Transparency is quite a buzz word in the corporate world. Businesses across the globe are increasingly committing to improving their transparency—both internally and externally—mostly in effort to win back trust. While the rise of technology can increase transparency, it may also cause of substantial distrust (think data breaches, hacks, etc.). According to a PWC report, today’s CEOs think it’s harder for businesses to sustain trust in the digital age.
Technology can be a benefit or detriment depending on how it’s used. Digital communications technologies have the capability to provide internal transparency in a way that’s not only easy to deploy, but that stands a better chance in capturing employees’ attention over other less dynamic methods.
Transparency Yields More Engaged Employees
When employees lose trust in their employers, they usually choose positions elsewhere. Keeping workforces informed and in the loop can lead to higher morale and retention. In fact, in an employee engagement report from Quantum Workplace, the biggest drivers for employee engagement revolved around trust. Further research supports that employees prefer to know what’s going on in their companies. A SHRM Job Satisfaction and Engagement Survey revealed that 52% of employees believe communication of key strategies and goals is significant to engagement. By implementing a philosophy of transparency, companies can reap the rewards of more engaged employees.
How Digital Communications Can Enable Transparency
Many offices already use digital communication displays for announcements about health insurance or reminders for upcoming holidays. However, utilizing these screens to display pertinent company-related information that employees often seek can further cultivate a transparent culture.
Provide Company Information in an Open Fashion
Many companies, if not publicly traded, keep financials close to the chest. However, if employees aren’t provided insights to the financial health of the company, how will they know what they are working toward? Allowing workforces to understand the big picture helps them to see where they fit in. Included with financials could be information related to successes like new accounts, new hires, and turnover. Turnover might seem negative, however, not communicating certain information to employees can lead them to believe management has something to hide.
Let Employees Create Messages
Allowing different groups to have access to creating and scheduling content conveys trust to employees. It provides a feeling of autonomy—a common driver of job satisfaction. Offering this access also expands what will be shared—marketing departments can share their latest advertising video, while operations teams can brag about productivity yields.
Treat Digital Communications Displays as a Message Board
Think of a digital communications display as the modern-day bulletin board that increases transparency. Displays placed in common areas can include a host of information beneficial to employees. For instance, a “Who to Ask” screen could serve as a go-to for employees when they need to work with other departments and aren’t sure where to start.
Digital Communications: Real-Time Transparency
One of the great advantages to using digital displays to communicate is they can be updated in real-time. Providing real-time visual information not only keeps employees in-the-know, but can provide a feeling of ownership, belonging, and accomplishment. Connecting your digital displays to corporate systems such ensures that employees and managers always have access to relevant real-time information. This provides increases transparency but also enables improved decision making.
