Download the
Employee Relations Transparency Report Template

Understanding Transparency Reports with Our CEO, Deb Muller

By now we all know transparency at work is important (even expected) and we’re constantly talking about how to actually get there; create consistent case management and investigative processes, track ER data and share it back to the workforce. That said, I still see so much reluctance to share information about what happens when things go wrong at work. 

I believe sharing both the good and the bad is what really creates employee trust. Transparency just strips some of the HR mystery away and helps employees feel more comfortable about coming forward.

Employees don’t expect us to be perfect; they expect us to do the right thing. Reporting the actions we take when something goes wrong is the only way to show them that we are indeed doing the right thing. When we demonstrate consistent follow through on swift, fair investigations they begin to trust the process. They feel safer at work and they are more likely to not only report, but also recommend their colleagues do the same.

It’s no secret that today’s employees are demanding more transparency than past generations. They want to see transparency in pay, employment agreements, company investments and supplier partnerships; the list goes on and on. Instead of waiting for eminent regulations, it’s time for ER to get in front of the challenge by getting over the reporting anxiety. There’s another upside organizations will appreciate: according to our recent Workplace Harassment and Misconduct Insights, when employees feel confident that HR has investigated and resolved issues, they are almost twice as likely to recommend their employer to other potential employees.

We don’t need to limit the knowledge of how expertly HR has handled issues only to those who directly experienced it. We should be loud and proud about the care we’re taking to handle misconduct and keep employees safe. According to our latest benchmark data, when it comes to reporting, sharing aggregated outcomes is more common among the Fortune 100 than organizations overall (27% vs. 17%) but data sharing across the board has remained low for the past three years. I want to help move that needle by helping you take a first step.

Recently I came across Pinterest’s transparency guide, and I was inspired to create a sample of something you can use as a starting point for your own ER transparency report. My hope is that it will serve as a jumping off point for you to create one for your organization.

The fictional company, Brainfusion, has 20,000 employees. We chose to report the “data” as annual numbers but the timeframe and categories can easily be modified to fit your organization’s culture.

Now is the time for ER to take a proactive stance around transparency. Employees have a choice in who they invest their time with. More and more, they’re telling us they want to do that in environments that feel safe with organizations they can trust. I hope you’ll take some time to check out the template and find the courage to show employees how much you care.