When we talk about holding people accountable for their actions, the most common reaction is generally negative. Accountability is so quickly perceived as though someone has done the wrong thing and has to pay the consequences.

What we need to realise is that it is far from a bad thing when handled correctly. Accountability is fundamental to building trust and achieving results more effectively in a workplace. There are countless benefits to holding people accountable for not only their mistakes but for when they succeed also.

When implementing accountability in the workplace, consideration needs to be made on what standards you wish to expect from your employees. These can be as simple or as elaborate as you see fit, but once they are in place, they will be used as a guideline for expected behaviour and work ethic to fulfill the jobs needs.

Let me explain some of the top benefits of utilising accountability in the workplace.

EFFECTIVE EFFICIENCY

Accountability is a crucial part of building an efficient work environment. When accountability is enforced, employees are held responsible for punctuality and irresponsible behaviour in the workplace, effectively ensuring that a standard is upheld to result in a smoother and more efficient structure.

BUILDING TRUST

If your approach to accountability has a negative impact, then you are guaranteed to eradicate trust in the workplace. On the other hand, if you can create a safe and open-minded environment where employees are willing to admit their faults and mistakes, trust will inevitably become stronger. With trust, you will have more ability to rely on your workers, hand over greater responsibilities and gain the ability to more effectively handle any mistakes or errors that may occur along the way.

IMPROVING PERFORMANCE

With accountability, employees’ strengths and weaknesses are more easily identifiable. You will see who is responsible for successes and who needs a little more assistance. Either way, this is a great thing to find out. For those who succeed in certain areas, you can provide them with greater responsibilities and reward them for their work, giving them the sense of achievement that builds stronger relationships. For those that need a little more guidance, you can initiate more training and assistance to build up their skills and nurture them into a more effective asset for your business.   

ENHANCE BUSINESS CULTURE

When a company places honesty and integrity as one of its core values it enables the workplace to acknowledge mistakes or lack of knowledge without fear. This naturally leads to more open conversations, a feeling of respect and appreciation of workers regardless of their abilities or inabilities. It will bring a team closer together on a more personal level and can assist in building a more desirable team environment for all. At the end of the day, when we spend so much of our life with the people we work with, it helps everyone gain more enjoyment and satisfaction out of the office.

If you are able to create positive accountability in the workplace you will experience a much more inviting work environment than you can imagine. It is not easy to achieve, but with consideration and consistency, you too can reap the rewards as listed above.

If you need further guidance or techniques into how you can achieve these amazing benefits, reach out and I can help you.