Ways to Incent Employees – Ownership and accountable

It has been observed that more than 70% of employees in any organization take responsibility for the execution of any assigned task rather than taking accountability. It is assumed that accountability falls in the bucket of leaders and responsibility lies with execution teams. Such thoughts or practices are not the right practices for business growth. We need to understand that building accountability in business is a leadership process. This process evolves and takes time but executive or leadership teams need to mentor the employee and award them with certain measurable incents.

We have seen that in business if employees who take ownership of their assigned task must always be treated and respected as owners rather an employees. Unfortunately, there is only one-third of employees in all organizations who feel pride in owning the responsibility and feel accountable.

Almost half of the employees come to the office to execute the assigned task but are never been keen to take the accountability of the same. Such employees remain disengaged from actions being carried out in the organization, keeps a low profile and keep on creating hurdles in progress card of the organization as progress cards have planned change implementations and these changes break their comfortable shells.

We hear in the organization of empowering or introducing young leadership. It’s a great thought and a great execution if executed in a systematic and planned way. In today’s words, it’s challenging as well. We see 4 generations i.e. Baby Boomers (1944-1964), Gen X (1965-1979), Millennial (1980-1994) and Gen Z (1995-2015) are working together in the same organization. All generations have their own thoughts of implementation of their ideas and many a time this leads to clashes as well if not executed in the right way. Hence it goes as a challenge to accept the ideas and execute the same for betterment. We hear in the organization of empowering or introducing young leadership. It’s a great thought and a great execution if executed in a systematic and planned way. In today’s words, it’s challenging as well. We see 4 generations i.e. Baby Boomers (1944-1964), Gen X (1965-1979), Millennial (1980-1994) and Gen Z (1995-2015) are working together in the same organization. All generations have their own thoughts of implementation of their ideas and many a time this leads to clashes as well if not executed in the right way. Hence it goes as a challenge to accept the ideas and execute the same for betterment.

Here are a few incents that must be share with employees so that they feel accountable of their tasks and owner of the organization.

1. Communicating the bigger picture

Employees need to share with clear bigger picture, goals and vision of the organization. It is not only to share but frequently keep it in discussion so that views are on table to discuss and are implemented with best and accepted solutions.

2. Freedom to employees

Sense of autonomy is the key driver of ownership. We must understand and respect the freedom box of everyone as the same differs from person to person depending upon the capabilities, experience etc.

Here are a few incents that must be shared with employees so that they feel accountable for their tasks and the owner of the organization.

1. Communicating the bigger picture

• need to share with the clear bigger picture, goals, and vision of the organization. It is not only to share but frequently keep it in the discussion so that views are on the table to discuss and are implemented with best and accepted solutions.

1. Freedom to employees

• of autonomy is the key driver of ownership. We must understand and respect the freedom box of everyone as the same differs from person to person depending upon the capabilities, experience, etc.

1. Make employees owners of their stokes

• feel connected and own the tasks if it gets public recognition. This is something psychologically, the employee feels the pride of and feels like owning the organization by heart. If an enthusiastic employee has prepared a tool that is helping the team or organization on efficiency, it is good to name the tool of the developer’s name. Or if some team did something innovative, it is good to name some corner or room on the name of that team. It helps employees feel connected and proud. Also, it leads to healthy competition among teams for better results.

1. Recognition of Initiatives against Experience

• It is always advisable to recognize the initiative that leads to the betterment of organization growth and other results. These initiatives must again be discussed across all as experienced employees may put more light as per their experience and young employees may look for making it robust by their new thoughts and outlooks. This is the way where young as well as experienced understand the reasons and respect the recognitions that everyone gains in the organization.

1. Feedback and coaching

• must always be provided with the feedback. Let feedback be positive or negative. There must be a healthy discussion while sharing the feedback. The employee needs to pat his back for his great work and need to get or align for coaching where improvement is needed. It prevails in a healthy, transparent and open culture that helps in the overall growth of any organization.

1. Flatten the hierarchical management

• employee including CEO reports to someone in the organization. Ironically, every level reduces autonomy and ultimately the sense of ownership. Organizations must work on flattening the hierarchies and special perks etc if any. Following the same, it leads all employees to feel equal and they get more and better chances to talk with their role models or leaders which ultimately leads to better communication, recognition, coaching and mentoring.

1. Fix commitment problem

• It is always good to set clear expectations for the employees rather than landing into fixing the same. The same is applicable for new hires as well. These expectations must be clear in all ways including the open and ownership culture of the organization. Wrong hires lead to bad names and financial loss as well when they leave the organization. It is always advised to fix such mismatches and commitment problems before they hit on the brand and finance status of the organization.

When any business is started or needs to go ahead with new hires, it is always advised to find someone who owns the business and has that passion and drive it to the glorious feeling of the business as his / her own business. That helps in growth or individual as well as that of organization and both grow together to achieve the wanted position.

Stay humble always and never afraid of taking the risks. Once risks are taken, we must be strong enough to accept and own it.

Happy Reading!!!!