Is Honesty the Best Policy?
By Meagan Price
“Honesty is the best policy!” It was Benjamin Franklin’s mantra we all learned at a very young age. While parents everywhere have convinced their children this is true, the corporate world seems to live by “honesty is an ‘okay-maybe-it-works-sometimes’ policy.”
We’ve all seen countless examples of dishonesty in the news and in real life — name your politician, Fortune 500 company, or even your neighbor. We’ve all witnessed how and when a lie comes back to bite the liar and it’s not pretty. I believe that dishonesty has a bigger bite in the business world, particularly in employee engagement and company morale metrics.
In a 2017 New Tech Benchmark study done by Culture Amp, companies with highly engaged employees consistently scored high on employee communications metrics. In Quantum Metrics’ Employee Engagement Survey, only 26% of respondents believed their organization provided honesty and transparency when making changes. Companies that encouraged honest feedback among their employees outperformed competitors by 270% over a 10-year period, according to a 2010 Corporate Executive Board study.
I’ve worked for clients that believed their employees should be the first to know company news, and as a result, employees felt invested in the company’s future. I’ve also dealt with clients that considered employees an afterthought, and consequently employees did not consider their leadership trustworthy. The difference in employee morale was stark.
Employees are entitled to know as much of the story as can legally be shared. They’re your team members and your best assets to bring your company success. Company leaders need to approach their employees as allies and as their company’s best marketing ambassadors.
Employees crave honesty. They need straightforward, no-bull communication from their leaders. Employees can spot a “line” from a mile away. Tell your employees the truth about your company strategy, goals and even finances. Maybe the financial news isn’t great but use communication as an opportunity to share how you’re making it better, what the commitment level is from leadership, and how your employees can help the company succeed.
A motivated employee is your best employee. The corporate world should not discount honesty as the “okay-maybe-it-works-sometimes” policy. It’s the foundation to success. If your employees believe in their leaders, they’ll do whatever it takes to help their company succeed.
About the Author
Meagan Price is an independent communications consultant with nearly 20 years of experience in employee communications. She excels in strategic communications planning, change management communications, and senior leadership writing. Ms. Price uses a blend of creativity, the latest communications trends and a healthy dose of common sense to deliver results for her clients. Connect on LinkedIn @MeaganPrice.