Workplace accountability is a popular topic in business literature these days, and for good reason. Lack of accountability is costly, both in terms of resources and relationships. When the management team has a "Do what I say, not what I do" philosophy, good people leave. The ones that stay spend half their time complaining to each other and their managers about how unfairly they're treated.

 

Why do so few organizations achieve an accountable workplace culture? They don't have the right people on board.

 

It's a big problem when the definition starts and stops here. True accountability, what we call personal accountability, motivates people to do the right thing even when no one is monitoring. It begins with a commitment to:

The right people are the ones who have personal accountability. Many companies spend plenty of time and energy controlling and monitoring the wrong people. They think if they control or monitor enough, the wrong people will do the right thing.

Dealing with Employee Burnout

 

Q:

 

Our clinic has gone through some tough times, first dealing with a bad economy and then suffering through growing pains. One employee has been with us through these hard times and has contributed to our success. But now this person is slacking and showing up late, and seems resentful of our enthusiastic new hires. It seems like a case of burnout. How can I help this employee get back on the bus?

 

A:

 

Congrats on surviving and thriving! There are many stressors that can contribute to an employee's burnout, but the factors that typically cause the most problems are organizational culture, opportunity for growth, and fairness.

 

Culture: You've got to define it and live it. Do you have a written vision statement, values statement, systems, and processes? If not, creating them should be job number one for the leadership team. And once you've created them, you must hold yourselves accountable to them. Clearly and routinely communicate your vision and goals to the whole staff so everyone feels like they're working toward the same purpose.

 

Growth: You need to consistently delegate and elevate. This means giving different and more responsibilities to staff that are in alignment with their core competencies and concentrating on your own core competencies. Avoid micro-managing, and allow for growth in skills and position.

 

Fairness: Create a clear rating policy for every employee so that everyone knows what to expect. Take a fresh look at your compensation plan. Is everyone earning a fair rate for the contribution they're making to the success of the company? Do you have written compensation policies that you have shared with the employees? Written policies fairly applied are key to employee satisfaction.

 

Finally, your employee may no longer be the right person in the right seat. If you have communicated and consistently followed your vision, processes, and goals, you may need to tell this person to move on.

 

Good luck!