3 New Year's resolutions you wish your staff would make

With the end of 2015 finally in sight, you may have thought of a New Year’s resolution or two.

And if you're anything like me, you might have thought of them at work (not because I was afflicted by the demons of distraction - but because it's where I spend most of my day anyways.)

Which got me thinking - won't it be great if I could make resolutions for other people in the office that they would keep?

Here’s a starting point for my wish list:

1. Proper communication

Having great staff camaraderie is one thing - but actively communicating about work issues is another.

Imagine the amount of time that could have been avoided in rectifying situations if professionals, especially bosses, just voiced out exactly what they required from colleagues instead of making assumptions or being vague in their instructions.

Being a newscaster and spelling out who, what, where, when and why in office meetings might take slightly more effort, but at least it would ensure work done would be effective and proper.

2. Taking accountability for actions

When things go wrong, passing on responsibility to someone else despite knowing that it is your fault is, in my opinion at least, possibly one of the most indecent things to do as a team member.

There’s no need to explain why you couldn’t hold up your end of the work or expound upon how everyone else is to blame. Doing so only wastes time, and does not in any way excuse the inefficiency you have displayed as a professional.

ALSO READ: Your employees’ New Year’s resolutions

Stepping up and admitting that you messed up will not only increase my respect for you as an individual, but also help significantly to help us focus on solutions to fix the situation at hand.

3. Maintaining good hygiene habits (especially in the office pantry)

We know all too well of the value of having a fully-stocked pantry.

But why make the process of using the office's shared kitchen unpleasant for everyone?

Instead, it would be great if staff resolve to actually respect this shared space, which includes washing their own dishes.

And please, resolve to stop using the microwave to cook stinky food. If you must heat something that spills or spatters all over the walls, clean up after your lunch explosion.

Most of all, I beg, stop using the office kitchen to store three bottles of salad dressing, two flavours of mustard, a cheese assortment, or any other staples. Nobody wants to watch any science projects blossom mold or begin to stink up the communal space.

But all said and done, the office won't be as fun a place to work in without my colleagues - with or without them making these resolutions.

Here's wishing all my colleagues, and yours, a very happy New Year and an even more fun 2016 to come!

Image: Shutterstock