Your door is always open to others no matter what time of the day. Employees can stroll in just to converse or voice suggestions or complaints about the work place. You feel that this is the best way to interact with your employees because:

You Appear to be Available and Approachable

Employees and co-workers will perceive you to be open to their ideas and input. They will be comfortable speaking to both in the office and out in the workplace. You will appear to be a mentor and a motivator with excellent people skills.

Lines of Communication are Kept Open

Employees and co-workers will feel that you are really listening to what they have to say and that it is important to you that they keep you up-to-date on all company issues and problems.

You Are Always Aware of What is Going On Outside of Your Office 

Because your door is always open, all the subtle communication outside your door will filter in and you will be constantly aware of employee morale and the state of the company as a whole. You will be able to solve problems before they become real issues and have your “thumb on the pulse” of the organization. 

But there are also some issues with being so available. The downside of an open door policy is that:

You Work with Many Interruptions

Much of your work may go unfinished or be stopped and re-started several times due to interruptions from guests, employees, vendors and co-workers. Even your boss will feel he can impose on your time at the drop of a hat.

Employees May Infringe on Your Personal Time

It is five minutes before closing time and an irate employee storms through that open door. You don’t want to upset or disappoint him but you have to catch a plane or pick up your child from daycare before it closes. With an open door policy, you would need to be prepared to be detained or late for personal appointments much more often. 

There is No Privacy

You will have no privacy if everyone is allowed to walk in your door whenever they desire. Private phone calls would have to be made very subtly and you would always be looking over your shoulder when conducting confidential business with another individual. 

There are many reasons to have an open door policy and just as many not to. An excellent compromise would be to post hours when you are available to meet with impromptu guests and times that are strictly off limits unless an appointment is made. This would provide a great relationship with staff and allow you to complete your projects in a timely manner.