The Ugly Side of Transparency in HR (And Everything Else)

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Transparency rules in today’s workplace. Recruiting, interviewing, hiring, performance management, every process of talent management is being uprooted because of this stubborn need for workplace transparency. Perhaps the need is warranted. Trust is a key factor in acquiring and retaining top talent and trust, in one way or another, is built from transparency, but is there such a thing as too much transparency? And, if there is (hint: there is), how do we find the happy-medium for workplace transparency?


Here’s the thing about transparency…
After witnessing the poor choices of fraudulent companies in the 1990s, people want to azerbaijan phone number resource know more about what they buy, who they buy from and who they work for. According to the 2015 Global CSR Study, “global consumers state they have a more positive image (93%), are more likely to trust (90%) and are more loyal to (88%) companies that support social and environmental issues.” Whether it’s consumers or employees doing the digging, people today demand to know what companies today are up to behind closed doors.

The growth of social media has been an integral aspect of transparency today, giving everyone a plethora of outlets to share their experiences, good or bad. This leaves little choice for employers who have seen the affect sites like Glassdoor, Twitter and Facebook have on attracting and retaining talent.



Of course, there are benefits to workplace transparency...
This new emphasis on transparency has changed the workplace for a number of reasons, all of which will vary from company to company. But, here are some notable benefits of workplace transparency:

Accountability: Transparent cultures force employees to have an increased sense of accountability, which fuels engagement. For example, according to Gallup research, employees with managers who know what projects and tasks they are responsible for are seven times more likely to be engaged in their work.

Efficiency: Transparent cultures make it harder for underperformers to get away with subpar work, giving employers the upper hand when it comes to breeding a high performing workforce.