- Have Clear Expectations
- Make Time to Communicate
- Avoid Micromanaging
- Ask for Proof
Employee accountability has been a hot button topic for years. Now, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, the increase of remote workers makes employee accountability even trickier waters to navigate.
Every company and team is different, so it is important to find the accountability balance that is right for you. However, there are plenty of things all companies can do to improve remote work accountability.
Have Clear Expectations
Employees – especially those who are remote – can’t be accountable if they don’t know what you expect from them. Whether they’re a brand new employee or just a newly remote employee; have a discussion with them about exactly what you expect from them.
Develop ways to engage your remote employees and set clear guidelines for when you expect them to be working, how you expect to get ahold of them for urgent matters, and how you plan on holding them accountable. Utilize technology like ZiZo to provide your employees with a clear outline of how to succeed and the metrics used to do so.
Having a clear understanding of how you’re going to hold employees accountable saves time and difficult conversations in the long run!
Make Time to Communicate
Communication seems like an obvious solution to accountability but remote workforce managers frequently under or over use this tool.
Don’t rely on emails and messaging all day to stay up to date on projects. This can overcrowd inboxes and shift focus away from actionable tasks. Let employees handle their work and keep them accountable by providing designated time to check-in.
Remote workers lack the typical in-person stimulation of an office so it is crucial that management provides them with time to speak with others. Whether it be via phone or video, providing a regular, designated time to chat with the team about projects gives employees a reason to stay on track.
Try scheduling daily team check-ins to provide a time for everyone to connect and update each other. No one will want to be the one in the conversation that has nothing to report. Also ensure you schedule one-on-one sessions with your employees; this will provide employees an opportunity to discuss roadblocks in achieving tasks. Layers of accountability are key!
Avoid Micromanaging
It can be tempting to get overly involved in your employees day-to-day in an attempt to hold them accountable – don’t fall into that trap!
Using technology to micromanage for you will save you time and your relationship with your employees.
ZiZo connects with the software that your employees are using all day. This will give you a glimpse at what they’re using, when and how they’re measuring up to their cohorts. The software also prompts employees to keep moving! The app will automatically encourage your employees to hit targets and ‘level up’. Instead of feeling like big brother is watching they’ll happily continue working at their pace for rewards they care about.
This technology handles employee accountability for you – while keeping management in the loop and just involved enough.
Ask for Proof
The easiest way to keep employees accountable is to see their results! Set small benchmarks for large projects that can be viewed or measured. Your expectation to see progress on a predetermined due date will hold your employees accountable without the need to keep tabs on their every move.
Show your employees that you trust them and the way they use their time – as long as they have something to show for it. Keep in mind that the overuse of goals and overly high expectations can add to employees stress and lead to less productivity. Don’t expect remote employees to perform at a high level at all times – be realistic!
Try to keep the mindset that you only need to know enough to know that the task will be completed well and on time. Instead of overloading your day with what everyone else is doing, set just enough check-ins to know that its getting done. This will hold your employees accountable without bogging down your day.
These goals can be as simple as hitting X amounts of calls in one day. This info is easy to view on the ZiZo dashboard by you and your employee, that means you both can see proof of performance without interrupting your day.
Accountability is tricky, especially in the ever-growing remote world. Don’t let this overwhelming task get you down! Implementing simple and straightforward goals and lines of communication will make holding employees accountable a breeze. Don’t be afraid to be straightforward and to implement technology to make employee management easier – save yourself the time and headache!
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