Summer is around the corner and soon you’ll notice that the corner office might be LESS occupied into the late afternoon hours. Are there more out-of-office meetings over the summer, or is there a bit more wiggle room for an early exit for a family barbecue or an early start on a beach weekend?
Wouldn’t it be great to know if your boss was hightailing it out of the office, if it wasn’t frowned upon, and in fact, was an openly acceptable behavior for all – on occasion? A recent study suggests that kind of transparency might actually improve employee productivity and engagement.
Deloitte 2008 Ethics & Workplace survey indicates such transparency leads to a more ethical workplace culture. The findings show that, " …open and honest
communication channels between employees and leadership regarding work-life
issues, has a significant positive impact on workplace culture overall."
According to the survey, conducted by Opinion Research on behalf of Deloitte:
- 72% of respondents agree that if their boss was more open about his/her
need to take time off during regular work hours for personal reasons, it would
create a more engaging and productive environment. - 84% of respondents agree that openness by leadership
contributes to a more ethical workplace culture. - 68% said it
would create a more values-based organization.
The challenges to this type of transparency are unfortunately mounting as individuals become more concerned about the sagging economy and job security. Open communication between rank and file requires a conscious shift in perception about face time and the benchmarks of accountability. If this doesn’t begin with the leadership, it becomes nearly impossible for mid-level managers to adapt such a behavior which can trickle down to the typical employee.
This kind of workplace cultural change requires more than a shift in perception. It calls for a values-driven workplace and new methods of measuring productivity which include placing a higher value on employee engagement and ethics in the workplace.
