Transparency at work during uncertain times: 3 focus areas

These past few months have been demanding for HR pros. From the global pandemic to the nationwide protests, employee concerns have been shifting.

While we may all be living in unpredictable times, you can offer your staff some certainty through workplace transparency.

Opening up

As offices reopen, companies should also open up about the workplace. CareerArc’s VP of HR Debora Roland suggests focusing on the following topics to promote a culture of transparency:

1. State of the business. It’s no secret the workplace has experienced big changes since the outbreak of the virus. Whether you plan to reopen or continue remote work, make it clear to your employees so they may plan ahead. If your offices never closed, you can provide updates about the safety measures at work and survey staff preferences. Let them play a part in the decision-making process.

2. Your company’s stance. In this day and age, it can come across as out of touch for companies to stay silent about social issues. Some ideas relevant to the social climate would be to analyze your staff demographic and locate any potential areas of hiring bias or even start a book club to spark conversations about major issues.

3. Layoffs and terminations. During an already difficult time, it’s important to be compassionate when handling adverse employment decisions. If it comes down to it, employers should be honest with the entire workplace about their decision and support the affected employees on their way out. Doing so will not only preserve a positive relationship, but also prevent any negative, morale-breaking gossip between the retained workers.