The Human Edge undertook local research following international research (Cultural Operating System, VitalSmarts 2013; "The Peer Principle", Bloomberg Businessweek Study 2010) revealing that peer accountability plays a critically important role in behaviour change and overall performance in organisations. In the Bloomberg Businessweek study the following was reported: "Peer accountability turned out to be the predictor of performance at every level and on every dimension of achievement. When bosses consistently hold employees accountable, you get 'good' performance. But if your goal is stellar performance, peer accountability is the ultimate source of influence."
The Human Edge research uncovered that rather than confronting the co-worker, 46% of employees will rather work around the individual or avoid the person and 18% complain to others about the person's bad behaviour. The consequence of not holding a co-worker accountable and confronting their bad behaviour results in 82% of employees feeling frustrated, angry, offended and disappointed.
It was also found that 88% of employees report that they experience bad co-worker behaviour, where fellow employees focus only on that which they like doing rather than what needs to be done, deflect blame, don't take responsibility, or self-promote without noticing what others contribute. With a lack of accountability in an organisation these individuals get away with just about anything and are accountable for almost nothing.
Helene Vermaak, director and business owner of The Human Edge, says by failing to hold your co-workers accountable you become part of the problem.
The research revealed that there are high costs to an organisation for employees to work around these co-workers - bad behaviour damages morale, quality and productivity. It also drives away valuable, productive employees. Frighteningly, even with these outcomes nine in ten individuals reported that bad behaviour still continues. "Issues are unable to be resolved if no one is standing up to hold anyone accountable for their bad behaviour," says Vermaak.
Successful organisations are dependent on management creating a culture where anyone can hold anyone else accountable - managers to employees, employees to managers and peers to peers. The core value in this culture is not power but results.
The power of peer accountability is often underutilised and may in fact be the ultimate performance driver. Many organisations attempt to create a culture of accountability with robust performance management systems. "Peer pressure, responsibility and accountability, quite frankly, are much more effective in achievements as opposed to any policy or system," concludes Vermaak.
