A company’s strategic plan forms the bedrock upon which its success is evaluated. Strategy is best defined as a plan to achieve long-term organisational goals. Without strategy, a company is like a rudderless ship floundering in the high seas.

Over the years, management of company resources – land, labour, capital, and entrepreneurship – has been undertaken with systems that are largely inefficient by today’s standards. With the use of cloud-based technology and powerful online digital programs, it is now possible to efficiently allocate resources, monitor and track performance, set schedules, update data in real time, and ensure the effectiveness, efficiency, and accuracy of the entire management paradigm.

The measure of a company’s success is the harmony between its components. In other words, communication, collaboration, and information dissemination are central elements to the strategic success of any organisation.

Systems are now available that allow for real-time management of organisational tasks, activities, functions, inter-departmental collaborations, et al. Tactical and strategic decision-making processes can be enhanced by way of real time updates through software systems. Instead of waiting for information to slowly filter its way down the chain of command through the CEO, divisional and departmental managers, supervisors, and coworkers, it is now possible to gain a broad perspective of organisational performance through real-time management systems.

Why is transparency important in the workplace?

Without a blueprint, there is no strategic direction to an organisation’s goals. Software that provides the requisite information on who is responsible for what, which resources will be allocated to specific assets, projects, or activities is now making its way to market.

Constraints can also be factored into these software systems such as budgetary issues, human resources, time management etc. Colour-coded blocks in digital spreadsheet type systems can instantly provide the necessary information for effective decision-making. For example, green blocks indicate that an activity has been completed, red blocks indicate an activity requires attention, and orange blocks indicate that an activity is currently being worked on.

When these colour-coded blocks are assigned to individuals, it is easy for managers to make real-time decisions about workflow, priorities, and projects. Online project management systems offer the work transparency needed to get things done.

“When you hide information from your team, you limit their intelligence to that of your own, crippling the smart people you hired”

For eons, people have been using tools that don’t create the desired outcomes. Today, it is easier than ever to use a virtual board to track all aspects of a company’s activities. Powerful software systems now make it easy for managers, project leaders and supervisors to assign team members, check up on the status of projects, and strategically map out work sessions. Central to the issue of transparency is open communication. Whether you’re a manager, entrepreneur, or business owner, effective communication with your teams is sacrosanct. This becomes even more important when team members are completing projects off premises, out-of-state, or overseas. Real-time communication via powerful, secure, and private company messaging apps is the new go-to solution.

A results-driven management system

Intracompany email systems are inefficient ways of communicating information between management and employees. Email threads simply get longer and longer, making it more difficult to find up-to-date information on the activities at hand. When communications are synergised, it is much easier to provide real time data for team members with real-time notifications by desktop, smartphone, or tablet. The collaboration is further enhanced by way of positive affirmations from team members.

“When you share everything, you don’t have to remember who knows what, watch what you say in front of them, and fear you might get something slip. You are free”

The inclusion of drag-and-drop functionality (files, folders, images, multimedia messaging etc.) allows for effective communication of ideas. Visualisation is a top management function which forms the bedrock of the vision of the company. It is now possible to visualise what team members are doing in real time with powerful software. The ability to monitor team members is central to the success of a company. Hard workers can be rewarded, and slackers can be motivated to work harder with monday management software. Team members do not appreciate it when information is hidden from them. This acts as a disincentive to performance. Transparency is the resin that binds team members together and allows for improved synergy.

The benefits inherent in adopting a transparent management system include reduced management energy, increased motivation, elimination of office politics, and shared responsibility. To get there, it’s important to overcome the fear factor and trust those under your employ. Open forum-style systems encourage participation from stakeholders within the company, and everyone is invited to share ideas and provide constructive criticism. When employee opinions matter, participation levels always increase, and the outcome is improved organisational performance.