Four ways you can ensure employees take accountability for their work

One of the most important driving factors for any successful business is a high-performing team. Having people working for you who are aligned with your professional goals and values, understand their roles and responsibilities, and take accountability for their own actions is the difference between average and elite business culture. 

But how can you ensure employees take accountability for their work? Here we take a look at the types of support and opportunities you need to be offering to enable your staff to do so. 

Set clear expectations

In order for someone to be accountable for their actions, they first need clear guidance on what is expected of them. Working with your employees to ensure they understand their roles, responsibilities, targets, and expectations is the first step to promoting accountability. 

It’s important to check in regularly with your teams to see what is working and what needs to be improved or updated, too. Demonstrating an active interest and involvement in the progress of your staff will help to encourage an increase in individuals taking responsibility for their own work and actions.

Support professional development

Supporting your workers with their professional development is a win-win. As an individual, they feel valued and appreciated by your company, which makes them more likely to work with increased productivity, motivation, and efficiency. Naturally, this means better input for your business. 

Focusing on upskilling the team you have is a great way to show you’re invested in the growth of your company and the people that help make it everything it is. When people feel valued, they are more likely to positively adopt the other principles of a positive work culture, such as taking ownership and accountability for their workload. 

Listen to your employees

Scheduling regular catch-ups, setting goals and tracking progress and achievements are also great incentives for increasing accountability within your teams. When people feel supported and valued on a personal level, where their ideas, concerns, and achievements are heard and acted upon, they will learn that taking ownership of their workload brings positive results.

Lead by example

Of course, hiring a strong team of people who are able to communicate honestly and have a strong work ethic is a good way to begin any business. But it’s important to remember to lead by example with the values you want your employees to adopt. 

When a worker comes with a concern or issue, showing accountability for a mistake perhaps, think about how they are received. Dealing with issues with empathy and understanding is vital to build integrity and establish the trust that will allow your employees to feel confident in coming to you and being honest.

Just as importantly, let your team see their superiors demonstrating accountability and give them the opportunity to provide feedback to try and help. Working collaboratively reinforces trust and value throughout your team, which will only help to foster accountability. 

Keep building

Whilst there are many elements to improving accountability within a business, the cornerstones of trust, open communication, and support work as a solid foundation. Progressing with small, positive steps will help to ensure you retain a high-performing team who are productive and accountable. 

Photo by Dylan Gillis on Unsplash