What Is Accountability In The Workspace?
To understand accountability at work, it is important to know what accountability is. Accountability means to be responsible for the actions and the tasks that are expected of you.
Accountability in the workspace is all about employees taking complete responsibility for their actions, behavior, and performance within the workspace. Not only that, but accountability at work also translates to an employee staying true to the company and building a relationship of trust. Accountable employees are the building blocks of a successful company as they are committed to helping a business grow by offering their services in the best way possible.
Accountability at work is not an individual affair but starts at a singular level. Employees who are not accountable have a low work performance that further results in the decreased work performance of all other employees. Since it is a team effort, employers depend on one and other while the company depends on all these employees for its success.
Furthermore, accountability in the workplace amounts to supporting teamwork and agreeing with the rules and regulations that your workplace has come up with. Employees can be held accountable for staying in accordance with the culture and mission statement of their workplace. If there is a lack of accountability on the behalf of the employees, your business may suffer from different problems. Let's take a look at why accountability is very important in the workplace:
Why Is Accountability Important?
A company where both employees and employers are not accountable for their actions is set up for failure.
Low Team Morale
When employers are not accountable to their own actions, this discourages the employees from putting in the efforts that they should. This decreases the morale of the team and employees start to reconsider whether it is right of them to put in efforts if their superiors are not doing the same. Low team morale is often a consequence of low communication from the end of the employer. Employees need to be assured that accountability is not only expected of them but it is also expected from those in the position of power.
Accountability for all roles in the workspace is important to show the employees that they are not alone and everyone is responsible for the actions and performance they display in the workspace. This also removes resentment employees may have for their employers.
Employee Turn Over
If a workspace does not practice acts of accountability, there are high chances of employees leaving the company in the pursuit of a better one. Since employees are not aware of the expectations employers have from them, there is often a great deal of misunderstanding that might result in employees leaving their jobs and looking for better ones.
Accountability contributes to a better work environment as people are sure about their roles and act accordingly so they are accountable for their actions. If companies want to ensure that their employees stay within the company, they must instill a culture of accountability so that employees are satisfied with their jobs and choose not to switch.
Lack of Productivity
When there is no accountability among employees, your business can see a great decrease in productivity. This is why it is very important to hold each and every employee accountable for the things they do and how they behave. When productivity levels of different employees are monitored and they are told about the things they may be doing wrong, you might be able to increase productivity.
A business that is not productive and is not yielding any profits may not stay afloat for a long time. If only employers introduce the culture of accountability in their workplace, they will be able to improve productivity and make sure their business does well.
Employee Compliance
It can be very difficult for some employers to ensure that their employees comply with their rules and regulations. These rules are very important for employees to comply with as they constitute the culture and the decorum of the workplace. If your employees are accountable for their actions they will ensure that they work hard and ensure that they achieve all the goals that are set for them.
This further helps remove the risk of your employee not giving their best that can result in complaints from clients. To improve compliance of employees with rules and regulations, they need to be held accountable for when they are not being compliant.
How Can You Increase Accountability?
If you wish to see your workplace and your employees flourish, you need to make sure that you increase the accountability in your workplace, but how can you do that? Here are some tips to improve workplace accountability:
Start With Yourself
Accountability is not just for your employees, it is indeed for you too. You cannot expect your employees to be accountable for things that you yourself are not accountable for. A good leader is always someone who leads by example. It is important for you as an employer to not just hold yourself accountable for your actions but also show your employees that you are holding yourself accountable. This will help them feel better and they will not feel discriminated against.
Keep Your Expectations Clear
When there is a lack of communication or if your employees are unable to understand what is expected of them, it is your job to ensure that your instructions are crystal clear and that your employees are aware of what is expected of them. If you are able to clearly communicate your expectations, your employees will be able to perform better and will be more accountable for their actions.
Be Open To Your Employees
Your employees shouldn't hesitate if they have something to share with you. They should be able to come to you with any problems they have and you need to give them the safe place they need to come to you. If your employees know that coming to you will solve their problems, they will be more than ready to consult you for problems and bring their concerns to you without letting them foster.
If you want to take a more practical approach, there are different worksheets and forms that you can introduce to your team and let them understand accountability on their own. Accountability worksheets are a great way to ensure that your work environment is favorable for your employees and for the culture of your workplace.
Here is a good example of an accountability worksheet. You can either download it for your own business or come up with something similar so it fits your business in the best way possible.
Conclusion
Accountability is a vital ingredient in the success of your business and helps build a rich culture that ensures the satisfaction of all parties involved. As an employer, it is your responsibility to bring accountability into the equation and help your business and employees prosper simultaneously.
