M. R. (2009, February 9). How the Best Leaders Build Trust. Society for Human Resource
Management. https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/organizational-and-employee-
development/pages/leadersbuildtrust.aspx
Reina, D, Reina, M. (2015). Trust and Betrayal in the Workplace : Building Effective Relationships in
Your Organization: Vol. (3rd ed.). Berrett-Koehler Publishers.
Cardon, Peter. W. (2020.) Business Communication: Developing Leaders for a Networked World.
Fourth Edition. University of Southern California. McGraw-Hill Education.
Reina, D. S., Reina, M. L. (2006). Trust and Betrayal in the Workplace. Berrett-Koehler Publishers.
https://learning.oreilly.com/library/view/trust-and-
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