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Goal #5

Increase transparency and trust

Workers are demanding transparency, meaning, and trust like never before. Axios HQ helps you deliver it.

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Prioritize honesty and transparency above all

Whether you’re a two-person shop or a Fortune 500, trust, transparency and empathy have become every leader’s most powerful currency and the beginning and end of their credibility with a hybrid workforce.

  • "There’s been a study among 40 countries," says Jon Clifton, CEO at Gallup, that looked into employee satisfaction. "The single biggest driver: interpersonal relationships at work."

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Stay clear and direct

Whether stocks are down, a stakeholder is leaving, or your product has suffered a setback, at some point you will have to communicate difficult things to employees and stakeholders — and if it’s not done with care, it can fracture what delicate transparency in the workplace you've been able to build so far.

  • Preparation is key. You could be rolling out a new benefit or shifting your business strategy — but teams still want to hear from a person they respect about the way this news impacts them.

  • Tone is critical, too. The key is showing authenticity in a way executives haven’t historically felt comfortable.

Creating predictability is step two in sustaining team trust. That might be hearing from leaders in a weekly all-hands, or letting staff and stakeholders submit questions executives will answer. Whatever the premise, the critical promise is that this access is ongoing.

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Be straightforward

Truth has a way of coming out. Hiding it damages your credibility and will make it difficult for employees or stakeholders to confidently follow what directive comes next. Share what they need simply and directly. Ask for help refining wording if you need, but don’t wait too long to act.

Use timeliness to enhance trust.
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Offer context

Add in bigger picture details, reiterate key goals and plans for the future, or show how your organization intends to navigate whatever you're facing and what's still to come. The better you put what you're facing into perspective, the more reassured people will be.

Let intel show your integrity. 
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Communicate limits

It’s okay to not have all the answers. Honesty not only builds trust, but it makes you seem more human. Share what you do know, what you’re working to discover, and when your employees and stakeholders will get your next update.

Know honesty shows transparency.

Trust your HQ

If communication breaks down, trust, engagement, and productivity erode right alongside it. That means leaders have the power — and urgent responsibility — to preserve transparency in the workplace, helping employees feel supported, informed, and empowered to trust their leaders. Axios HQ helps you deliver it. 

Trust creates connection

Axios HQ boosts transparency

Our features help you give people the essential information they need to feel respected and connected with your top leaders.

PLAN Best-practice templates

See what Walmart, JPMorgan Chase, and other leaders send their readers. HQ’s community library is full of real communications to help you get started.

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COMPOSE Collaborative editing and assignments

Add your colleagues, assign areas of your HQ updates, collaborate in real-time. You can even set deadlines and add instructions — all directly in HQ. 

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MEASURE Analytics and competitive benchmarks

Open rates, clicks, poll results, and more keep a pulse on reader engagement. Benchmarks show how you compare to other organizations like yours. 

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More on transparency and trust

What is transparency in the workplace?

Transparency in the workplace hinges around open, honest communication where voices at all levels are valued and heard on topics impacting the business. Org-wide transparency leads to trust and better company culture as employees feel valued and included in company decisions.

What are examples of transparency in the workplace?

From feedback to values, communicating with transparency in the workplace allows individuals to stay aligned around common goals. Other examples of transparency in the workplace include:

  1. Conveying difficult news in a timely and empathetic way

  2. Offering constructive criticism kindly, but professionally

  3. Discussing individual or business performance on an understandable level

  4. Onboarding and training materials that clearly set expectations

  5. Addressing sticky subjects or incidents while ensuring others know what will and won't be tolerated

What are some ways to encourage transparency in the workplace?

Encourage transparency by embodying it from the top down in the company — including in all communications. Keep employees in the know about positive and negative topics, and do it in a timely manner so that employees gain a necessary sense of trust. By being honest in all things, individuals will continue to feel you have their interest top of mind when making decisions.
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Get started with Axios HQ

See how our AI-powered platform can help your organization plan, compose, align, and measure your internal communications.

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