The modern corporate world requires management to be aware of what's happening with their teams at all times. They need to know of employee issues that could impact productivity and operations.
Employees have some expectations as well. They want to work under leaders who are willing and eager to resolve any issues they may have.
An open-door policy is a solution in both cases. It helps managers understand their teams and allows employees to feel like part of the company. This review will help you know what an open-door policy is, its benefits, and how to correctly implement one for your company.
What does it mean to have an open-door policy?
An open-door policy is where senior managers of an organization leave their office doors open for all employees. The policy encourages employees to access any senior manager when they have workplace concerns that need to be addressed.
A good open-door policy also encourages all managers to listen to employees. Not only that, but it also equips the managers with the proper training to handle the issues brought forward.
In essence, an open-door policy breaks down the accessibility barriers of the traditional chain of command. It provides an avenue for open communication where employees and managers can discuss and address workplace concerns efficiently.
4 reasons why your company should have an open-door policy
Modern companies cannot afford to shut managerial doors for their employees. You have to embrace some level of transparency and open communication. And while an open-door policy is not perfect, the benefits outweigh the pitfalls.
Here's how your company stands to benefit from the policy:
Understand employee attitudes.
An open-door policy creates a conducive environment for open communication. It effectively allows employees to be more forthcoming about the work-related challenges and concerns they face.
As such, this policy helps you understand the attitudes and sentiments of your team. The best part is that you will capture some potentially problematic issues early enough before they interrupt day-to-day operations.
Higher levels of engagement.
One of the best ways of ensuring daily operations run smoothly is by staying in touch with what's happening on the main floor. Unfortunately, in a workplace where managerial doors remain shut, employees are hesitant to engage their seniors. As a result, many opinions and concerns go unheard.
A true open-door policy actively encourages engagements which leads to an efficient flow of information. And this benefits everyone in the firm. Management will remain on top of employees' concerns. Meanwhile, employees will know their input is valued. All this results in a healthy and productive workplace.
Furthermore, research by Gallup showed engaged teams show 17% more productivity and 21% more profitability than disengaged teams.
Quick access to key information and unique ideas.
In a "traditional" workplace where the chain of command is strictly adhered to, information typically passes through several hands before reaching the final decision-maker. Thus, such a system can slow the flow of information significantly.
What's more, the information may never reach the intended decision maker as one of the managers in the chain of command could decide to brush it off. The system can also create a rift between management and the employees who feel their concerns are never taken seriously.
An open-door workplace culture resolves these issues. Managers will get first-hand information on what's happening. And since the employees are responsible for most of the day-to-day operations, they understand the workflow better than anyone else. That means they can offer unique insights into how to improve operations.
Let's say your company has multiple marketing strategies, for instance. One of those strategies is content marketing. All channels need fresh and high-quality content, which is hard to produce in-house. In an atmosphere where employee engagement is encouraged, your marketing team will share their concerns about meeting the demands.
Plus, they will point out possible solutions. For example, they could suggest splitting the workload into two where they'll work on the core content and request you to hire freelance writers to create the subsidiary content. This helps the company achieve its goals while keeping the employees satisfied.
It's nearly impossible to get such insights in a culture where management is closed off from employees.
Improved workplace relations.
Keeping managerial doors open, both literally and figuratively, cultivates a culture of openness and transparency. It brings down the walls of superiority, and this improves workplace relationships.
One overflow benefit of better workplace relations is it makes employees feel valued. It's very helpful in lowering employee turnover. The informal discussions can also give you brilliant ideas on how to take your business to the next level.
The modern corporate world requires management to be aware of what's happening with their teams at all times. They need to know of employee issues that could impact productivity and operations.
Employees have some expectations as well. They want to work under leaders who are willing and eager to resolve any issues they may have.
An open-door policy is a solution in both cases. It helps managers understand their teams and allows employees to feel like part of the company. This review will help you know what an open-door policy is, its benefits, and how to correctly implement one for your company.
Related reading: learn how to foster psychological safety to improve workplace relations
