The Potential Consequences of Being Honest to Employees and How to Deal With Them

It’s easy to say that you should be honest and transparent to your employees. You want to maintain an open communication line. However, you should understand that there are possible consequences if you’re too honest. You might hurt their feelings and the problem will escalate quickly. Here are the potential consequences of your honesty and how to deal with them.

Your employees might resign

Let’s face it. Some people have a very high ego. They won’t accept criticisms and even push back on people who gave these comments. Expect employees who are unable to process their emotions to leave the job. They might think they’re too good to stay. The best way to deal with them is by making it clear that you don’t have personal biases. Your honesty is for professional purposes only. You should also express how fair the process is, especially if everyone received the same level of honesty. If the employee still refused to accept the criticisms, this person is probably not the perfect fit anyway.

You will maintain a terrible reputation

You don’t want your employees who left the company to spread the word about how terrible you are as a boss. It could affect the prospects of hiring new people to be part of your team. You want everyone to feel welcomed, but also realize that they will always have an opportunity for growth. You should still be friendly outside the professional environment. If your employees are mature enough, they will see the value of your transparency.

The turnover rate will be high

It’s a problem if your employees resign at the same time. It’s the last thing you want to happen. It can even halt the operations and adversely affect the potential profits. Therefore, you have to slow down when you see more resignations in the recent weeks. The high turnover rate also means that no one likes your style. Evaluate yourself and pursue meaningful changes.

You will be questioned

Sure, you have the right to give constructive criticisms. You can tell your employees what they did wrong and how they can do better. However, you must also realize that they will try to question your decision. They might ask you why you made such a comment. Therefore, it pays to be prepared to respond to them. Make sure you back your criticisms with data. If you have a point of comparison, it’s even better. You will also prevent the accusations that you’re unfair or you arrive at conclusions from thin air.

It’s never easy dealing with employees. You have to strike a balance between wanting them to do better and not hurting their feelings. You should also be clear that you’re coming from a good place. It’s never your intention to hurt. You want what’s best for the business and the employees. If they see your goals, they will be grateful.

Photo Attribution:

1^st and featured image from https://blog.hubspot.com/hubfs/one-on-one-meeting.jpg

2^nd image from https://medium.com/melting-pot/why-you-need-to-be-open-and-honest-with-your-staff-d0a585a19c1d