Fostering the right culture in the office is one of the most important aspects of running a successful business. Employees need to feel safe, comfortable, and connected enough to communicate effectively. That’s why the open door policy workplace is catching on.
Although the name sounds misleading, an open door policy is more than just leaving doors open in the workplace. It’s a concept that allows employees of all levels the comfort to express their ideas and concerns with upper management, creating a company culture that is open, honest, and highly productive.
We discussed the importance of communication and open door policies on our latest podcast episode—Understanding Communication Styles—with Hayleigh Bailey and Kit Pang of BostonSpeaks, a company that helps people overcome public speaking anxiety.
Today, we’re going to talk all about open door policies, why you need one, and potential challenges—plus, we’ll provide a step-by-step guide on how to implement one in your workplace.
What is an Open Door Policy?
First, let’s start by answering the question, “what is an open door policy at work?” An open door policy can look many different ways, but the basic premise is always the same—making it easy to reach upper management and encouraging open and honest communication.
An open door policy workplace allows employees to talk freely with their managers and supervisors so they’re able to share their victories, struggles, and more. Managers aren’t difficult to find or talk to; they are available and ready to converse about whatever the topic is.
The name comes from the phrase “the door is always open.” You can always walk into their office for a quick chat (assuming they’re available) because their door is open. We need to communicate with those around us at work, but we often fail to. This is a point Pang and Bailey mentioned, saying:
“As an example, they tell me things one on one, right? This person is giving me anxiety; that person sort of said this; that person is like this; that person’s communication style annoys me; I wish that person did this—but they don’t tell each other. So I think when it comes to team communication, as you probably know, the key in work settings is sometimes having a good discussion with each other and just being open.”
At the end of the day, the focus of an open door policy is being able to communicate openly with those around you in the workplace, particularly management.
Open Door Policy vs. Closed Door Policy
With an open door policy, your manager might set certain hours multiple times a week when you can stop by and talk about anything you want. With a closed door policy though, those hours don’t exist, and you can only talk to them when they allow it.
While there are times when you need to close your door and focus, closed door policies can stand in the way of necessary communication. They can create tension, encourage toxicity, and more.
Benefits
As is obvious, an open door policy encourages communication and feedback. By leaving the door open, employees and managers are encouraged to communicate regularly and freely, working through issues as they arise and getting valuable feedback.
In doing so, you also build trust because employees feel like they can count on their managers and coworkers when they need them. This also promotes a culture of transparency and inclusivity. People are encouraged to talk about their wins, failures, critiques, and more. Everyone is encouraged to bring their thoughts to the table to be included in conversations.
On top of that, the emphasis on communication can help identify and resolve issues early instead of letting them fester until they cause serious problems. All of this helps you foster a winning team, helping guide your business towards success.
Potential Challenges
While there are numerous benefits, there are some potential challenges that come with an open door policy workplace. Being aware of these challenges is key to successfully implementing an open door policy. For example, the open door policy can be misused or overused by employees. They may overshare about personal things or use it to make other employees look bad so they can get ahead, leading to a toxic work environment.
Managers may also end up feeling overwhelmed by constant interruptions. Many managers set up office hours to limit open door time, allowing them a chance for communication while ensuring some privacy at times too. It can also be a challenge to balance the open door policy with more structured communication channels. One-on-one conversations are good, but most communication needs to go through the proper channels.
How to Implement an Open Door Policy at Work
Implementing an open door policy in the workplace can seem like a huge challenge, but it’s simpler than it seems. Below is a five-step process that will help you create an open door policy workplace.
Step 1: Establish Clear Guidelines
First and foremost, you need to establish clear guidelines. What is the scope? What are the boundaries? Can anyone communicate freely with anyone? Is it only managers who need to keep their doors open? What topics are appropriate for open door discussions?
These are all questions you need to answer and make clear. Everyone in the workplace needs to know what the rules and boundaries are. Clear guidelines help make open door communication more effective by ensuring everyone knows what is expected and allowed, and it also helps prevent confusion or misunderstandings down the road.
Step 2: Communicate the Policy
Once you’ve figured out the specifics of your open door policy at work, you have to communicate it to all employees. That means using various channels—such as meetings, emails, and posters—to make sure everyone is aware of the policy. Communicating your policy is key here. Pang and Bailey talked about the importance of team communication and clearly communicating with the group when they said:
“When I think of team communication, I think of how do we navigate voicing our needs, boundaries, as well as ambitions, as a group and to each other.”
Managers in particular need to lead the effort by explaining the policy in meetings. This lets managers directly inform employees, providing an opportunity for questions.
Step 3: Train Managers and Leaders
With the policy communicated, now you need to make sure your managers and leaders are up to the task. Providing employee development for active listening, handling feedback, empathetic leadership, and confidentiality are all great ideas.
Leaders need to lead the way when it comes to an open door policy workplace. They need to be approachable, show they can listen, and be empathetic. Pang and Bailey shared a great example of an open door policy leader during our discussion. They said:
“When we have our team meetings together, he will literally bring up his QuickBooks. He lets us know when it’s not so good and when it’s really great. There’s just this openness in the entirety of the business where it feels like none of us have a secret, like we’re truly on a mission together.”
By being open and empathetic, leaders can set an example and help encourage employees to utilize the open door policy.
Step 4: Encourage Use Without Pressure
Continuing on the idea of encouragement, leaders need to encourage employees to use the open door policy without pressure. Forcing them to talk is only going to have negative effects. Reassure employees the policy is optional and should be done at their comfort level. This can help employees relax, not feel stressed or pressured, and encourage them to talk when they’re ready.
You should also promote a culture of seeking guidance and sharing concerns. If those things are normalized, employees are much more likely to utilize the open door policy and feel comfortable with it.
Step 5: Monitor and Adjust
Your policy should be working by now, but you can’t get complacent; you need to constantly monitor the effectiveness of the policy and make adjustments as necessary.
Surveys and feedback sessions are perfect for this. See how people are feeling, how the policy is working, and dig into the details. This can also help identify other issues as well to prevent things such as rage quitting. From there, take your feedback and make use of it. Make adjustments based on employee and organizational needs to improve the effectiveness of the policy.
Open Door Policy Workplace Best Practices
To wrap things up, here are a couple of best practices for an open door policy workplace:
Be Consistent
Don’t let your open door close. Stay on top of things and make sure the policy remains consistent.
Maintain Confidentiality
Employees are trusting you with their privacy, so maintain confidentiality. Don’t share what they said without their consent, and keep your discussions private.
Follow up on Concerns
If someone raises a concern, follow up. This helps prevent issues before they arise, as well as shows employees they can trust you with their concerns.
Encourage Open Communication in the Workplace
Every workplace needs open communication. Employees and managers need to be able to talk freely about their struggles, concerns, wins, and more. The best way to encourage open communication is through an open door policy.
Team building events have a similar effect, building trust and transparency while bringing teams together and encouraging communication. Consider partnering with TeamBonding to facilitate team building events alongside an open door policy, creating an open and honest workplace. We have a long list of events perfect for building trust and transparency, so get in touch with us today.
