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Need to know increase accountability within the workplace?
Missed deadlines, repetitive mistakes, and a scarcity of trust and engagement generally is a sign of poor accountability.
Nonetheless, picking up on these signs isn’t the top of it. It’s good to work on them too.
So how do you increase accountability within the workplace?
In this text, we’ll cover what accountability is and why it’s necessary for your online business. We’ll also highlight nine suggestions to enhance accountability within the workplace.
Table of Contents
Let’s start.
What’s accountability?
Generally, accountability refers back to the obligation of accepting responsibility for one’s actions.
Accountability is almost inconceivable when responsibility is unclear. Based on Gallup study findings, roughly only half of employees are conversant in their employer’s expectations.
An worker’s accountability includes delivering on their work commitments, equivalent to:
- Completing assigned tasks with quality output.
- Delivering projects throughout the given deadline.
- Taking responsibility for his or her performance.
- Owning their roles and responsibilities towards their organization.
Alternatively, a manager’s accountability revolves around their team’s success.
To elaborate on this, a manager’s accountability means:
- Achieving results for the organization.
- Boosting worker motivation for higher engagement.
- Establishing effective communication.
- Handling work conflicts.
But why do it’s worthwhile to construct an accountable organization?
Lack of accountability can result in issues like:
- Missed deadlines.
- Unachieved targets and goals.
- Lower worker morale.
- High worker turnover rates.
Should you’re noticing these red flags in your current workplace culture, it’s time so that you can take some motion.
Why must you increase accountability within the workplace?
Let’s take a take a look at three common the reason why accountability is essential within the workplace:
1. Boosts worker engagement
Greater worker engagement can result in higher productivity levels.
How?
An accountable person focuses on their work and collaborates with their team members to deliver key results.
Additionally they actively take part in:
- Looking for feedback from their manager or teammates.
- Taking ownership to work on their shortcomings.
- Finding revolutionary solutions for challenges.
Promoting such activities helps deliver tasks on time while boosting worker satisfaction, engagement, and workplace harmony.
Furthermore, an accountable system avoids instances of micromanagement, which in turn builds trust amongst employees. This environment allows employees to deal with their work — as they feel their team members won’t judge or criticize them in the event that they make a mistake.
2. Helps construct trust
Having a team stuffed with employees who never accept responsibility for his or her actions can foster a toxic organizational culture.
Employees might feel that their co-workers will blame them in order that they can get out of tricky situations.
But when done the proper way, team accountability helps construct trust.
How?
When people feel you have got treated them fairly, they may such as you and would actively hearken to you in the long run.
This positive connection encourages your employees to be more accountable towards their commitments, constructing trust along the best way.
Furthermore, when everybody answers for their very own performance, employees feel confident that their team members will support them even in the event that they make a mistake.
3. Improves performance
One in every of the qualities of an accountable worker is that they’re aware that their tasks and achievements directly affect the organization’s results.
That’s why they set clear goals to finish their tasks and supply quality work.
This drives them to provide their best for small tasks and important projects, resulting in high performance and greater organizational success.
Find out how to increase accountability within the workplace?
Let’s take a take a look at nine tricks to create a more accountable workforce:
1. Lead by example
The actions of accountable leaders hold numerous weight. They’re liable for setting the tone, performance, engagement of the team.
So, if a manager steadily shows up late for team meetings, pushes deadlines, and doesn’t come clean with their mistakes, their team members will feel there’s nothing flawed with behaving the identical way.
Moreover, you possibly can’t hold your team accountable for something that you simply don’t follow.
That’s why it is best to also meet the standard set to your team members and hold yourself accountable to your undelivered commitments.
Find out how to lead by example
You possibly can follow just a few measures, equivalent to:
- Ending projects inside deadlines.
- Discussing the cause for unachieved goals.
- Practicing punctuality by being on time for the team meetings you schedule.
- Holding employees accountable no matter their position within the organization.
