What do accountable employees do differently?

By Darren Finkelstein
By Darren Finkelstein

The Accountability Guy®

Home » Accountability at work » What do accountable employees do differently?
Darren

Accountability is a trait that develops in slowly. But for the employees to adapt to accountable behaviour, the management practices what they preach and must plan training sessions for their employees. If the leadership sets its example and trains simultaneously, employees learn to follow in their footsteps. Although accountability is not a top-to-bottom approach, the administration plays an important role, as they are the role models for the employees. They are the reason behind grooming the future leadership and culture in the organization. Therefore, if the administration sets an excellent culture of accountability in the organization, the same will be followed across the company at every level. But today, in our blog, let’s look at the changes the accountable employees would demonstrate at work compared to non-accountable employees.

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Accountable employees do differently

  1. They take responsibility: Accountable employees take responsibility for their work and are not afraid to admit mistakes. They own up to their actions and take steps to rectify any errors. 
  2. They meet deadlines: Accountable employees are reliable and meet deadlines. They plan their work and prioritize tasks to ensure they complete them on time. 
  3. They communicate effectively: Accountable employees communicate clearly and regularly with their colleagues and managers. They provide updates on their progress, ask for help when needed, and offer feedback to others. 
  4. They seek feedback: Accountable employees are open to feedback and seek it out from others. They use feedback to improve their work and make necessary changes. 
  5. They are proactive: Accountable employees take the initiative and look for ways to improve their work and their team’s work. They must be more content with the status quo and always look for ways to improve things. 
  6. They are trustworthy: Accountable employees are dedicated and act with integrity. They keep their commitments, follow through on their promises, and are honest with their colleagues and managers. 
  7. They prioritize their work: Accountable employees prioritize their work based on importance and urgency. They focus on tasks critical to achieving their goals and the organization’s goals. 
  8. They take the initiative: Accountable employees take the initiative and look for ways to contribute to the organization’s success. They are fearless in stepping outside their comfort zone and taking on new challenges. 
  9. They learn from their mistakes: Accountable employees view mistakes as learning opportunities. They reflect on their actions and use their mistakes as an opportunity to improve their work. 
  10. They are adaptable: Accountable employees can adjust to changing circumstances. They are flexible and can handle unexpected situations with ease. 
  11. They collaborate with others: Accountable employees collaborate with others to achieve their goals. They build positive relationships with their colleagues and work together to achieve the best possible outcomes. 
  12. They take pride in their work: Accountable employees take pride in their work and strive to do their best. They are passionate about their work and are committed to delivering high-quality results.

Unaccountable Employees at work

Compared to the employees who are not accountable, there would be a lack of commitment. To begin with, there would be no urgency to complete the task, and obviously, they will need to prepare to take ownership of the decisions and tasks they have failed. The team would need more sense of working together, and there would be a need for more trust and respect in the group and organization. Managers would be unable to trust their employees, and employees would not think of their leaders as role models. The employees would not accept the feedback positively and would only stay in the organization for a short time and wait for growth. Overall, such an organization’s work and performance would suffer a lot.  

Conclusion

Accountable employees take ownership of their work and are responsible for their actions and results. Liable employees are proactive, adaptable, collaborative, and take pride in their work. They are committed to their and the organization’s goals and work hard to achieve them. These behaviours contribute to a positive work environment, foster trust among colleagues and managers, and lead to the organization’s success. There is a bond of healthy relationships at work, whether employee to employee, employee to the leader, or vice versa. The future managers are groomed better and become even better managers for prospective employees. The company benefits from accountable employees compared to those who are not. A responsible, competent, and loyal employee is the best-fit employee for any organization. Imagine if you get such a talent pool in your organization; the performance and employee satisfaction rate will be extremely high. Your employees would help build accountable, transparent, open-door policy and self-disciplined organizational behaviour and culture.