Accountability and Workplace Relationships

Accountability and Workplace Relationships

• Empowerment involves pushing power and decision-making to individuals closest to the customer.
  • Aims to increase quality, customer satisfaction, and profit.
• Employees making direct contributions can improve company performance, increase quality, and improve customer satisfaction.
• Responsibility is when employees accept power and the obligation to perform.
• Accountability involves reporting back on accepted responsibilities.
  • Employees are accountable to each other, bosses, customers, and investors,

Personal Accountability

• Employees must take personal responsibility for their performance by being on time, not taking sick leave when well, and doing what is expected during work hours.
• Not being accountable to coworkers can lead to poor workplace relationships.

Workplace Relationships

• Consistently behave professionally and respectfully.
• Socializing with coworkers is expected and acceptable to a degree.
• Avoid making workplace relationships your only circle of friends to separate work from personal issues and prevent employee distrust or potential favoritism.
• Workplace relationships include coworkers, bosses/executives, investors, vendors, and customers.

Executives and Senior Officials

• Interactions may occur during meetings, corporate events, or social functions.
• In meetings, do not dominate discussions, introduce yourself politely, aim to create a favorable impression, avoid negative comments, and let the executive guide the conversation.

Your Boss

• Three types of bosses exist: good, incompetent, and abusive.
• Bosses are human, still learning, not perfect, and trying their best.
  • Always give it your best regardless of the type of boss.

Good Boss

• A good boss is respectful, fair, and grooms you for a promotion.
  • Be thankful and cautious, keep the relationship professional, share important personal activities without divulging too much, take advantage of their mentorship, and imitate their professional qualities.

Incompetent Boss

• Incompetent Bosses don't know how to do their job.
  • Remain professional and respectful, make your boss look good, demonstrate maturity, and diminish tension.
• Receiving credit for your hard work if your boss is a poor performer others will notice good work.
• In case of personality conflict do not let personal feelings affect performance, stay positive, and learn what not to do when you become a boss.

Abusive Boss

• An abusive boss constantly belittles or intimidates employees.
  • Abusive behavior is based on low self-esteem.
• If tolerable, do your best; if intolerable stay professional, don't go to the boss's boss, document incidents, seek advice from HRM, and seek a new job confidentially.
  • Employees have rights against discrimination and harassment.

Colleagues

• Be friendly, respectful, and cautious.
• Do not base friendships on work-related issues as it may be assumed as favoritism.
• Sour personal friendships can affect workplace performance.

Others Within the Organization

• Network with others within the organization.
• Keep all interactions positive and respectful.
• Defend all employees.
• Corporate (organizational) culture is the company's personality reflected through its employees' behavior.
• Employee morale is the attitude employees have toward the company.

When Relationships Turn Negative

• If you harmed someone, apologize immediately.
• If the apology is accepted, demonstrate regret by changing behavior.
• If the apology is not accepted, move on and demonstrate regret by improving behavior.
• If the relationship is lost, don't hold a grudge, remain polite.
• If the coworker acts rudely, don't retaliate; respond with kindness.
• If behavior impacts performance, is hostile, or harassing, document it and inform the boss.

Dating at Work

• Many companies discourage coworkers from dating.
• Dating a boss is highly inappropriate.
• Exercise caution dating vendors/customers.
• you represent the company 24/7, do not share confidential information, and keep your romantic life separate from work.

Socializing

• Social situations include picnics, potlucks, and other celebrations.
• Attending or acknowledging functions is polite.
  • Stopping by briefly to say regards.
• Attending work-related events outside of work is optional.
• Exercise caution with alcohol.

Shared Work Areas

• Shared work areas include cubicles and open layouts.
• Respect the privacy of each space like an individual office.
• In shared spaces, avoid loud noises, smells, and distractions.
• Stand at the entrance to a work area and wait for an invitation, and do not take or use items without permission.

Breaks and the Break Room

• Contribute to the coffee/snack fund, do not eat others' food, throw out spoiled food at the end of week, clean up after self and leave things clean for the next person.

Miscellaneous Workplace Issues

• Use caution when fundraising for coworkers.
• Gift-giving is not required, and give discreetly if so.
• Group gifts for Boss's or Secretary's Day are common but not mandatory.
  • Those who decline should avoid negative comments.
  • Recipients of gift should immediately send a thank-you note.
• Good employees take ownership of common work areas.
• Practice common courtesy by refilling the coffee pot and copy machine, and attempt to solve problems with jammed office machines; otherwise, alert someone.