Over the course of this series on our core values, we’ve proven time and time again that alliantgroup is a company built on collaboration and passion. To maintain all of these core values, we need to tie them together and draw the final thread of connection between them. This is where our ninth and final core value, transparency, comes into play.

“We are a relatively flat organization allowing for the free exchange of ideas. Management and employees work hand in hand to deliver an exceptional client experience. Employees truly have an open door to management at all times.”

As mentioned in our post on collaboration, alliantgroup invites all employees to share thoughts and ideas, from those on the first day of the job to those who have been around since day one. Co-founder and CEO Dhaval Jadav, who falls into the latter category, has written extensively on the importance of transparency in the workplace. A Forbes spotlight on Dhaval Jadav highlighted alliantgroup’s emphasis on the importance of transparency across the entire organization:

“We encourage our leaders to always push their teams outside of their comfort zone to stave off complacency and allow for professional growth. We then encourage our managers to follow back up with transparent feedback and best practices on how their professionals can improve in all aspects of their role.”

Notice how, at alliantgroup, transparency is a four-way street. Everyone is communicating clearly and effectively, from the employees who want to make a splash to the managers who want to offer constructive commentary on employee performance. 

Recent studies have proven that internal and external transparency can lead to tremendous success for a given company. Externally, customers feel more confident and loyal to a brand that is honest and just. Internally, transparency “builds trust, and makes employees feel that they’re working for a company with higher ethical standards.” Nowhere is this more evident than at alliantgroup, where we implement a raving fan mission and encourage—and reward—internal communications!

According to Entrepreneur writer Larry Alton, the age of transparency is relatively new. After the Great Recession from 2007 to 2009, businesses and consumers agreed that businesses that maintained secrecy were not necessarily the ones to trust. Concealing of unethical practices, the mystery surrounding the wealth gap, and other factors came to light, creating a demand for transparency of business protocols and strategies. 

Along with the review site boom and social media marketing, businesses are in the spotlight now more than ever. That’s not to make transparency sound bad—as long as your company is doing good for people who need it, that’s what makes transparency a fantastic tool and wonderful core value!

alliantgroup is a Houston-based provider of specialty tax services. Learn more on our website and be sure to follow us on Twitter!