The Importance Of Accountability In Corporate Culture

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An organization’s success is directly related to its executives, managers and employees’ level of accountability. This trait has been known to contribute greatly to a professional’s longevity, in addition to how profitable any given organization can become. A refined sense of accountability is the separating factor between a good employee and an outstanding employee. These types of employees have proven to pose increased levels of productivity, which contribute to an enticing bottom line for your organization. Throughout this post and accompanying infographic, the ways in which organizations can achieve a company culture formed on accountability will be detailed.

At the root of the issue, is the challenge of managers instilling this value in their employees. In fact, recent research would indicate that they’ve been struggling. Nearly four in five managers believe they have little to no effectiveness when trying to have their staff hold themselves accountable. This sets a terrible example for employees beneath their managers in a professional hierarchy, so much so that nearly nine in every ten employees believe their organizations need to better prioritize strategies to hold them accountable.

As you can see, establishing a culture of accountability is difficult. The secret is having executive and managerial staff set the bar for their employees. Meaning those in power positions in an organization should be more willing to take blame for mistakes and openly communicate about these mistakes more often. After properly communicating, then the problem can be assessed and solved while teaching a valuable lesson for employees and other executives. This is true accountability, and this should be the most valued trait of aspiring employees for the organization; as creating an accountable culture begins the moment an employee is brought on.

Organizations as a whole should feel more responsible in regards to fostering a business-wide sense of accountability. This is most easily accomplished through defined company goals and expectations of employees. From the moment they’re applicants, these goals and expectations should be clear to potential employees so that when and if they join the organization, they can understand what they’re expected to do and accomplish immediately. It’s also important that these employees understand how their role contributes specifically to the success of their organization. Knowing their contribution, most employees find a renewed sense of productivity and satisfaction with their position. This communication is not meant to be one-sided. Opening up all channels ensures that employees will fully understand their responsibilities and if they don’t, they’re able to freely voice their concerns and ask questions when necessary.

As mentioned previously, it’s impossible to establish the most ideal company culture without a great deal of feedback and communication from every level of an organization. As employees remain so imperative to the goals companies set forth, it’s only right that their voices are valued as such. If your organization is struggling with establishing a culture centered around accountability, take a moment and check out the infographic featured alongside this post for more information. Courtesy of Minute7.