An employees’ core values often contribute a great deal to the overarching goals of an organization. Without the right employees, a business is often liable to fail. One value in particular, accountability, has proven to be an immensely important aspect of both the success of a professional’s career and the success of a business. What many owners and managers have come to understand is that accountability can help their employees’ motivation levels, related to productivity specifically; and a higher overall satisfaction with their positions. As mentioned previously, with the right employees, businesses can move in the direction of improving their bottom line and increasing the likelihood of expansion. Throughout this post, the impact of accountability in the workplace will be analyzed.
While an employee should value their own traits related to accountability, it’s within reason to believe a manager should possess the skills necessary to hold employees accountable within their repertoire. As recent research would point out, though, four in five managers feel as though they have little to no ability to hold their staff accountable. The same study indicated nine in ten employees feel as though organizations should further prioritize skills for managers to be able to hold their coworkers accountable more effectively.
While it may seem simple, the truth is that spreading this value throughout an organization can be difficult. Of the most important ways to instill this value, one stands out above the rest. It all starts at the top of the organization’s hierarchy. Executive and managerial staff need to set the bar high enough in regards to taking blame and communicating their mistakes and their suggested solutions. Only though this communication can any issue or mistake be properly assessed and solved. This is the type of accountability that employees should strive to achieve, while also being the value that should differentiate aspiring employees interviewing for any organization.
Only when leaders and managers are able to clearly define their company’s goals and expectations can this be accomplished. Employees must first understand their expectations clearly in order to feel motivated enough to accomplish them. The more leaders and managers are willing to explain, the more likely these employees are to understand how their role supports the overall success of the organization. This can contribute to enhanced productivity and satisfaction in their time at the organization.
Any workplace wanting to prioritize accountability, should begin doing so within the hiring process. Bringing employees onto a team that display no signs of accountability is not a solution. Your organization should prioritize applicants who are able to admit when they’ve made a mistake as these are likely the people willing to work through the mistake and help other employees from making the same mistake.
Formulating a company culture is no easy task. It often will require levels of feedback and communication that most organizations lack. Understanding the fact that employees are often the link between a successful business and a failing one, organizations must prioritize hiring employees capable of working alongside the goals and missions they set forth. If your organization is currently facing an identity crisis, be sure to take a moment to review the information shared alongside the infographic paired alongside this post. Courtesy of Minute7.
