Cultivating Transparency, Trust & Autonomy
Kate Maddison-Greenwell MCIPD
Your People Problem Solver | Agile in HR? | HR Project Leader | People-Centric Solutions & Strategies | Leadership & Change Expert | Podcast Host | impACT
Transparency is the cornerstone of effective leadership in remote work environments. Yet, recent findings from our study shed light on a concerning trend:
71% of HR leaders identified transparency as a key factor driving micromanagement behaviours. This revelation paints a picture of organisational distrust and its detrimental impact on productivity.
This shocking statistic reveals a big problem in today’s workplaces and shows we need to change how leaders operate right away.
Our research aimed to delve into the frustrations harboured by HR leaders in remote teams and their correlation with leadership practices within companies. What emerged was a sobering reality: the absence of trust between leaders and their teams is creating environments that stifle productivity and innovation.
“Transparency doesn’t mean sharing every detail. Transparency means providing the context for the decisions we makeâ€
– Simon Sinek
The longing for clarity
Delving deeper into the data gathered through interviews and Roundtables, a common narrative emerged – one characterised by feelings of being micromanaged, second-guessed and deprived of autonomy.?
Employees expressed a longing for clarity and trust, lamenting the constant need for approvals and justifications. The sentiment echoed across discussions, highlighting the toll on morale and motivation within remote teams.
The study also shed light on the relationship between transparency and the office environment. Many HR leaders think being close to the office means you’ll be more productive.
Without clear communication and direction, people often see the office as a sign of being noticed and approved. This sentiment underscores a fundamental issue – a lack of trust in the efficacy of remote work arrangements to facilitate meaningful collaboration and output.
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So, where do we go from here? How can HR Leaders navigate the complexities of remote leadership and foster a culture of transparency?
Discover:
- How to prioritise open communication
- Why it's important for leaders to focus on goals
- How to solve micromanagement
Dive into the full research report by downloading it for free now.
In the report you’ll find:
- Exclusive remote working stats
- Direct quotes from participants
- Solutions to remote work problems
Global CHRO | Unlocking Career Potential | Author of “Careers Unleashed†| Nurturer of Culture & Talent
11 个月Great research Kate Maddison-Greenwell MCIPD. I think there is a strong connection of transparency and employee's finding meaning and purpose with work, which ether enables or disables retention. Also, with dispersed teams, it is critical to be transparent (providing appropriate context), as it will enable decentralization of decision making.
? Guiding business leaders to create their flexible working strategy ? Developing high performance flex-able leaders and managers ? Conference Speaker ? Strategic Adviser + Consultant ? Author ? Doctoral Candidate
11 个月I totally agree about the need for greater transparency and love the Sinek quote about sharing the context for decisions. I also think there is another need that isn’t surfaced here - the need for certainty, along with a desire for less anxiety. Clarity can provide some certainty but it’s often not sufficient to remove the anxiety that remains. I don’t think it’s possible to be totally certain about something and remove all anxiety, but transparency certainty helps people you understand why decisions are being made. It also helps when leaders can be clear about which elements they have greater certainty about, and how they will communicate when things change - to either give greater certainty or not. Thanks for the thought provoking article that helped me surface these thoughts Kate - athough I'm not sure how well I've articulated them ????
How do you keep track of your team's time off? Leave Dates makes it easy! | We're Putting the Whooop into ‘Out of Office’ ?? | Founder at Leave Dates
11 个月Sounds like a interesting one to read. I do agree that Transparency is important and like Simon Sinek says you don't need to share everything - just share the context around the reasons of the decisions made and I think that is so important for all organisations. Kate Maddison-Greenwell MCIPD
Rebelutionizing and reimagining workplaces, leadership and culture to spark change, empower growth, and drive impact. Leadership | HR Consulting | Global Speaker | 6x Best-Selling Author | Top HR Influencer.
11 个月Great points, thanks for sharing! When I talk with leaders about transparency I point out that if they don't share the entire truth their employees will make up their own version, which is often worse than the actual truth.