Relationships don’t work without trust. Marriages don’t work, friendships don’t work, and professional relationships don’t work without trust. But trust is not something that can be taught at a workshop or seminar. It’s not something you address in a company-wide memo or discuss at an afternoon meeting. Trust is something that takes time to build, especially if it has been broken or compromised. There are many components to creating a workplace based on trust, and transparency is arguably one of the most important.
Before you understand how transparency builds trust in the workplace, it is essential to understand key action steps you can take daily to build transparency within your company.
What Does Transparency In The Workplace Look Like?
A transparent and trusting workplace starts at the top. When managers are transparent with their employees, they set the bar for what is expected from everyone in the company. Some ways managers can demonstrate transparency include:
- Being open and honest about mistakes
- Being vulnerable
- Provide access to information
- Be proactive in addressing challenging situations
- Get people involved in decision making
- Establish open communication channels
- Don’t keep secrets
- Share information
When managers implement these transparency strategies into their management styles, they set a foundation of trust between themselves and their employees. When employees follow suit, you end up with a company that values honesty and transparency, which in turn, builds trust.
Here are four ways transparency builds trust in the workplace…
Transparency Elicits Honest Feedback
As a manager, your transparency makes your employees feel more comfortable coming to you with problems, feedback, and ideas. This open line of communication can be the key to solving company-wide issues that are hindering productivity. When you consistently demonstrate transparency to your employees, they feel confident sharing information with you that you may not otherwise know. Being open to feedback and criticism is critical in effectively leading a company. When your employees trust you, they will feel safe coming to you with feedback that could help the company grow.
Transparency Makes Managers More Relatable
Transparency means being vulnerable. It means admitting to your weaknesses and being confident enough in your abilities to ask for help when you need it. When employees see that their managers can be vulnerable, it is easier for them to relate to them. Sometimes, especially in a company that is growing quickly, there can be a disconnect between managers and employees. Employees may be intimidated to approach managers with ideas, issues, or concerns. However, a manager that demonstrates transparency connects with their employees on a more human level. When employees can relate to their managers, it is easier for them to trust them. This vulnerability in the workplace is a powerful tool for connection and trust.
Transparency Improves Productivity
Transparency in the workplace also looks like the sharing of thoughts and ideas. Employees will be more motivated and more productive when they have easy access to information that helps them do their job more efficiently. Another way to practice transparency in the workplace is by including employees in decision-making. When they feel that their thoughts and opinions are wanted and appreciated, they will become more invested in the company’s goals.
Sharing information with your employees shows that you trust them, that you don’t need to micromanage them, and that you are confident in their ability to take the given information and use it to move the company forward. When everyone has access to this information, productivity is sure to increase.
Transparency Cultivates Accountability and Engagement
A manager who is intentional about being transparent in the workplace is willing to hand over a lot of the control to his or her employees. Sharing relevant information with employees, seeking out their input, and including them in relevant decision-making procedures results in employees who are more accountable and engaged. When you are transparent and share the day-to-day company information with employees, or let them see a more human side of you, they are automatically accountable for this information. This can make them feel trusted and empowered and boost company morale.
Employees who feel like they are part of the loop are also more engaged. Transparency also encourages employees to work together and collaborate, which can be a game-changer for a growing company. A strong and transparent manager will encourage different departments to work together and understand each other’s daily tasks angles. If the accounting department has no idea what the HR department is doing, there is no way for them to collaborate, engage, and work together. Transparency throughout the workplace allows employees not only to trust their manager but also to trust each other.
Whether you are starting a brand new company, are experiencing a shift in management, or are experiencing a decline in company morale, your solution begins with trust. Employees need to know that they can trust their managers to give them the information that they need to be successful. Managers need to be able to trust employees to use their time wisely, collaborate, get creative, and continuously search for new ways to help the company grow. None of this can happen if managers and employees don’t trust each other. Trust in a workplace is vital for growth, productivity, accountability, and employee empowerment. And the only way to build trust is to be transparent.
Ask yourself how well you know your employees. Do you feel that they readily share information, feedback, and criticism with you? How do they engage and collaborate with each other? If there is not a lot of vulnerability within your workplace, they may be following your lead.
Trust and transparency are not things that happen overnight. But one day at a time, one conversation at a time, you can slowly begin to open up to your employees, demonstrate transparency, and ultimately gain their trust.
Where have you witnessed a disconnect between volunability and trust in the workplace?