Team accountability is essential for a business to successfully function. However, when employees drop the ball persists, your business endeavors are at stake.
To ensure fully streamlined operations and happy productive team members, let’s explore four common issues that signal a need for better team accountability.
Deadlines are not being met
Team members typically collaborate with other divisions to move projects along. If all is done well, all divisions would have successfully added to the project and have it ready for the client.
If employees are habitually missing deadlines, there are a few things to consider: Do your team members clearly understand the objectives and the scope of a project? Were there changes that affected the schedule? Or do you have unreliable staff?
If your team isn’t meeting deadlines, you risk losing valuable employees and clients lowering workplace morale. Both unhappy team members and clients may leave poor reviews of your business which risks future business ventures and referrals. Employees may seek new employment opportunities and the client will question your business’s abilities to accomplish tasks.
Lack of communication between staff
Communication is one of the top skills employers seek when hiring. Effective communication improves workflow and understanding of assignments. Poor or erratic communication can cause relational breakdowns like feelings of displacement, low morale, and employee absenteeism.
An important memo might not have been delivered to the intended recipient. Or an integral component of a project may have been negated. In other cases, instructions might not have been clear so teams misinterpret directions.
If conflicts are persistent in your teams, it may be a good time to address the issue head-on.
Work Quality Is Suffering
A below level of work reflects the condition of employees and the internal workplace environment. If below-standard work is prevalent, management needs to take a closer.
Managers need to consider if they are effectively communicating the objectives and scope of projects. Are the workload and deadlines reasonable? Or are there any contributing internal or external factors affecting work quality?
Below-standard work occurs if employees feel burdened by workload or do not have enough company time to accommodate projects. In extreme cases, there may be instances of workplace bullying which demoralizes staff. You may also have unreliable employees that intentionally ignore instructions.
There are many reasons why work quality suffers. It is important for the business owner to investigate the condition of their employees and work to rectify those issues.
There is a disconnect between management and employees
Each function of business has its responsibilities. However, a disconnect between management and employees occurs when expectations are mismatched.
For example, management may veteran expect employees to provide onboarding training to new employees. Veteran employees may be expecting management or HR to provide effective employee training to new members.
It is important for staff to be well coordinated on matters that occur within the business.
How can I effectively implement accountability training?
Holding people accountable is one of the key pillars of teamwork. Consider various types of employee training for learning and development. Cohesive company culture is what will help employees perform better.
Have a meeting to discuss the goals and progress of the team
Reintroduce management to staff to create an interactive environment. Discuss any misconceptions and obstacles that may hinder employees from performing their best and listen to employee suggestions
One option is to have team meetings where employees are required to report on their progress. Clarify the instructions and responsibilities to decrease misconceptions.
As employees are held accountable for their performance, they are more likely to be productive, communicative, and on task.
Set up a system where individuals are held accountable
You can also incorporate a system where employees are required to submit reports on a regular basis. Another opportunity is to have additional meetings 1:1 meetings or divisionally.
Hire an Accountability and Leadership Coach
Accountability training can be difficult to enforce. An expert coach like Sherry Winn will ensure your business receives the proper training for employees to perform reliably and in a responsible way. Get in touch with us here.
