Open communication and collaboration are at the heart of strong workplace culture. We asked a few HR and People leaders to share the strategies and tools that have helped them build trust, encourage honest dialogue, and create meaningful connections within their organizations.
What strategies or tools have you found most effective in fostering a culture of open communication and collaboration within your organization?
“I have found that the best way to foster a culture of open communication and collaboration is starting with myself. I have to be willing to communicate openly and collaborate freely if I expect that from others. I have to create an environment where sharing freely is accepted and without judgement. One of the best ways to do that is to seek to understand by listening well and sharing often, which is the definition of communication, one of our core values here at Bandwidth.” —Hannah Baylock, Manager, Talent Advisor, Bandwidth
“I believe fostering open communication and collaboration is rooted in the principle of seeking to understand first: whether it’s the situation or the other person. Assuming the best intentions, particularly during challenging situations, is fundamental. Building relationships based on mutual trust, credibility, and follow-through is essential. When there is trust among one another it is easier to have effective communication and collaboration. View successes and setbacks as collective experiences, and when difficulties arise, acknowledge them and actively learn from them. This approach enables teams to maintain resilience and adaptability, helping drive a culture of collaboration and open communication.” —Adella Bell, Director, Product Management, People Technology & Data, Intuit
“Consistency, honesty, trust, and feedback. We found that reaching out to numerous types of leaders until we found one that was as passionate as us was the keyway to getting our foot in the door. After that, we were meticulous in aligning our ideas to the goals of the organization and communicating exactly how we thought we could achieve them. We took feedback as a way to reroute and improve and leaned on our advocates when we ran into roadblocks. A mix of sharing passion with the comments at the beginning of this statement are what have helped us succeed in our collaborations.” —Becca Alexander, Human Resources Program Manager Protection, Controls, & Solutions (PCS), Eaton Corporation
“My favorite way to connect with others is speaking from the heart and with passion—no matter the audience or the situation. By understanding each other's goals and motivations, we recognize that we're all driving towards the same objective—creating an inclusive, high performing culture where everyone feels they belong—we build stronger connections. This brings it all back to why I love working for Eaton: the people.” —Allison Lopes, Division Channel Manager - Industrial Controls, Eaton Corporation
