Open Door Policy at Work

An open door policy at work implies a work culture that is friendly, transparent and uniform for all members of the staff, irrespective of their class and grades. It facilitates freedom to exchange ideas and suggestions at and between all levels of the chain of command. As a result, employee tribulations are resolved ably and speedily; and in the process, the degree of job satisfaction and productivity registers an upward swing. Besides the leadership structure being rendered more efficient, the employee lot feels elated with their individual guts and capability to resolve predicaments getting a boost.

How does it function?

Open door policy at work calls for on par and evenly balanced inputs from each and every stratum of the organization. Every individual is required to put his or her communications and suggestions with due diligence; the encouraging part of the matter is that there happens to be no intercession or veto by one-up in the chain of command.

The above notwithstanding, there also ought to be a permissible restriction to preclude employees from crossing limits and not being able to approach inopportunely higher echelons of power, who, in any case will not be in a position to even contemplate on demands that may be put up, leave aside meeting them.

To illustrate the point being made, suppose if a support services staff approaches the managing director of a company to seek a pay rise, the effort may not be apt because the managing director is not chartered to look after such issues. On the contrary, the employee can well meet his supervisor or line manager to seek a favourable resolution of his grievance.

There are quite a few managers who opine that an open door policy does not encourage transparency and uphold openness. On the contrary, it makes the system more shoddy and slack. It needs noting that if an immediate supervisor is unable to redress an employee’s grievance, the affected individual has all the freedom to approach a higher up. The arrangement, they feel brings to light an absence of mutual confidence between subordinates and seniors. 

In order to reduce communication gaps, all establishments should, from the very start embark upon programmes to train and prepare their managerial cadres so that they are able to validate the appointments that they hold. Furthermore, open door policy at work would usher in greater and better functional tools for the subordinates and seniors alike. The juniors would be able to solve their problems and make their seniors cognizant of the same. Needless to state, the seniors would carry out introspection and improve upon their management and negotiation techniques. The result evidently will be an ‘everybody benefits’ state of affairs in the setup.

Putting it in operation      

Having understood what an open door policy at work is and how it functions, the question is putting it into action. Some practical ways of executing it and in the process boosting output levels by inspiring employees are:

·   Amenability to ingenuity:  To say that a manager should know everything amounts to being presumptuous and to an extent, even impudent. He just cannot know and also be in the know of every development or course of action that he may have been employed for. He has to, therefore, have an open mind and be acquiescent to fresh and even revolutionary suggestions from his subordinates. If he does so, the employees will come forward to make him aware of their requirements and manage them to the satisfaction of all.   

·   Acknowledge good work done:  Employees are not slaves, they are human beings first. Should any of them make a noteworthy contribution, he or she deserves a sign of approbation. And a show of approval should come for even small things. Whatever they deserve should be given with pleasure and positive reception. It should be remembered that small gestures of admiration have more potency that large pecuniary awards. 

·   Superior listening skills:  Before exploring into any problem area, one should be fully aware of what it is, the causative factors and its magnitude. Unless you get to the bottom of the problem, there is no way that you will be able to resolve it. And getting to the bottom of a problem entails hearing patiently what others feel or have to say. Listening by itself may not be enough, what is of significance is to comprehend and register what others have to say. All this implies possession of superior listening skills; it is only if a manager has them that he would in due course be able to work out a logical and acceptable way out.

·   Informal dialogues:  There is no better way to feel the pulse of the employees than carrying out spontaneous and pre-meditated appraisals. By simply indulging in a relaxed tête-à-tête with the employees, their contentment vis-à-vis their job and the organization can be gauged. If there happens to be any reluctance to open up, it should be seen as something aberrant and warranting looking into.

There are instances when managers are not competent to handle human resources in a manner that they are supposed to be done. Whether the leadership of their organizations appreciate this or not is a different matter; there may be compulsions of employment or other factors. Under such circumstances, employees have a right to talk about their problems with people higher up in the hierarchy. Should the situation go out of control, the concerned manager should be proceeded against, even if it necessitates bringing in somebody else.

Open door policy at work makes possible a concordant and tuneful chain of command and renders it more fruitful and dynamic. In the bargain, every staff echelon gets to have an opening where they can have a say in organizational matters, besides improving the interaction criterion that prevail therein.