Improved Employee Accountability

Every company or business, regardless of its size or industry, must have a system of employee accountability in place if they wish to survive, but accountability isn’t something that comes naturally.

According to a Workplace Accountability Study by Partners in Leadership, 82 percent of respondents admitted to not having the ability to hold others accountable. Meanwhile, 91 percent stated that accountability was one of their organization’s top leadership development needs.

Without accountability, the workplace can quickly descend into a culture of finger-pointing and passing the buck. “I wasn’t able to meet my goals because I didn’t get the figures I needed in time for the big project.” “I didn’t arrive on time because I was working late the night before,” and other similar excuses will be rife.

Successful organizations recognize the value of accountability, and of every team member pulling their own weight. When even one employee isn’t performing their job as they should be, then everyone suffers. When multiple workers aren’t pulling their own weight, the company is in jeopardy.

Employee accountability, though, can help to boost employee morale and increase productivity across the board. With this in mind, here’s a look at a few more benefits of employee accountability, and tips for creating a culture of accountability.

Benefits of Employee Accountability

If the phrase, “Not my problem” is often heard among your employees, or the sentiment seems to be rife in various departments, then there’s a good chance that you might need to start taking steps towards accountability.

Here’s a look at some benefits of employee accountability now.

• Increased Productivity
  A thriving workplace starts with clear objectives, and everyone knowing exactly what’s expected of them, and how they fit into the bigger picture. Goal-setting is an essential first step towards accountability since, without clear objectives, you won’t have anything to measure progress by and your team won’t know what’s required of them. Make sure you implement clear job descriptions, outlining exactly what’s required of your team, and show them how their role is part of the bigger picture. When your team is working together towards a common goal, productivity increases.
• Boost Employees Morale
  When your team is clear on their requirements and responsibilities, they’ll be able to start working towards their goals; meaning you’ll have clear benchmarks that you can measure their progress by. When everyone feels valued and needed, they’ll be happier and more motivated to work harder as well, leading to more production and increasing your bottom line.
• Reduced Conflict Among Employees
  Finally, by establishing accountability, you can create a more welcoming and supportive workplace environment, helping to eliminate conflict and increasing productivity among your employees.

Holding Your Team Accountable

How can you strive for accountability among your employees? By taking small steps in the right direction. Here’s a look at some important things that you can do to help create a culture of accountability.

• Lead by Example
  The best way to get your employees on board with something new is to lead by example. Are your managers holding themselves accountable to the same standards as your employees? It’s important to ensure that your high-level employees are all being held to the same standards that their subordinates are being held to.
• Update Outdated Systems
  Having outdated and inefficient systems in place, like outdated time tracking systems, could be hindering your efforts at accountability. These days, it’s easier than ever to implement measures of accountability throughout every aspect of your company. From implementing time tracking solutions that use webcam verification for logging in, to project collaboration tools like Slack, that help to create a workplace of transparency and communication, upgrading to new tools and solutions can help you to create a workplace of accountability.
• Improve Communication
  Finally, if your employees don’t know what’s expected of them, then you can’t expect them to be engaged or motivated. Likewise, you can’t hold them accountable if there’s nothing to measure their progress by. For this reason, it’s important to establish clear channels of communication between your team and their managers, to ensure that everyone’s clear on their objectives, and to help prevent misunderstandings from arising.

Remember, employee accountability isn’t about punishment. If your big picture goal is to increase workplace productivity and create an environment where innovation is encouraged, then it’s important to operate from a place of encouragement, rather than blame. Keep your team motivated and your company on-track to success with clear accountability measures, and praise and recognition for those who do well.