How can you make sure your employees are engaged, productive and aligned with your company’s objectives? It’s all about good communication. More specifically, it's about fostering a culture of transparency in decision-making and open dialogue, where employee voice is valued and encouraged. Here are three easy ways to shift your workplace culture toward openness and transparency.
1. Sometimes You Win, and Sometimes You Learn
Whether your business closed its largest deal to-date, or your biggest legacy client just churned, it’s important to acknowledge these milestones as a team. Share your company updates in real time — and in person, if you can. Invite your team to ask questions or provide feedback openly. If you only celebrate wins or dwell on mistakes, you’re only showing your employees one side of the coin. Sometimes you win, and sometimes you learn, and a common understanding of the team’s successes and challenges will shape how your employees approach projects going forward.
Creating a feedback culture where both successes and failures are openly discussed, provides valuable learning opportunities for everyone. When employees understand the "why" behind decisions and outcomes, they are more likely to feel a sense of ownership and commitment to the company's success.
2. Empower Employees to Take the Stage
Many businesses host regular companywide meetings or “Town Halls,” and they’re a great opportunity to share strategy and budget updates, discuss commitments to policies, address concerns or raise any other topics that apply to the team at large.
Typically, executives and senior management will lead these meetings — but have you thought about featuring employees who’ve worked on key projects or have expertise in a particular area of the business? Hearing from a peer in another department is a great way to learn about their day-to-day work, and other efforts you might not be aware of.
By empowering your employees to take the stage and present certain updates to their colleagues, you help create a more flat organizational structure, where all team members have the opportunity to participate, as equals. They’ll be more invested in these types of company discussions, and an extra benefit here is a chance for your employees to practice their presentation skills.
3. Integrate Employees, Regardless of Rank
Relationship building, regardless of employee rank or title, is crucial for fostering a culture of psychological safety and inclusive leadership. When employees at all levels feel comfortable interacting and sharing ideas, it breaks down silos and creates a more collaborative and innovative work environment. Here are a few ideas:
- Establish an open-door policy: Encourage approachability, even for higher-level executives. Show employees that you’re available and welcome them to stop by and chat, even if it’s not work-related, and even if it’s for just part of your day.
- Plan regular team building activities: Create opportunities for cross-functional interaction and informal relationship building outside of the workplace. Volunteer opportunities, group fitness classes, or even just a team lunch every once in a while, can help boost morale and improve your team’s communication.
- "Skip Level” meetings can be a great way to get junior employees and senior executives in a room together to share their points of view on current projects, pain points or new ideas. This type of collaborative problem-solving can lead to more innovative solutions and a greater sense of ownership among employees.
These are just a few examples of how to create a more open and transparent work environment. By embracing authentic leadership, fostering empathy, and promoting continuous learning, you can cultivate a company culture where employee voice is valued, collaboration thrives, and top talent can flourish.