Accountability: The Missing Piece of the Employee Experience
- Leslie Speas
- Jan 15
- 2 min read
When we talk about the employee experience, most people picture culture, benefits, or how people feel. But underneath every thriving workplace is something far less glamorous, and far more powerful:
👉 Performance & Accountability.
This category of the Employee Experience Blueprint asks:
Do employees know what’s expected?
Do leaders follow through consistently?
And does everyone own their part in achieving results?
Because culture falls apart when accountability is optional.
⭐ What This Category Really Means
When people think about performance and accountability, they sometimes think about being tough or punitive. We've all encountered the leader who says, "Who can I hold accountable for this?" meaning, "Who can I blame for this?"
In reality, performance and accountability are about:
Defining success clearly
Following through on commitments
Coaching early instead of reacting late
Addressing issues instead of letting them linger and fester
Celebrating when expectations are met or exceeded
It’s about creating a workplace where everyone can succeed.
🧩What’s Included in Performance & Accountability
Performance and accountability include habits and systems that keep people aligned and performing at their best:
Clear goals and expectations
Coaching and ongoing check-ins
Positive and constructive feedback
Recognition for results and behaviors
Accountability conversations
Performance reviews (kept simple and meaningful)
Performance improvement and support plans
Leaders being role models of performance and accountability
🚫Where Organizations Get Stuck
Organizations rarely struggle because people don’t care.
They struggle because:
Expectations were never clearly defined
Accountability varies based on the manager
Leaders avoid hard conversations until it’s too late
High performers aren’t recognized, and low performers aren’t redirected
Silence becomes the norm
When this performance management and accountability is weak, people feel:
⚡Frustration
⚡Uneven workloads
⚡Burned out, especially top performers
⚡Constant firefighting
⚡Employees checking out
🧠Accountability is a Leadership Skill, not a Personality Trait
Accountability starts with leadership, and most don't do it well. Results of a Harvard Business Review study showed that 46% of managers were rated poorly in this category.
Most managers aren’t avoiding accountability because they’re lazy or indifferent. They’ve simply never been taught:
How to set clear expectations
How to coach performance
How to document issues
What to say in a hard conversation
How to hold others accountable without damaging trust
Many were promoted for technical skill, not leadership readiness, which is why performance and accountability must be taught, practiced, and supported.
🔧A Simple Habit That Changes Everything
If you want to improve this category in your organization, start small by having leaders ask each direct report:
“What are your top 1–2 priorities between now and next week, and what does success look like?”
Then have them:
Check in mid-week
Offer support
Celebrate progress
Redirect early if needed
That one rhythm is very powerful.
🏁 In Conclusion
When you get performance and accountability right, everything else becomes easier. If you don't get it right, things fall apart.
If You Want Help Building This...
If your leaders struggle to give feedback, hold people accountable, or establish clear expectations, InfluenceHR can help.
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