Advantages Of Open Door Policy

What is an open door policy? As Healthfield (2016) has noted, “An open door policy means, literally, that every manager 's door is open to every employee. The purpose of an open door policy is to encourage open communication, feedback, and discussion about any matter of importance to an employee” (para. 1). Shenhar (1993) stated, “The climate of an organization is, first and foremost, a result of management 's behavior [sic], its policies and the decisions it makes” (p.1). Therefore, an open-door policy must be effectively and deliberately implemented into an organization. The open door policy is one that has been extremely beneficial and protects the employee, the manager, and the corporation. An open door policy is effective because it promotes …show more content…
By promoting an open door policy, the new managers are forced out of their comfort zone and are forced to communicate. This is different from other organizations that do not have an open door policy because a manager may avoid face-to-face, interpersonal communication simply because the or she is not confident in his or her communication skills. The friendly openness culture that an open door policy provides gives managers an opportunity to work on their communication skills without feeling uncomfortable or afraid of ridicule. However, in order for this policy to be effective, the manager must seem approachable and supportive of the employee. According to Shenhar (1993), the door may actually be closed even if an open door policy is declared; the openness of the door is completely based on the employee’s perception. In Shenhar’s …show more content…
Unlike companies without an open door policy, companies which have implemented this policy find that due to open lines of communication and the friendly openness with employees, managers are able to get information in a much more efficient manner. Shenhar (1993) explained , “If an outlet for these ideas [work-related questions, suggestions and ideas for improvement] is available, and if someone is willing to listen, employees will be encouraged to care more about their work and to seek better ways of doing their jobs”. Shenhar emphasized that this is exactly what employers want from their employees, “to get better results, and to detect work-related problems at an early stage, when only rank-and-file employees can sense them” (p. 3). By detecting these issues at an early-stage, employers can respond to employee issues and work-related problems in a much timelier manner. However, employers sometimes forget that the employees often notice these issues before them. Because of this fast access to information, the employer can avoid small issues gaining sustenance and turning into larger issues than they need to be. This access is important because often times employee concerns go unnoticed in companies without an open door policy and this disconnect causes employee dissatisfaction and low productivity. Through the use of an effective open door policy, issues should be resolved within a