Ask 50 different people what it means to have an accountable workforce, and you could very well get 50 different answers, covering the gamut from creating well-defined job descriptions and establishing measurable goals to promoting only deserving employees and developing clearly outlined punishment for on-the-job failures.
What's not in dispute is the harm wrought by lack of accountability — things like ineffective work practices, quality control issues, high employee turnover, and customers lost due to poor service. In fact, a Gallup poll estimates that the lost productivity that stems from disengaged and unaccountable employees costs American businesses between $287 and $370
