According to a Culture Partners study, 82% of professionals say they either avoid or fail at holding others accountable in the workplace. This data reveals a growing problem among a wide range of industries: There appears to be a disconnect between organizational leadership and employees when it comes to accountability.
The reality is that accountability is at the heart of high-performing teams. But simply demanding that people “be accountable” rarely works. Learning how to encourage employees to own their roles is the key to long-term success and a winning culture.
Why Accountability Matters
When employees treat their roles as something they own, rather than just a set of duties they’re expected to perform, you’ll notice several crucial shifts:
- Greater Productivity and Fewer Bottlenecks: If team members feel responsible for outcomes, they’ll be more likely to follow through
- More Ideas and Initiative: Ownership breeds creativity, as employees will look for improvements rather than waiting to be told what to fix
- Stronger Culture and Retention: People tend to stay where they feel that their contributions matter
- Leaner Management: Leaders can spend less time micromanaging and more time strategizing and growing the business
To unlock these benefits, you’ll need to promote both accountability and a sense of genuine ownership.
7 Tips to Cultivate Real Accountability
Here are a few actionable strategies you can use to build ownership into your organizational DNA:
1. Lead by Example
Accountability starts at the top. When company leadership models the sort of behavior they want to see, employees will take notice. Conversely, if your executive team or departmental leads dodge responsibility or shift blame, your culture will reflect that.
Incorporate accountability into your own performance reviews, admit mistakes publicly, and show how you course-correct.
2. Set Clear Roles, Expectations, and Boundaries
Accountability thrives when it’s clear what people own and why. Define responsibilities and success metrics for each role. Employees also need to know what level of decisions they’re allowed to make autonomously and what requires approval.
3. Empower Autonomy, Not Micromanagement
Micromanagement kills ownership. Instead, delegate meaningful work and let employees own the “how.” Be available as a coach or resource, but resist the urge to constantly check in on minor steps. Over time, you’ll build confidence and results without hand-holding. That’s the goal of accountability and ownership.
4. Create Continuous Learning and Growth Opportunities
If your employees feel underprepared for the challenges you set for them, accountability can feel like a burden instead of a benefit. Invest in training, mentoring, and job rotation opportunities to help team members build the skills needed to take on more responsibilities. Over time, this investment will nurture an ownership mindset.
5. Actively Solicit Input — and Act on It
Ask for ideas and listen closely to the feedback you receive. While you won’t be able to implement every suggestion, you should apply what you can. When employees know their opinions matter, they’re more likely to commit to solutions and follow through on the execution of ideas. Be transparent when suggestions aren’t viable and explain why.
6. Recognize Accountability and Effort
Use positive reinforcement to encourage the behavior you want. When someone steps up, owns an outcome, or innovates, celebrate it publicly. Consider implementing peer-recognition programs or giving formal awards. Acknowledgement motivates repeat behavior.
7. Set Safe Zones for Failure and Course-Correction
Ownership doesn’t mean perfection. If your team members fear punishment for missteps, they’ll retreat into safe, status-quo behavior. That sort of thinking doesn’t drive innovation or allow creativity to flourish.
Encourage experimentation and emphasize continual learning. Show that it’s okay to adjust course as long as accountability remains part of the equation.
Cultivate Accountability and Ownership With AssetHR
The accountability conundrum can be a tough one to solve. The good news is you don’t have to tackle this challenge alone. Partnering with an experienced human resources firm like AssetHR can enable you to make initiative, innovation, and “stick-with-it-ness” cornerstone values at your workplace.
At AssetHR, we know how to foster accountability and ownership at scale. Our bespoke strategies are tailored to meet the unique needs of our clients’ businesses and industries. Explore our human capital management solutions to promote accountability across your entire organization.