How to Build Accountability in The Workplace

Accountability impacts any organization as it increases morale and gives a sense of purpose and ownership. In the workplace, a lack of accountability harms the entire team. When employees consistently arrive late, miss deadlines, submit inadequate work, and so on, these terrible work habits become the norm, which of course you don’t want to happen. 

The new normal brought drastic changes to how workers perform their duties. Holding them accountable may be challenging, especially for struggling remote employees. Here are some strategies to build accountability in the workplace: 

Lay down clear expectations

Employees may find it difficult to be accountable if they don’t have a solid understanding of what’s expected of them. Therefore, it’s crucial to express expectations openly for every member. When employees genuinely know their positions and duties, they’re able to bring their expertise to the table and have the freedom to solve challenges in unconventional ways.

Here are few ideas to accomplish this:

• Give new employees a guide that outlines the requirements and responsibilities of their position.
• Formulate a strategy that contains deadlines, action items, and who handles each task during project kickoffs.  
• Organize frequent team meetings and one-on-ones to discuss goals and progress.

Set SMART goals

S.M.A.R.T. goals can help define realistic objectives that are related to particular business KPIs and provide a clear path to achievement. S.M.A.R.T. stands for specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timely. It enables employees to comprehend their areas of responsibility and the tasks they must perform to contribute to the company’s overall success. It’s also crucial to know priorities because accountability suffers if there are too many simultaneous tasks.

Give prompt and honest feedback

All kinds of healthy criticism and encouragement should be told right away in clear, succinct language. Giving frequent feedback not only makes it simpler to deliver constructive criticism when it’s needed but also ensures that employees aren’t startled by what they hear. If employees aren’t reaching the expectations of the company, it’s better to say it as soon as possible to prevent any setbacks.

Establish open communication

Holding employees accountable doesn’t need to sound confrontational. Make the conversation an open dialogue and support it with facts and data. Hear their side of the story and try to comprehend why they acted that way. Always end the conversation positively to give them the confidence that they can perform better.

Provide essential tools

Employees must have access to vital tools such as devices, internet connection, and supplemental materials to succeed. All that’s left is personal accountability after this is provided.

Now that the majority of firms adopt the work-from-home setup, it’s vital to use the latest technology to be ahead of the competition. It’s recommended to stick with a single platform to streamline communication and collaboration among teams such as by utilizing large conference call services. Doing this makes it possible to discuss duties, address any issues, and reach out to all employees at any given time and place.

Conduct timely follow-ups

Checking in with employees is an important aspect of being accountable because it reminds them of their obligations. Also, following up on work expectations is a great approach to show that their progress is monitored and valued. Remind and clarify the discussion for all involved parties by sending emails. This is a good way to have a paper trail just in case additional actions are needed.

Keeping employees on track is simpler if they clearly understand what’s expected of them and are made aware of the consequences if they fail to meet these expectations. Implement the given pointers and start building accountability in the workplace.