The Open Door Policy: Efficacy, Reality, and What It Really Signals
An “open door policy” is a staple of leadership vocabulary. Most leaders say they have one. Most employees know the phrase. But in practice, the efficacy and impact of that policy are far more nuanced than the phrase suggests.
Over the years leading engineering organizations of different sizes, I’ve seen the open door policy work beautifully. I’ve also seen it fall flat. The difference isn’t about whether the door is literally open. It’s about trust, clarity, and intent.
Who Actually Uses an Open Door Policy?
1. Direct Reports
Your immediate team is the most likely to use your open door policy. They have a relationship with you, they see your day-to-day behavior, and they know how you handle feedback and conflict.
- If you consistently respond with empathy and action, they’ll keep coming back.
- If you nod politely but nothing changes or they sense risk in being honest, they’ll stop.
In practice, the open door works best with direct reports when paired with structured, proactive 1:1s. The door is there for emergent issues, but the real foundation is the recurring, safe, scheduled time you give them.
2. Skip Levels
Skip levels are trickier. Even if you declare your door open, many of your direct reports’ reports won’t feel comfortable walking through it. Why? Because organizational hierarchy is real. No matter how approachable you are, most people worry about:
- Stepping on their manager’s toes.
- Being perceived as “going around” their boss.
- Whether they can trust you to keep their confidence.
This is why skip-level meetings matter far more than an open door policy. By creating a structured space where you invite them in, you remove the psychological burden of asking for access.
3. Peers and People Outside Your Team
Peers across the org and people outside your team will often take you up on an open door policy. This is more likely in high-trust cultures or when your team’s work intersects directly with theirs. Here, the open door isn’t about personal safety as much as it is about organizational friction. You’re signaling that they don’t need to wade through bureaucracy to resolve issues with your team.
This can be incredibly powerful. Some of the most productive breakthroughs I’ve seen came from casual drop-ins by peers who just wanted to sanity-check an idea or flag a cross-team issue early.
The Reality: It’s About More Than a Door
The phrase “open door” makes it sound simple, but the reality is this:
- Access isn’t the same as safety. People may have access to you but still not feel safe using it.
- Availability isn’t the same as action. Being available means little if people don’t see follow-through.
- Hierarchy is sticky. No matter how open you are, organizational structure creates hesitation.
Making an Open Door Policy Real
- Signal and model safety. When someone uses your open door, honor their trust. Never punish, dismiss, or weaponize what you hear.
- Create structured alternatives. Supplement the open door with consistent 1:1s, skip levels, and peer forums. That’s how you reach people who won’t naturally walk in.
- Follow through visibly. Even small actions build credibility. If someone took the risk to bring something up, close the loop.
- Use it to reduce friction. For peers and partner teams, your open door can mean faster alignment and fewer bottlenecks.
One Last Thought
The open door policy is less about the door and more about the culture around it. If you have to say you have one, it’s worth asking why people wouldn’t assume it’s already true.
As a leader, the real goal isn’t to have an open door. The goal is to create an environment where people actually walk through it.