Quick question: are you holding your employees accountable?
Whether we’re talking about your top talent or those struggling within your organization, emphasizing accountability to key to success.
Think about it. When your workers aren’t held accountable for their actions or performance, they lack the incentive to improve.
This rings true on both ends of the spectrum, by the way. If high performers aren’t recognized for their efforts, why would they continue to go above and beyond? On the flip side, why would someone who’s putting in the bare minimum rise to the occasion if nobody seems to care?
From improving company morale and productivity to simply getting the best out of your employees, a conscious, data-driven approach to accountability at work is an absolute must. Below we’ve broken down five strategies to help businesses hold their coworkers accountable without fail.
Prioritize Detailed Reporting
As noted by Reciprocity Labs, effective reporting can assist with everything from surviving a complicated audit to figuring out where your regulatory shortcomings are. There’s plenty of finger-pointing to be done during an audit or review, but reporting can cut down on that in an instant.
Similarly, the more information you can gather to make data-driven decisions, the better. Being able to point to specific numbers in terms of results or productivity allows you to put employee performance and responsibility under a microscope. Don’t think of doing so as micromanaging your workers, but rather ensuring they aren’t skirting the responsibility of their roles.
Clearly Define Company Roles
Speaking of roles, clearly defining what any given employee does is absolutely critical from the word “go.” Many hires, especially new employees, flounder because they realize that they’ve been put in a position where their strengths aren’t emphasized. By taking care of any potential misunderstandings from the start, there’s less room for error.
Project Management is a Must
Having a system in place to track progress on any given project has become an expectation for modern companies. For example, you’ll find many top companies using Trello for project management to see what’s in progress, where potential bottlenecks might be and who’s responsible for them.
Frequent Digital Check-ins
By regularly picking the brains of your coworkers, you have a constant pulse on not only what they’re doing on a day-to-day basis but also how they’re doing. This holds you accountable as a manager who’s looking to better the lives of your employees, meanwhile also providing an opportunity for your workers to speak their minds.
These check-ins can be done through pulse surveys, emails or dedicated employee engagement platforms. No matter how you gather feedback, make sure to keep it anonymous.
Verbally Review Office-wide Feedback
Following up on the last tip, it’s paramount to actually talk about your company-wide progress and what’s on the minds of your coworker. This makes your check-in’s more valuable and holds everyone accountable for taking them seriously.
While digital communication is convenient, it can’t replace the personal touch of a face-to-face meeting. As such conducting consistent stand-up meetings encourage quick and timely feedback so nobody feels frozen out.
Companies that hold their works accountable are ultimately the strongest in the long-run. By implementing these policies and principles, your employees will be more likely to step up their game and commit to your business knowing that they can’t let their respective team members down.
