5 Cons of No Transparency Between Boss and Employees

With transparency at workplace being the buzzword for the past few years, there is a change in corporate culture. As Gen Z is stepping out and taking over new responsibilities, the need for firm leadership has never been felt so vigorously as before. When the topic of transparency arrives, it could include multiple issues like pay, internal or external affairs. Whether it is right to disclose employee salaries, could be a topic of discussion. Today's employees search for role models in their boss who they could look up to. They definitely don't want a bossy leader who does nothing apart from bombarding instructions without giving details about what profit or loss the company's newly launched product has made, or the one who ignores employees' opinion when the company is planning to change its internal working structure. No transparency not only affects the morale of employees, but also becomes detrimental to company's growth. Here is what happens when the workplace is devoid of any transparency.

Cons of No Transparency Between Boss and Employees

1. Frequent job hopping by employees :

Work environment that does not encourage transparency makes employees lose their trust in boss and  the firm forcing the core team or star performers to resign. On the other hand, when the boss bridges the gap, senior employees counsel new recruits on the way things function so that they don't go job hopping, which mostly occurs as the newbies are yet to get a taste of the working style.

2. Productivity takes a hit :

Transparency can be said to be a powerful glue which boosts credibility of employees and motivates them to work with less friction. In absence of it, employees find it difficult to solve problems as the very confidence to take risks or make sound decisions is lost. As a result, the projects can get delayed and also miss the critical deadlines, which again can ultimately affect the relationship with clients.

3. Hampers growth and declines performance :

The percentage of what and how much to disclose lies with the boss. Even popular companies like Apple, and Facebook do not disclose complete information to all the departments. But withholding valuable information or not giving out the details until it becomes a need-to-know can raise questions about the motive of the firm and also affect its sustainability in the long term.

4. Business Loss :

When the boss feels anxious and takes a decision on the go without confronting the team, it could seriously affect the turnover of the firm, and in the worst case, the company might be auctioned. Reduced clarity leads to low communication, which in turn, decreases an employee's ability to think clearly and come up with out-of-the-box solutions for business problems. Not only this, it also decreases the agility of the team and impacts response to issues as the employees avoid speaking possible solutions out of fear of reaction.

5. Endangers reputation of the company :

A bad experience at the company is often shared among friends from another workplace or over the coffee table. With employees putting up company reviews on popular sites like Glassdoor, the work culture of a company is now readily available on the internet. When a person hears about a toxic environment of a firm or about the boss who is famous for being dark, he/she would definitely think twice before applying at it and even give out a word of caution to others.

Embracing transparency just because a company wants powerful results is like looking for quick solutions for an acute problem. A growing revenue is a vital factor for an organization's sustainability. When the chief executive of a company is honest and clear, he or she inspires  employees to give their best and get the much-needed support for success.