Holding people and organizations to account has historically been a case of pinning blame on them for failures they either caused directly or should have been aware of. As a result, organizations should not be surprised if employees are reluctant to embrace a culture of accountability. But Paul Russell, director and co-founder of soft skills training firm Luxury Academy, says that the key to encouraging employees to be more accountable is to teach them that the term is not synonymous with blame.
For employees to take ownership of problems and mistakes, they must have a strong understanding of customer expectations and their role in delivering them, Russell says. The workplace culture, he adds, should be one where roles and responsibilities are clearly defined, with an effective leadership strategy that encourages open communication and team working. Employees should receive consistent training, be encouraged to take accountability for the customer experience, and empowered to put things right if they go wrong.
Internal audit also has a strong role to play in the process. For example, in the U.K.’s Corporate Governance Code, internal audit has a duty to provide assurance to the board on the organization’s culture.