Over the last decade or so, there has been a real shift in brand perception. Most consumers now want to know what a company stands for and what its business practices are like before giving them any money. The same is true when it comes to working for a company. Employees don’t want to feel like they’re just cogs in a machine, unworthy of knowing what’s going on. They want their employers to be open, honest, and transparent.
Leaders looking to create a culture of transparency in their workplace can get started with these seven tips:
In order to be transparent, you can’t hide things from your employees. This doesn’t mean that they need to know absolutely everything, but if it in any way will affect them, share the details.
A monthly update in the form of an internal newsletter is a good way to keep everybody up-to-date. And while it’s easy to only offer information about the good stuff that’s happening, you also need to be honest about any negative news and initiatives that aren’t working. Just remember, if you try to sweep things under the rug, there is a good chance people will find out anyway, and it will immediately erode any trust that has been built up.
While giving employees information is step 1, there’s a 1A that can’t be ignored, especially when it comes to decision-making: It’s critical that you explain your actions when making choices that affect the company.
You don’t need to solicit input from your team (though, it could be a good idea), but you need to be prepared to justify the decision. And whatever the results (see above), let everybody know how things turned out.
Your team needs to know that they’ll be able to get the information they need when they need it. Be sure to establish strong lines of communication and that they remain open. Whether it’s phone, text, or email, your salespeople should be able to reach you or any other members of the organization. And, if you are not already using a platform like Slack, strongly consider it because these platforms make company-wide communication easy. Regular meetings where everybody has a chance to speak are also important.
Once your team has the training and information they need to do their jobs, it’s time to let them shine. And, if you’ve properly done your job of articulating the goals everyone is working towards, you should feel comfortable trusting them to make decisions. Just as you are being transparent about your decision-making, they should reciprocate in kind.
How can you ensure that transparency is baked into your culture? Get open and honest feedback from your employees.
Creating a place online where they can submit questions, comments, or concerns anonymously can be an excellent way to get keen insight into what you’re doing right and what needs improvement. Once you have these submissions, be sure to share them with everyone. It’s possible that, even if they didn’t bring up the issue, others may feel the same way. Then you can have a conversation about any changes that might need to take place.
If you’re really serious about transparency being a major component of your organization, you will make it one of your core values. This means that, when you talk to prospective new members of your team, it will one of the things you discuss. This may come as a surprise to people who aren’t used to working in such open companies, but the ones who are excited about this proposition could be a great fit for your team.
You’re probably not going to be able to create a completely transparent organization overnight. Nor will transparency be a mainstay if it isn’t carefully cultivated. This is the point of everything above. When you have the right people on board, everyone can freely communicate with one another, and you get regular feedback. This makes transparency feel less like a chore and more like a habit.
If you want your company to be more transparent, MetaGrowth Ventures can help. We will start by finding the perfect candidates for your sales team. We can then ensure that they get trained properly and monitor their performance. Contact us to learn more about what we offer.