When a workplace lacks accountability, it can negatively impact your team. Think about the kind of message you want to send to your employees, and make sure you’re setting high expectations. If you don’t encourage accountability, it sends a message that low performance is acceptable.
If one team member isn’t held accountable for getting work done, other employees might be forced to do more work to make up for the work that was not completed. This is bad for morale and can cause the employees doing extra work to burn out or miss their own deadlines.
Does this sound familiar? Here are some ways to encourage accountability in the workplace:
Be transparent about the issue
If you notice an employee missing deadlines and lacking accountability, you should make sure to address it as soon as possible so you can turn the problem around. Be open and honest with your feedback. Ask thoughtful questions to try to get to the root of the problem. Is there additional training that is needed? Is there a personal problem that is causing this person to have a hard time staying on track at work? Make sure you choose the language which reflects your desire to be helpful and not come across as judgmental. In addition to a one-on-one conversation, write down goals and processes so both of you have something to reference after the meeting.
Instill good habits
In order for both leader and team to get into the swing of being accountable, it can help to set up reminders and use tracking tools to stay on task. Set up calendar reminders to prompt you to check in on important projects. Implement a project tracking tool for your teams, like asana, Trello or Basecamp. Using a tool like this is a great way to keep on top of the status of your team projects. They can also be helpful for individuals to take responsibility for their projects, deadlines, and results because missed deadlines can be publicly viewed by managers and coworkers.
Celebrate successes
We’ve talked about job satisfaction in the past. Celebrating a job well done will not only improve workplace culture, but also accountability. Motivate your employees by offering incentives for those who hit their deadlines and recognize when employees go out of their way to make it happen.
Keep communicating with your team and give feedback often. If you practice all of these tips, it will help your team stay motivated to be accountable and in turn, be more productive and happier! Looking for employees who value accountability? Contact us today to get started!