Opening up lines of communications is key

One sign of an organization’s health is the ability of employees to share their thoughts, ideas and opinions.

One sign of an organization’s health is the ability of employees at all levels to share their thoughts, ideas and opinions openly and honestly with upper management.

Employees in open communication work environments do not fear retribution for direct discussions and feedback to management relative to an organization’s operations, strategy and working conditions.

It may sound like “pie in the sky” thinking, but companies that support open communications find that employees and their businesses are significantly more successful in virtually every aspect of day-to-day operations. These companies are really cool places to work, where risk taking is encouraged and not surprisingly innovation is widespread.

Unfortunately, too many workplaces are still infected with bureaucracy, politics, fear and game playing which creates an environment where anonymity provides the only avenue for freedom of speech. It’s a sad scenario and one that creates a work environment full of fear, deception and finger pointing.

Make no mistake, most employees would love to have a positive say in the business in which they work. And, there is no one that knows your business better than the people who work there day to day. Tapping into the collective experience of your staff is smart business and today a critical element of company’s success.

Here are a few thoughts to consider relative to opening up communications in your company:

• It starts at the top — If you are an organizational leader, have you created an environment of trust and respect in your workplace? If people fear you or are intimidated by you, your organization does not have a chance to maximize its potential. People will hold back, including the management team that surrounds you.

It may be time to spend a heck of a lot more time walking around your company and engaging employees in thoughtful conversation. It will take time, but if you genuinely listen to employees you will soon see people opening up to you like never before. And, you will be leading by example, so that your management team can follow suit.

• Staff meetings — Encourage people to speak up at staff meetings. If they do, don’t blow their ideas out of the water. If you do squash ideas, there is little likelihood those employees will ever offer up suggestions or feedback again. It will also send a signal to others that it is safer to be quiet than to ruffle the feathers of the company’s leadership.

• Eliminate anonymity — If you need to have employees provide feedback anonymously then you probably have a heck of a lot of work to do relative to opening up communication lines and reducing the fear factor. Whether it is a suggestion box or an employee opinion/ engagement survey, your goal should be to have employees participate enthusiastically without the need for anonymity.

• Performance reviews — Your management team should be well versed and trained in the art and science of providing performance reviews and coaching. They need to follow your lead and provide timely, open and honest dialogue with employees about their performance both good and bad. Companies that have an environment of open communications provide ongoing feedback to employees, throughout the year, rather than waiting for the traditional once a year formal performance review.

• Give credit where credit is due — Ensure that you are publicly praising and rewarding employees who provide great ideas that benefit the company. It sends a wonderful, powerful and positive message to the staff that ideas are welcome and encouraged.

• It starts with interviews — Make sure that candidates for open positions understand that employees are encouraged and expected to be active participants in the success of the organization. Ideas are welcome and encouraged.

• Hire and keep the

Make no mistake, most employees would love to have a positive say in the business in which they

right people — Work hard at identifying the very best people for open positions and focusing on retaining the employees that drive 100 percent of your organization’s results.

Keeping employees with poor attitudes about themselves and their work will hold you back, negatively affect open communications and discourage the type of positive workplace you seek.

There are many more ways to support open communications with your entire staff. It takes a lot of work and happens over time. In an era where so many people hide behind electronic communications and social media to communicate, it can be challenging to maintain a high level of interpersonal communications at your organization.

Yet, if you are successful, you will find that you will no longer have to ask employees their ideas anonymously and not wonder what your people are thinking.

Pat Perry