English Reference
Idiom idiom

open-door policy


A policy or usual practice, by a person in authority, of permitting subordinates or constituents to visit his or her office unannounced and at any reasonable time for the purpose of discussing matters of concern.

Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.


SIMPLE

My manager has an open-door policy for all staff.

CONTEXTUAL

Because the director maintains an open-door policy, employees feel comfortable walking into her office to share new ideas.

COMPLEX

The department head established an open-door policy to foster transparency, ensuring that any team member could voice concerns without the need for a formal appointment.


Related idioms1entry
  1. 01

    ostrich policy

    The tendency to ignore obvious problems and pretend they do not exist; ostrichism.

Last updated August 10, 2026