Do you mean that literally?

Most would agree that leaders need to be accessible to their employees. As a result, leaders will say, "my door is always open," or "I have an open-door policy". Does that mean, my door is "physically" open? I guess that would be a start. But that in itself does not invite conversation. 

I have worked for many different leaders over the years and they all have been accessible to varying degrees. I worked for a senior leader who said she had an open-door policy but, I quickly discovered she actually just meant her door was physically open. When I stopped by her office with a concern I needed to discuss, I was quickly intercepted by her assistant who said, "she doesn't do fly-by's". Okay, no problem. I can understand needing to manage your schedule. After several more attempts to schedule a meeting with my boss, each time striking out due to the hurdles that were put before me, I eventually gave up. "No fly-by's", who says that? Having an open-door policy and never being available is actually the opposite. Jokingly, I would say that I could get a meeting with a SVP easier than I could my own boss. Sadly, it was true!

I guess the question becomes, does it really matter? What does an "open-door policy" mean? What impact does it have on employees? 

Does it really matter?

I would argue, yes - absolutely, 100%. Not a doubt in my mind. Especially in today's competitive environment. As a leader, your people matter. Staying in touch with your employees is a critical part of your job. The days of command and control leadership are over. If you are lucky enough to be selected to lead others you should, at a minimum, care enough to be available to them.

The same leader, mentioned above, started seeing turnover in her area and her immediate response was to begin asking people, "how are you doing?" This was an exercise that lasted a couple weeks. Okay, I will give a little credit for at least noticing there might be a need to have some conversations but, you can't suddenly start caring when people begin resigning. Your employees will see right through it and the sudden change in behavior will be odd and far from genuine.

What does "open door policy" mean?

I suppose this is where it might get a little fuzzy for some leaders. Open, partially open, almost closed or closed with a deadbolt! In the most basic sense, it means creating an environment that encourages open communication. Maybe you don't want to allow "fly-by's”, but you can't block off your entire calendar either. You must find a balance. If you were only willing to do one thing differently when it comes to communicating with your employees, I would tell you to stop talking and listen to them. Although it sounds too simple, it is a game changer! Give it a try.

Trust is a huge component when it comes to creating an environment where employees can be open and honest. You can begin to build trust by sharing information with your employees, following up with them and connecting with them on a personal level. It is not difficult, it just takes time and intention.

What impact does it have?

Significant. Having the opportunity to work in an environment with open communication is a basic need for employees. When you consider the expectations of continuous change, the need to be creative / innovative and constantly doing more with less, it's obvious how important creating this environment becomes. I truly believe that employees today will not tolerate the leadership behaviors of the past and if you are lucky, they will resign. Sound strange? Only if you don't understand that the worst thing that can happen is that they stay. Unhappy, disengaged employees cost companies more than dollars.

Employees are your core capital and most important asset; they deserve to be treated with respect. As a leader, never underestimate the impact you have on your employees.

Other Resources

Empowering Others: Core Coaching Skills - Course

Leaders, STOP Talking and Start Listening - Blog Post

Creating an Environment of Trust - Blog Post