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Accountability in workplace

By Darren Finkelstein
By Darren Finkelstein

The Accountability Guy®

Darren (1)

Accountability is one of the individual traits that work collectively in the workplace. Accountability does not help in building help in building a solid foundation for a successful business but also helps develop good personal traits like transparency, self-motivation and discipline and good communication skills. Accountability is an essential aspect of any workplace that helps build trust and foster a sense of responsibility among employees. It refers to being answerable for one’s actions, decisions, and results. Accountability is critical in ensuring organisational success in today’s competitive business environment. In this blog post, we will explore the importance of accountability in the workplace. Accountability is a two-way street. Employers hold their employees accountable for their actions and decisions, while employees expect their employers to be accountable for their actions and decisions. When accountability is enforced in the workplace, it leads to a culture of responsibility and ownership. As a result, employees are more likely to take ownership of their tasks and work harder to achieve their goals.

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To enforce accountability in the workplace, organisations need to take the following steps:

1. Set clear expectations

 Employers should set clear expectations for their employees and communicate them effectively. This clarity includes defining roles and responsibilities, outlining performance expectations, and setting goals and objectives. 

2. Provide regular feedback

Employers should provide regular feedback to their employees on their performance. These sessions include both positive feedback and constructive feedback aimed at improving performance. 

3. Hold employees accountable

Employers should hold their employees accountable for their actions and decisions. This mind shift includes setting consequences for poor performance and recognising and rewarding good performance. 

4. Lead by example

Employers should lead by example and hold themselves accountable for their actions and decisions. This role modelling sets the tone for the organisation and encourages employees to do the same. 

5. Foster a culture of accountability

Employers should foster a culture of accountability within the organisation. This culture includes creating an environment where employees feel comfortable taking ownership of their tasks and communicating openly and honestly with their colleagues and managers.  

6. Include employees while setting goals

As a part of clarity and understanding, it is one of the crucial steps of accountability, as it allows the employee to express his point of view, how comfortable he is to achieve the goals, and also what challenges he might face. This expression would also help the manager or the leader to understand his team better and then set the goals with his team member more reasonably and achievable. 

The importance of accountability in the workplace can be seen in the following ways:

  1. Increases productivity: When employees are held accountable for their actions and decisions, they are more likely to take ownership of their tasks and work harder to achieve their goals. This results in increased productivity and better outcomes for the organisation. 
  2. Builds trust: Accountability helps build trust among employees and between employees and their managers. When employees know that their actions and decisions are being monitored, they are more likely to act responsibly and build trust with their colleagues and superiors. 
  3. Improves communication: Accountability encourages open and honest communication among employees. When employees know they are responsible for their actions and decisions, they are more likely to communicate effectively with their colleagues and managers. 
  4. Fosters a sense of ownership: When employees are held accountable for their actions and decisions, they are more likely to take ownership of their tasks and work harder to achieve their goals. This trait fosters a sense of ownership and responsibility among employees. 
  5. Enhances performance: Accountability helps identify areas of improvement and where employees need support. This change leads to better performance and outcomes for the organisation.  
  6. Encourages innovation: When employees are held accountable for their actions and decisions, they are likelier to take risks and try new things. This willingness to be proactive promotes innovation and can lead to new ideas and solutions that benefit the organisation.
  7. Increases job satisfaction: Accountability can increase job satisfaction among employees. When employees feel that their work is meaningful and contributing to the organisation’s success, they are more likely to be satisfied with their jobs.
  8. Reduces errors and mistakes: Accountability helps in reducing errors and mistakes. When employees know that they are responsible for their actions and decisions, they are more likely to pay attention to details and take steps to avoid errors and mistakes.  

Conclusion

Accountability is a crucial aspect of any work that helps build trust, foster a sense of responsibility, and improve performance. Employers should enforce accountability by setting clear expectations, providing regular feedback, holding employees accountable, leading by example, and fostering a culture of accountability. When accountability is implemented in the workplace, employees are more likely to take ownership of their tasks, work harder to achieve their goals and contribute to the organisation’s success.  

About The Author

Darren Finkelstein is The Accountability Guy®. This involves being an International Accountability Coach, Business Advisor, Mentor, Author, and Speaker.

Darren works with high-performing teams and individuals across Australia/NZ, UK, USA, Latin America, Europe and Asia to help get results, achieve their wildest dreams, and smash goals. He does this by leveraging over 30 years of experience working in the corporate world and small businesses.

A successful business owner himself, Darren won the Australian Entrepreneur of the Year award for Dent Global after building a wonderful lifestyle business, successfully sold and exited after 15 years.

Before this, Darren worked for over 10 years at Apple Inc. as ‘Manager of Commercial Markets’ during the inspirational Steve Jobs era. While there, he was awarded the prestigious Golden Apple Award.

Darren’s lessons in accountability can help individuals and teams at all levels of a business or organisation across the globe, and are based on actions and results:

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