2. Set clear expectations
Employees can’t hold themselves accountable in the event that they aren’t aware of what’s expected of them.
With expectations and challenges continually changing, it’s worthwhile to make sure that you’ve properly laid down each task’s expected standards and results.
Doing so clarifies things further – making it easier to your entire team to just accept responsibility for his or her commitments and actions.
Moreover, unclear standards also can result in toxic worker behaviors equivalent to:
- Publically airing grievances against managers.
- Causing frequent conflicts.
- Unfair dismissal claims, etc.
Find out how to set a transparent expectation
To extend transparency on the workplace, you possibly can:
- Clearly define monthly targets, objectives, KPIs (Key Performance Indicator), and other metrics.
- Provide meaningful feedback.
- Share essential project-related information like project timelines, workflows, and more.
- Conduct one-on-one conversations to debate project progress.
3. Set achievable goals
Understanding the larger picture will help employees realize where they slot in, and consequently, take accountability for his or her responsibilities.
Once employees clearly understand what they’re accountable for, managers should help them set measurable, individualized goals that align with their roles.
Employees also needs to have metrics defined that help them know in the event that they’re delivering on the organization’s goals.
Nonetheless, these goals needs to be attainable.
As a responsible manager, it is best to involve your team members within the goal setting process for each personal and team-wide objectives as an alternative of simply setting it up for them.
Find out how to set achievable goals
To beat consistent lack of accountability at work, you possibly can create some SMART goals.
What’s a SMART goal?
SMART is an acronym that expands to Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely.
This implies a SMART goal needs to be in accordance with all of the standards mentioned above.
For instance, for a sales worker, the SMART goal could be to “close 50 prospects within the third quarter.”
This goal is restricted because it mentions the variety of prospects and could be measured against the actual numbers. Furthermore, it’s achievable and realistic because the number isn’t too high and has a timeline of three months.
4. Have frequent conversations
Employees might find it obscure how their behavior and performance impact their teammates and organization.
That’s why it’s worthwhile to determine the basis reason behind poor performance.
As you possibly can’t work towards an answer unless you confront the issue, you would wish to schedule a one-on-one performance review as quickly as possible.
Nonetheless, discussing worker accountability doesn’t should be stressful or confrontational.
You possibly can simply take it as an ongoing conversation and arrange a time for regular follow-ups to make sure a continued discussion.
Moreover, it is best to keep the meetings’ objectives clear so you possibly can follow through with the progress from the previous session.
This regular check-in makes room for more natural conversations and keeps employees from feeling threatened by one-on-one meetings.
Find out how to have meaningful conversations with employees
To make sure that your conversation together with your employees goes easily, you possibly can:
- Plan out the conversation prematurely.
- Be direct together with your concerns.
- Make clear things by citing examples.
- Concentrate on your words and tone.
- Offer solutions that you simply deem fit.
5. Provide feedback
Occasionally, the rationale for unmet goals may very well be a scarcity of coaching for brand new employees. Nonetheless, within the case of an experienced worker, it may very well be attributable to an overpacked schedule.
Either way, you possibly can reinforce the set expectation by providing candid feedback and letting employees know where they stand. This helps them accept more personal accountability for his or her goals and performance.
Feedback and a few accountability training can assist you to achieve positive results with conscientious employees. But in severe cases, you may should be stricter.
Regardless, try to be clear in regards to the behavior and enhancements you expect from the workers going forward. You may also give priceless suggestions for make that occur.
Find out how to provide actionable feedback
Here’s what you possibly can do when providing feedback to latest and experienced employees alike:
- Discuss their progress towards monthly goals.
- Concentrate on current challenges or roadblocks that the worker is facing.
- Answer their questions and concerns to your best ability.
- Use storytelling to depart more impact.
- Be sensitive and show empathy.
- Appreciate their wins and achievements.
- Ask employees in the event that they agree with the feedback and in the event that they have any questions.
6. Be considerate
Remember, there’s at all times a reason behind every thing.
