Columnist

Accountability isn’t the enemy of empathy

Over recent years, we’ve rightly become better at recognising employees are human beings with lives, responsibilities and challenges beyond work. 

But somewhere along the way, I’ve begun to wonder whether accountability and empathy have started to be treated as opposing forces, as if being clear about the contribution the business needs means being unsympathetic, while being supportive requires managers to avoid difficult conversations.

The reality is that businesses need both. 

With costs high, growth harder to achieve and teams often being asked to do more with less, every role, standard and contribution matters.

Yet many managers still hesitate to address performance concerns. 

Often, that hesitation comes from a good place and aims to avoid getting it wrong. 

Most managers care deeply about their people. That can make these conversations harder, rather than easier.

When you know someone is dealing with challenges, raising concerns about performance can feel uncomfortable, even when it is necessary.

But the reality is that avoiding a performance conversation is rarely an act of kindness in the longer term.

Managers are where accountability becomes practical. 

They are responsible for the work being delivered, the standards being maintained and for performance, conduct and contribution at individual and team levels.

They are also often the people employees turn to first when things are not going well. 

A role requiring such a constant balancing act between business needs and individual circumstances is no mean feat.

The challenge for managers is not choosing between empathy and accountability; it is having the confidence, support and judgement to practise both.

This means having support and resources available before issues escalate, whether that is HR, operational leadership, training, clear policies or someone experienced to test their thinking with.

That support is necessary in dealing with complex people issues with context, guidance and confidence.

Acknowledging there is a problem can feel uncomfortable, but it is often the right thing to do for several stakeholders at once. 

In reality, most managers aren’t avoiding these conversations because they don’t care; more often, they’re avoiding them because they do.

When issues are not addressed, the impact rarely stays with one person. 

Work is redistributed, standards become inconsistent and colleagues can lose confidence that problems will be dealt with fairly.

The best managers understand empathy does not mean avoiding difficult conversations. 

It means approaching them with curiosity, respect and a genuine desire to help someone succeed.

Sometimes the outcome is better support. Sometimes it is greater clarity. Sometimes it is a necessary reset of expectations. 

Whatever the outcome, people are generally better served by an honest conversation than they are by uncertainty.

Done well, these conversations should leave people feeling clear, respected and supported, even where the dialogue is difficult.

Lauren Bathan is associate director - HR Partnership at Newcastle, Teesside and Leeds-based recruitment and outsourced HR services provider Jackson Hogg

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