Tackling the jobsworths: What to do when people aren’t taking ownership at work
Frustrated by employees who aren’t taking ownership of or responsibility for the work they do?
Those who go home early, leaving a task incomplete? Who seem oblivious to the impact their dismissive manner has on customers? Who don’t seem bothered by the litany of mistakes they make?
Many of those who responded to my survey said this lack of ownership amongst employees was a real problem. Particularly for those running small businesses where everyone needs to pull their weight and where a little extra effort goes a long way.
But jobsworths can be an intransigent bunch. So how can we encourage our people to take more ownership of and responsibility for the work they do?
Taking ownership isn’t just a matter of individual enthusiasm or competence. It’s also about good leadership, effective communication, trust and support.
Here’s how.
What do we mean by taking ownership? For me, it’s about:
• taking full responsibility for your duties
• delivering those duties on time and up to spec
• recognising the impact your actions have on your colleagues, the customer experience and the reputation of the organisation
• communicating effectively and working with others to ensure the successful delivery of a task or project
• going the extra mile to ensure a customer is happy or financial goals are met
• admitting to and addressing any mistakes you make
• looking beyond the remits of your job description to consider the bigger picture that the organisation operates within
• showing a little passion for your work and for the business.
There are a number of reasons why someone might not be demonstrating the sort of ownership you expect from your employees. But, first up, a little reality check.
Are your expectations too high?
People not taking ownership can be especially frustrating for small business owners. You want people to share your passion and put in the same amount of effort and energy as you do.
But, I’m afraid, that’s simply not realistic.
You may well eat, drink and sleep your business, dedicated to making it a success. But why should your employees be so dedicated? It’s like the difference between renting and owning your own home. When you rent your home, there’s only so far you’ll go in terms of improving and investing in the property.
But while you can’t make everyone as invested as you, you can take steps to help them raise their game. Those steps will depend on the reasons behind the lack of ownership.
There are four main reasons why people may not be taking the level of ownership you’d like:
1. They’re not interested in taking ownership
2. They don’t want to take ownership
3. They don’t know they’re not taking ownership
4. They don’t have the skills to take ownership
Taking ownership means knowing what you’re taking ownership of
By expecting employees to take ownership, you’re asking them to do more than just what they’re told. But to do so, you need to be clear about the overall goals of the business. That way, when acting on their own initiative, they’ll know the principles they need to apply, meaning they can be more confident of making the right decision.
For instance, a customer advisor who knows that customer retention is the main priority for the business will use their initiative to make the right offer of compensation to a disgruntled customer. Whereas if revenue generation is the overall objective, they might make a different decision.
So remember - taking ownership isn’t just a matter of individual enthusiasm or competence. It’s also about good leadership, effective communication, trust and support.
What other tactics have you used to encourage employees to take more ownership in your business?
Read more at www.workbrighter.co.uk/secrets
