One of the most important cultural values for businesses to prioritize is accountability. A business and its employees’ accountability has an immense impact on how successful that business can be. This is made possible through employees willing to take that extra step and reach higher levels of productivity to contribute to their organization. This post will provide a more in-depth look at this corporate value and how organizations can develop and promote it.
Research conducted recently has indicated that the capability of managers to hold employees accountable is a necessary skill for the position. However, about 80% of managers’ report they possess “little to no” ability to meaningfully keep their employees accountable. While 90% of employees report the ability of their managers to hold them accountable is necessary for them to perform at their best.
How can organizations institute a culture of accountability then? It starts with the leaders of the company demonstrating by example. Which means anytime a mistake is made at any level of an organization, the employee, manager, or executive will be responsible enough to admit to it, and actively work towards solving the problem. The lessons learned from any mistake becomes valuable knowledge for an organization in regards to preventing similar mistakes in the future.
Recruitment is another important aspect of building towards the right company culture. Determining which applicants are willing to admit when they’ve made mistakes and work towards fixing them and learning from them are the types of employees who positively contribute to the culture any organization should work toward.
The structure in which executives and managers look to when it comes to passing on accountability to their employees starts with identifying company goals and the expectations of each employee. The sooner that employees have a clear understanding of what they are responsible for accomplishing, the more likely they are to meet those expectations more efficiently. In addition to this, leaders and managers providing an overarching look to employees related to how their role supports the overall success of their team and accompanying department, as well the company as a whole; can lead to improved productivity and job satisfaction.
It’s impossible to accomplish any of this through one-sided communication. Taking the time to speak with employees directly to clarify their responsibilities and allowing them to voice concerns and ask questions is imperative to achieving the level of accountability organizations strive for. Managers especially should provide the guidance necessary to overcome any obstacles they face in their roles through this communication.
Achieving an organizational culture of accountability requires being open to constructive criticism and feedback from all levels of an organization. When organizations form an open-door policy with their employees they receive more of this feedback, leading to organization-wide improvement. For more information, check out the accompanying infographic, Creating A Culture Of Accountability In The Office. Courtesy of Minute7.