For instance, if an worker is reaching late to work each day or skipping work steadily, it may very well be attributable to unavoidable circumstances.
They may very well be a working parent who must drop their kids at daycare, or they may should take care of a special needs adult at home.
As an alternative of assuming things or using a harsh tone to handle this issue, it is best to talk to them to seek out the basis reason behind their problems. You possibly can explain to them the impact of their behavior.
Furthermore, throughout the conversation, make sure that your actions don’t diminish worker morale.
How?
It’s good to be empathetic towards each worker and company commitments.
Find out how to be considerate
To take care of such situations, you possibly can suggest some flexible work options like:
- Grant permission to make money working from home or a distant location.
- Offer part-time positions.
- Allow your employees to follow a versatile schedule like flextime and compressed workweek.
Read our article on create a versatile work environment.
7. Create an environment of trust
Inculcating a way of fear amongst employees may provide immediate results, but it surely doesn’t contribute to long-term accountability.
Employees who don’t feel secure at their jobs are less more likely to hold themselves accountable for mistakes attributable to the fear of authority.
Furthermore, continually criticizing your employees with none praise can result in your employees losing trust within the leadership team.
Find out how to create an environment of trust
The important thing to constructing accountability just isn’t punishing employees each time they make a mistake but encouraging them to carry themselves liable for their actions.
By creating an environment based on trust, you open up lines of communication so employees can admit to mistakes and shortcomings more easily.
To create an environment of trust, you possibly can adopt just a few measures like:
- Avoid micromanaging your employees.
- Encourage regular team interactions to learn more about them.
- Conduct distant team constructing activities to construct stronger bonds.
- Praise and reward labor and achievements.
8. Maintain equilibrium
At times, an worker’s undelivered commitments could be attributable to a scarcity of clarity out of your side.
On this case, it is best to reveal accountable behavior. You possibly can provide them with the correct resources or give them one other opportunity to prove themselves.
And if an worker fails to deliver attributable to their very own lack of accountability, then it is best to take obligatory actions, equivalent to:
- Deciding to not entrust them with that level of responsibility again.
- Suggesting a training course to assist them with their shortcomings.
- Or, in severe cases deciding to allow them to go.
The underside line is that an worker’s lack of accountability can’t at all times be the reason behind undelivered commitments.
That’s why it is best to maintain a balance in coping with such situations and hold the proper individual accountable.
Find out how to maintain equilibrium
Together with holding people accountable and reprimanding them for his or her errors, it is best to also reward their achievements.
Listed here are just a few ideas of rewards:
- Few lines of appreciation in front of their peers.
- Money incentives or vouchers,
- And even offering a promotion.
9. Use productivity monitoring tools
Monitoring productivity is a fantastic technique to foster a culture of accountability within the workplace. And obligatory resources like worker productivity management tools assist you to do exactly that.
They assist you to discover an worker’s unproductive activities and areas of improvement. Additionally they construct transparency as managers know what their employees are doing during work hours.
Find out how to use productivity monitoring tools
With lots of of tools available, picking the proper productivity monitoring software might sound daunting.
1. Time Doctor
2. Hubstaff
Hubstaff is one other popular productivity monitoring tool that helps teams maintain accountability and manage time effectively. With features like time tracking, GPS tracking for field teams, and detailed productivity reports, Hubstaff makes it easy for managers to see where time is spent and improve workplace accountability.
Key features:
- Automatic time tracking to capture work hours.
- Activity level monitoring to make sure employees are lively during work hours.
- Screenshots to provide managers insights into what their team is working on.
- GPS tracking for mobile teams to observe location-based work.
- Comprehensive reports for tracking project progress and time allocation.
3. Toggl Track
Toggl Track offers a straightforward yet powerful solution for tracking time and enhancing team accountability. With intuitive tools that make tracking work hours easy, Toggl Track helps businesses improve transparency and ensure employees stay accountable for his or her tasks.
