According to a 2014 survey, one in every four employees don’t trust their employers. The survey found that only half of the employees believe their employers are open and upfront with them.
This lack of trust should serve as a wake-up call for employers. Transparent leadership is important to fostering a culture of trust between the staff and the higher-ups. Here are simple ways a company can promote better transparency in the office:
Share project results
One of the most obvious ways a boss can be transparent is by never withholding information. It’s also in the interest of the rank and file to know how a project is doing, for example.
For most bosses, sharing wins is the easy part. Admitting losses can be tough, but being open about setbacks enhances the trust within the team. When giving project updates, resist the temptation of sugarcoating the negatives. Be honest about failures. Learn from failures by listening to the team and being open about suggestions.
Build better relationships
As a manager, knock down that wall that separates you from the rank and file. To promote transparency, companies should encourage employees of all levels to ask tough questions to the senior leadership team. Employees are the ones in the front lines so they are more likely to spot issues or glitches.
Managers can host a monthly Q&A session with their employees. Workers can submit questions anonymously that the managers can answer in a company-wide forum.
Give honest feedback consistently
Did you know that 75 percent of employees believe feedback is important? However, most of them believe they aren’t getting enough of it from their bosses. Managers should start giving feedback more consistently, as people who track their progress from week to week are more likely to reach their goals than those who only receive feedback from every few months.
Constant feedback is a hallmark of transparency. It also breeds open communication that creates trust and a sense of care.
Ensure everyone is accountable for their actions
Being accountable means ensuring that officials are answerable for their actions, and assuring appropriate action when duties and commitments aren’t met. Managers should be responsible for the successes of the team. They should lead by example, setting the pace and the culture they want for everybody.
One shortfall can snowball into bigger shortfalls. Minor mishaps can start from lack of punctuality, tolerating missed deadlines and half-baked work. Dismissing these as “no big deals” can have a lasting impact on the team’s goals.
Develop transparent work processes
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Companies can use collaborative task and project management tools to ensure more transparent processes. It’s good if all team members work from a shared project location, so the same information gets shared with everybody. Likewise, an online, cloud-based tool can make it easier for departments to stay in-sync with one another.
If a company wants to track their social media feeds in real-time, they can use accountability tools like social media search and social archiving software.
Trust plays an important role that affects well-being and job performance. With these steps in mind, managers are now a step closer to a more transparent workplace.