Employee feedback and transparency: keys to being the #1 workplace

Transparency with your hourly workers is all about communication. What are you sharing with your frontline to help them feel like an integral part of the company?

The more you keep your workforce informed, the more trust and loyalty you will build as an employer. This is crucial to helping organizations stand out as an Employer of Choice, and rise above the competition.

What should you remain open about with your employees? Let’s walk through a few key topics you should always be transparent about.

The state of the company

When you’re upfront about how the company is doing month to month, or quarter to quarter, it helps employees feel like there is nothing being hidden from them. Whether a company did well in the quarter or maybe had a tough few months, employees know they won’t be blindsided.

Conveying the status of the organization’s performance, productivity, business revenue, etc. can help employees feel more secure in their jobs. It also significantly boosts morale. Your workforce will feel valued knowing they are kept in the loop while also feeling that their contribution to the overall business is meaningful.

What’s happening in the marketplace

There are constant changes to the marketplace due to global, national, and even local circumstances. From the pandemic, to inflation, to high gas prices, events can significantly impact a company’s trajectory.

Openly addressing these issues with your workforce and the effects they are having on the organization is important. It’s likely your employees already feel the strain, so ignoring the situation only leads to uncertainty about the future of the company and how it may affect their jobs. Where applicable, communicate openly with your workforce how the company is supporting workers during these challenging times.

Feedback outcomes and organizational changes made based on feedback

If you’re using an employee engagement tool (and if you are not, you should be!), transparency is extremely important to help close the loop on feedback. By communicating what feedback you’re hearing, positive and negative, helps validate that concerns are being heard.

However, you have to take it a step further and convey what actions you’re taking based on that feedback. Employees don’t want to know you’ve seen their feedback if you haven’t, or don’t intend to make any changes based on those insights. And if you’re a company that is taking action, then why wouldn’t you want to let your workforce know and close the loop? Remember, gaining feedback is just the first step in the process. Actively closing the loop with employees and showcasing how their feedback has driven positive outcomes will go a long way.

The ultimate impact of transparency

What it boils down to is hourly workers feel their company truly sees them as a person, not just an employee. This helps breed loyalty, which in turn builds a better company reputation. When employees feel they work for a company that values them, they tend to tell others about it.

This is how transparency can help you to continue to be seen and known as the #1 place to work.

Learn more about how WorkStep can help you build transparency with your workforce and ultimately be the employer of choice. Download our latest eBook to learn more.