Clearing the Air | Practical Tips for Transparent Workplace Communication

Have you ever had the feeling at work that you don’t fully understand what is exactly expected of you? Or if you are even meeting the expectations your boss has for you or your group? What about the company? Is it meeting its goals? Will I even have a job next year? 

These are all reasonable questions and thoughts that go through people’s minds at work. Too often these topics (and many others) are not communicated or addressed effectively, even being avoided altogether, and many employees trudge on for years in doubt, fear and uncertainty, leading to the spread of dissatisfaction and unproductivity in the organization.

Having transparent communication in the workplace has tremendous benefits to not only your employees’ wellbeing, but also the health of the company and its culture. The more employees know, the more invested they are in helping solve problems and accomplish goals. When leaders are forthcoming and straightforward about values, objectives, performance, results, company news and updates (good and not-so-good), it builds a culture of trust. When people feel secure in their work environment, they are more creative, motivated, productive and committed. 

What does effective transparent communication look like in practice? VIP companies (and leaders within) must start early to set the tone and continue to share and provide information in a timely manner to keep employees informed and involved. Here are a few tactical examples of ways in which clear, consistent communication can be implemented.   

Recruiting/Hiring/Onboarding

VIP companies can offer transparency in recruitment, hiring and onboarding by explicitly communicating the company’s mission, values, history and goals and the expectations (both value behaviors and work performance) for the job. Many companies do not do a good job at thoroughly conveying all these details up front due to needing to fill positions as soon as possible. This “rush” can lead to very important information being left out and leaving employees uncertain of the expectations and goals. Make sure to invest the time to go over all of these details in-depth and early on. The clearer the picture employees have in the beginning will set the tone for their outlook and contribution to the company. 

Consistent Performance Feedback

Employees want to know how they are doing and if they are meeting the job expectations laid out for them. Setting specific expectations in both areas of values behaviors and work performance, clearly communicating those expectations and providing consistent feedback are key. Where are they shining? What can they improve on? This communication can be informal, formal or a mix of both. You may give informal feedback on a regular basis, but give formal performance reviews once a quarter or twice a year. Consistency is key so there is no guessing where someone stands. 

Company News/Updates

Setting a scheduled, regular time to share company news, announcements and results (achievements, failures, etc.) can help employees stay informed and also build trust through transparency. This is an area where some companies shy away from sharing because they don’t want to share “bad” news, but if nothing but good news is shared and then something happens abruptly that was completely unexpected, it can lead to fear and distrust. We understand that not all details can be given for all circumstances, but the more transparent a leader can be regarding the ups and downs of a company, the better. Again, this doesn’t have to be a formal “meeting” that takes a long time, but can be a consistent five-10-minute get together to keep employees in the know. 

Informal check-ins

If you are a leader, make sure to take time to have informal check-ins with your people to see how they are doing, if they need anything or have any questions. Touching base and having an open dialogue shows employees that you care about them and value their contributions and feedback. Some leaders skip these “check-ins” because they think it takes too much time to help or answer questions for each employee or that some employees may “abuse” their time. However, most employees will rarely “need” anything and just appreciate being asked sincerely. There may be times and circumstances where employees truly do need guidance to an obstacle they are facing or have a concern that is very worthy of the leader’s time and attention, and feeling comfortable to share with their leader fosters a healthy work culture.