Are you leaving your employees in the dark about your expectations? According to a new Florida State University study, less than 20 percent of workers are certain they know what is expected of them at work each day, while the vast majority report “some” or complete” ambiguity when it comes to understanding their responsibilities. Worse yet, these issues cause American businesses to lose hundreds of millions of dollars each year in both direct and indirect costs.
Not surprisingly, researchers found that lack of clarity in the workplace correlated with other issues that hamper productivity. Amongst respondents who said they were uncertain of their job responsibilities, 60 percent reported higher levels of mistrust with leadership, while 50 percent claimed to have higher levels of overall work frustration. Furthermore, 40 percent of respondents also felt they were being overworked, and 33 percent were more likely to search for a new job within the next year.
Most employees cited lack of leadership and poor communication with management as the primary factors contributing to the haze surrounding their duties. To prevent financial and workforce losses in your business, try this four-step approach:
- Create a formal communication system using the most current and user-friendly technology, and ensure all employees are trained to use it effectively.
- Integrate employee accountability into both supervisor’s and employees’ performance evaluations.
- Develop informal accountability networks, such as a buddy system, that allow employees to access real-time information needed to focus on prioritized tasks.
- Make accountability proactive, rather than reactive. iBi
Source: Business News Daily
