By Amanda Jenkis
Transparency is fast becoming a core performance driver for enterprises. When people understand what their organisation stands for and how they can grow personally, they become more engaged, more productive and more likely to build long-term careers. 10x Banking’s Amanda Jenkins lays out the blueprint for effective transparency in the modern workplace.
Transparency is one of the most powerful forces in modern workplaces, because it creates the conditions for people to thrive. When individuals understand what their organisation stands for, how decisions are made and where their careers can grow, they feel more motivated, more connected and more able to contribute their best work.
A powerful example of how openness fuels performance comes from Google’s widely cited Project Aristotle, which analysed more than 180 teams and found that psychological safety was the single most important factor behind high performance. Teams that felt safe to speak up, question assumptions and share early ideas consistently outperformed others across productivity, collaboration and innovation metrics.
At 10x Banking, transparency has always been a source of momentum. It strengthens relationships and helps colleagues make confident decisions even in fast-changing environments. When people feel informed and valued, they stay longer, perform better and build careers with purpose.
Our three-step model for transparency starts with strong values, is anchored by robust frameworks, and is continually elevated by listening to our people.
Step 1: Start with a Foundation of Strong Values
When Antony and I founded 10x Banking at our dining room table nearly a decade ago, we were clear that our values should be front and centre. Transformation, Integrity and Impact were never meant to be pleasant slogans pinned to a wall and walked past. They were designed to shape how we made decisions, how we behaved, and how we treated one another, especially when the stakes were high or the pressure was on. For us, values weren’t corporate language – they were a promise about the kind of company we wanted to build.
Strong organisations start with this kind of intentionality. It’s no surprise, then, that organisational culture has risen to the top of Chief HR Officers’ agendas, with recent CHRO community data from Gartner highlighting culture as the second highest priority for 2025. In a landscape defined by rapid change, culture has become a strategic lever, and transparency plays a central role in whether that culture feels real.
Values only carry weight when people can see them in action, which leads us on to step two.
Step 2: Create Clarity with Frameworks
Once values are established, people need clarity about how they can grow. In many organisations, this is where the greatest friction arises. Studies across Europe and the US show that insufficient career development is one of the strongest drivers of dissatisfaction, with a major Hays survey of more than 5,000 workers ranking lack of progression as the top reason people feel disengaged, even ahead of salary concerns.
The consequences extend beyond morale. More than half of employers now say retention is becoming more challenging, with many reporting that new recruits sometimes leave within their first twelve weeks. This is not only a cultural issue – in addition to losing talent there is a significant financial impact. Replacing an employee can cost as much as twice their salary for critical roles, meaning uncertainty in career pathways quickly becomes a business issue.
At 10x, we built a transparent career and capabilities framework that spans eight levels, covering both people leadership and technical expert pathways. Each level describes the expectations, responsibilities and behavioural examples aligned with our values.
By making this framework publicly available, colleagues can easily identify actionable growth areas, and we reduce ambiguity that often leads to frustration. Conversations between managers and their teams become clearer and more constructive because decisions rely on evidence, capability and shared understanding rather than subjective judgement.
Step 3: Listen and Evolve
Values create alignment and frameworks create clarity, but it’s listening that sustains momentum. Environments with high psychological safety encourage people to speak up, challenge ideas and raise concerns, ultimately strengthening both performance and innovation. At 10x, continuous listening has become central to how we operate.
Employee resource groups are one of the most underutilised organisational superpowers. These groups are typically filled with highly engaged colleagues who, when treated with respect, will offer honest feedback that can transform both engagement and retention. At 10x, we empower our networks to discuss the topics that matter most to them, to ask difficult questions, and to direct budget toward the initiatives they believe will create meaningful impact.
A survey with our Women and Friends network revealed important insights around flexibility, wellbeing and career progression. Some of the feedback was challenging to hear, but it spurred real change, from clearer flexible working processes to updated policies which support women’s health.
We also bring the organisation together regularly at quarterly company days and town halls, where we share financial updates, strategic priorities and other sensitive information. This transparency builds trust. Colleagues can submit questions anonymously or with their names attached, and every question is answered in full by our executive team. People are heard, taken seriously and responded to with respect.
Listening is not a one-off activity. It is an ongoing loop that enables organisations to adapt as the needs and expectations of their people evolve. We continually change and adjust with the feedback of our team; we are not the same organization we were last year – let alone 10 years ago.
Transparency Is How We Future Proof Our Workplaces
People do their best work when they can see the path ahead, trust the intentions of their leaders and feel confident that their voices matter. Transparent values build trust. Clear frameworks provide direction. Active listening ensures that the organisation continues to grow and improve. Together, these elements create workplaces where people feel inspired, supported and motivated to stay.
In a fast-changing world, transparency is one of the most reliable forms of long-term advantage. It strengthens culture, reduces attrition and helps people build meaningful careers. More importantly, it creates workplaces where people genuinely want to work and contribute their best.
