Without trust, companies have nothing.
Trust is the currency between leaders and their employees that can’t be impacted by the state of the market, consumer demand, or even employment rates. Trust drives collaboration, creativity, and innovation. Without it, employees won’t invest the energy and effort necessary to make a difference.
How can leaders cultivate trust? For many companies, it starts with transparency.
“Transparency equals trust, and is central to everything we do,” said Michael O’Muireadhaigh, Director of Culture and Performance at OrthoFi. “To build our culture of transparency, we focus on consistent communication, active listening and a willingness to be open and honest with each other and our clients.”
Employees at companies that prioritize building trust through transparency report experiencing 74 percent less stress and 40 percent less burnout, and 28 percent say they would extend their tenure with a transparent organization, according to a 2021 Gallup study.
“In our industry, open and inclusive conversations don’t just make for good company culture,” said Stephanie Mikuls, Director of Marketing at InspiringApps. “They make us more empathetic and effective designers and developers.”
InspiringApps designs and develops mobile, web and custom applications for a wide range of clients, from fintech companies to healthcare organizations.
How do you encourage a culture of transparency right now — particularly when, during a time of industry ups and downs, there are likely difficult-to-answer questions on employees’ minds?
Encouraging a culture of transparency is a continual, intentional process at InspiringApps. We set and share our goals at the beginning of the year so our employees feel confident about the future. But we also report on our progress against those goals and continuously encourage feedback.
In addition to being a marketing director, I’m also a photographer — and that lens makes me very aware of the “vibe in the room.” As a leader, I strive to create a positive environment and communicate respectfully and genuinely. That includes little moments, big moments and everything in between — whether it’s through a Slack channel, on a weekly sync or at a formal company meeting.
The more my team sees open communication from me, the more likely they are to model that behavior too. Add to that including the team in decision-making, and everyone can feel free to ask what’s on their minds, no matter the topic.
How do you make yourself available to employees so that they can ask relevant questions?
As a best practice, we employ many channels to provide feedback: anonymously, one on one, in team brainstorming sessions, individual reviews, regular town halls, surveys and more. But what’s important, regardless of the method of communication, is to truly invite everyone to join, participate and be heard. Otherwise, we’re not really making ourselves available to others.
In our industry, open and inclusive conversations don’t just make for good company culture. They make us more empathetic and effective designers and developers. Our products are truly better when a collective “sharing of thoughts” occurs. So we’ve cultivated an open, inclusive environment for years. It’s not just one conversation or meeting — it’s happening all the time.
To hear as many voices as possible, we make transparency a natural part of the way we approach our jobs. We don’t just want the loudest voice or the most-tenured voice. We’re cognizant of the mix of personalities, preferences and other unique qualities that individuals on our team may have. There is a day-to-day opportunity for anyone to ask questions and get the answers they need to feel supported in their work.
The more my team sees open communication from me, the more likely they are to model that behavior too.”
What tips would you share with fellow leaders who are endeavoring to create a culture of transparency right now?
Approach others with empathy. Make a conscious effort to be open. Empower every individual. Assume positive intent. And constantly seek to improve.
OrthoFi develops software solutions that support both orthodontists and their patients by streamlining time-consuming administrative processes for doctors while helping them grow their businesses.
How do you encourage a culture of transparency right now — particularly when, during a time of industry ups and downs, there are likely difficult-to-answer questions on employees’ minds?
Transparency is the core of trust-building. Transparency takes time and effort to cultivate. At OrthoFi, transparency has ultimately helped us realize greater employee engagement and satisfaction.
ORTHOFI’S APPROACH TO TRANSPARENCY
- Fostering a culture of trust: We value following through on commitments, being accountable for mistakes and being transparent in decision-making processes.
- Leading by example: Our leaders strive to demonstrate transparency in their own actions and decisions.
- Communicating openly: We regularly share updates and information across the entire company, even when it’s not all positive.
- Creating channels for feedback: We encourage employees to share their concerns and questions through open forums, cohort groups and one-on-one meetings.
- Addressing difficult questions head-on: When faced with difficult-to-answer questions, we are honest about what we know and what we don’t. And we let employees know that answers are being sought.
How do you make yourself available to employees so that they can ask relevant questions?
Accurate information is critical to success. We encourage employees to ask questions and ensure that they have access to our leadership teams to receive answers. Ensuring our leadership teams are accessible to the entire organization requires a comprehensive approach.
To achieve this, we dedicate time for questions: in team meetings, cohort groups, one-on-ones and skip-level sessions.
To gather feedback, we seek it out through quarterly engagement surveys, 360s and exit interviews. To create a safe and welcoming environment, we endeavor to be open, friendly, respectful and genuinely interested in hearing from employees. Authenticity is key when we engage with our employees.
We encourage employees to share their thoughts and opinions to foster open and honest communication. We recognize that different people have different communication styles, and aim to bridge any gaps to ensure everyone's voice is heard. Following up is also critical to our success. We must let team members know their input was heard and valued. The work we do is to share the decisions that are made in a way that brings our company together strengthening our culture of transparency
Employees need to know you care about them before they can hear what you say.”
What tips would you share with fellow leaders who are endeavoring to create a culture of transparency right now?
You can’t have a culture of transparency without a trusting and safe workspace. Employees need to know you care about them before they can hear what you say.
Foster a supportive and respectful workspace. You can do an impossible job if you have the right team around you. Be clear, succinct, and authentic in your communications. Encourage employees to speak up and show gratitude for their input. Nothing is worse for culture than asking them to speak up and then not listening or admonishing them for it.
Address any inappropriate behavior. Remember, words are meaningless if not backed up by actions. Swiftly address inappropriate behavior, such as bullying, harassment or discrimination. Your employees must know you hold their safety and health of paramount importance. Provide resources for stress, burnout and mental health, as well as encouraging time off to promote well-being among your employees.
To cultivate a culture of transparency, a safe and supportive workspace is imperative. When your employees know you trust and care about them, they can and will move mountains for your company.