Key features:
- One-click time tracking across desktop and mobile apps.
- Detailed reports on how time is spent, helping teams discover bottlenecks.
- Integration with popular project management tools like Asana, Trello, and Slack.
- Billable hour tracking to simplify invoicing for teams and freelancers.
- Time audits to make sure accountability for accomplished work.
4. Clockify
Clockify is a free time-tracking tool that helps teams stay accountable by tracking work hours and providing insights into productivity. It’s great for businesses searching for an economical technique to improve accountability without compromising on features.
Key features:
- Unlimited tracking for workers, projects, and tasks.
- Detailed reports that show exactly how time is spent.
- Billable and non-billable time tracking to take care of transparency in invoicing.
- A Chrome extension for simple time tracking while using other apps.
- Customizable dashboards for higher visibility into team performance.
5. RescueTime
RescueTime is a time management tool that not only tracks how employees spend their time but additionally helps them grow to be more productive by blocking distractions. It’s a fantastic tool for fostering self-accountability and ensuring deal with necessary tasks.
Key features:
- Automatic time tracking to capture time spent on apps and web sites.
- Distraction blocking feature to assist employees deal with work.
- Day by day productivity reports to evaluate performance and improve time management.
- Customizable alerts that notify employees after they spend an excessive amount of time on certain activities.
- Goal setting to spice up productivity and enhance accountability.
6. ActivTrak
ActivTrak is a cloud-based productivity monitoring tool that helps businesses ensure employees are accountable for his or her work. It tracks user behavior and provides insights into work patterns, enabling firms to optimize performance.
Key features:
- Real-time user activity tracking to observe worker actions.
- Productivity metrics and insights for identifying areas of improvement.
- Alerts for any suspicious or non-compliant behavior.
- Customizable dashboards to visualise team performance.
- Integration with other workplace tools for seamless monitoring.
7. Teramind
Teramind is a complicated worker monitoring tool designed to assist businesses keep track of worker activity and improve workplace accountability. It offers comprehensive features to observe, control, and optimize team performance.
Key features:
- User activity tracking to capture all worker interactions with devices.
- Detailed reports on productivity, time usage, and behavior.
- Real-time alerts for unusual or suspicious activities.
- Screenshots and session recordings for enhanced transparency.
- Compliance monitoring to make sure adherence to company policies.
productivity, and time management.
Ceaselessly asked questions (FAQs)
1. How can managers improve their very own accountability?
Managers can improve their accountability by leading by example. This includes owning their decisions, meeting deadlines, and providing regular feedback. They also needs to ensure clear communication with their team and hold themselves to the identical standards they expect from others.
2. What steps can a corporation take to foster accountability?
Organizations can foster accountability by setting clear expectations, providing measurable goals, offering feedback recurrently, and using productivity tools. Creating an environment of trust, where employees feel secure to confess mistakes, is crucial for long-term success.
3. How do productivity tools help with accountability?
4. What happens if accountability doesn’t improve despite taking motion?
If accountability doesn’t improve after taking steps, it could indicate deeper issues equivalent to poor team alignment, lack of skills, or disengagement. In such cases, consider revisiting goal-setting processes, offering further training, or re-evaluating team roles to make sure the proper fit.
5. How can accountability be maintained in a distant work environment?
Maintaining accountability in a distant work setting requires clear communication, regular check-ins, and using the proper tools to trace progress. Managers should set clear goals, ensure team members have the resources they need, and promote a culture of trust where employees feel liable for their tasks, no matter location.
Wrapping up
Increasing accountability within the workplace generally is a slow process.
It’s good to lay down the inspiration and be patient – allowing everyone to adapt to the changes.
Furthermore, together with constructing an accountable culture, it is best to create a cushty work environment where employees understand their role, its impact, in order that they can easily collaborate to offer the very best results.
Follow the information mentioned in this text, and also you’ll give you the option to extend workplace accountability with ease.
