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As we enter a new year, it’s expected that managers and workers have set new goals for professional and personal growth. Perhaps it’s to increase sales by 10% from the previous year or maybe Alice from accounting is finally going to learn French. Regardless of what your targets are for 2025, it’s important to get on the same page and remember that employers and employees are both responsible for holding one another accountable to meet business goals.
Accountability can encourage trust and respect between employees and their teammates and managers, as everyone feels valued and has a greater sense of well-being. It also leads to high employee performance, improves work standards, and increases employee confidence.
To cultivate a culture of accountability, there must be a mutual commitment between employers and employees to consider one another’s well-being when working together to achieve business goals.
Set yourself and your work up for success in 2025 by practicing these three building blocks of accountability.
Listen first
Whether it’s talking to a friend or co-worker, we are all guilty of passive listening. Either you think you know what the other person is going to say and form a response too quickly or you miss key information because you’re distracted or not focused. When this happens within an organization, not only does it lead to inefficiencies and increase the chance of error, but it also affects the overall success of a business. By staying accountable for being an active listener, employers and employees both benefit by learning how others are motivated, how they’re feeling, how they communicate, and more. This ultimately leads to better overall communication, increased trust and team decision-making abilities.
Provide ongoing feedback
Feedback is part of an organization’s foundation that helps gain the learning needed at the right point – when pivoting is possible and less expensive. It’s the catalyst that makes teams successful, and their leaders. Providing feedback is also crucial for engagement and maintaining accountability. Gallup data show that 80% of employees who say they have received meaningful feedback in the past week are fully engaged. While leaders are typically the ones expected to give constructive feedback, employees are also accountable for sharing observations and must learn to manage up and embrace mistakes in the process. As Warren Buffett says, “If you can’t communicate and talk to other people and get across your ideas, you’re giving up your potential.”
Be Fair
Accountability starts from the top. Leaders must have a “do as I say and do as I do” approach to model the type of behavior expected from team members. When leaders demonstrate accountability, they foster a culture of trust and encourage employees to take ownership of their responsibilities. By holding themselves accountable, leaders also show employees that accountability is a standard for everyone, creating a balanced and fair workplace. In return, employees can also practice fairness by maintaining awareness of their team’s workload and raising their hands to help or to ask important questions that eliminate gaps of confusion and lead to solutions and efficiency.
To maintain accountability throughout the new year, consider establishing fun and engaging ways to keep your organization on track, whether you build activities into your wellness program or form your own. When accountability is neglected, a business runs the risk of compromising reputation, customer satisfaction and overall success.
