Do you know what you want from your employees? From my experience, I estimate that about 50 percent of managers don’t. For this reason, only half of the people on their teams know exactly what’s expected of them at work.
Clarity is the biggest gift you can give yourself and others. Without it, an organization quickly escalates into chaos. As a result, this can cause all types of problems like miscommunication, lack of productivity, burnout, frustration, and low retention rates.
No business owner wants to suffer these costly side effects. Yet, the reality is, creating clarity often tumbles down the to-do list when you’re running a fast-paced, ever-changing company. Entrepreneurs and executives can also have a visibility bias. What I mean by that, is that they often forget that their team don’t have the same knowledge about the moving pieces of the company as they do.
Well-defined job expectations produce effective teams that have employees who know the role they play and the purpose they serve. When leaders take the time to set expectations, they create conditions for more growth, freedom, and job satisfaction in their business.
Steps to Set Expectations
To improve the chances of employees meeting or exceeding your expectations, follow these steps.
1. Determine what your expectations are.
Before you can have a conversation with your staff members, you need to have a conversation with yourself and write down what your realistic expectations are. For example, you may expect staff members to do the following:
- Complete projects within the given timeframe.
- Have a positive attitude.
- Take initiative on starting new projects and coming up with new ideas that can benefit the company.
- Come to work on time.
- Follow the dress code.
- Always remain professional when communicating with clients and other staff members.
- Follow up with clients within two business days.
- Respect each other.
2. Minimize confusion by making expectations clear.
Clear communication from leaders is imperative for success. If staff members don’t fully understand what you expect from them, it will be difficult for them to meet your expectations. You can do these things to make them clear:
- Lay out exactly what your expectations are in paperwork for new hires.
- Provide existing employees with a digital or print guide as an amendment to your employee handbook or their job responsibilities.
- Don’t just hand staff members your expectations guide – meet with them to discuss what they are.
- Address any questions employees have about your expectations.
- Ensure they understand what your expectations are.
3. Let staff members know why your expectations are important.
When employees understand why expectations are important, it can help them see the bigger picture and feel like their role in the company matters.
- Don’t just tell staff members what your expectations are – communicate why they are important.
- Help staff members see how the company can benefit when they meet or exceed your expectations.
- Beyond communicating the importance of your expectations, break down the “why” in as much detail as possible to minimize confusion.
4. Provide examples of why expectations are important.
Offer concrete examples as to why you’ve set certain expectations and explain to your team how these expectations connect to the big-picture goals of the company.
- Being on time for work ensures operations run smoothly.
- Adhering to the dress code casts the company in a professional light among clients.
- Displaying a positive attitude at work helps employees deal with stress and keeps morale up.
5. Affirm expectations are clear and agreed upon.
Setting expectations for employees is a part of the relationship-building process. Instead of providing a list of guidelines and responsibilities, turn this meeting into a conversation between two people. One way to do this is by letting team members know they’re welcome to ask questions, voice concerns, and suggest ideas throughout the discussion.
Before leaving the meeting, reaffirm what’s expected. Then, ask employees if they’re okay with being accountable for this. Be opened to listening to team members if they express, they might not be able to meet the measures you’ve set. For instance, maybe the deadline for a new task conflict with another project they’re working on. If there are problems, work through them with the employee before leaving the meeting so you both have clarity moving forward.
Ensure everyone is on aligned by:
- Addressing any confusion, hesitation, or resistance.
- Giving employees the opportunity to discuss their thoughts.
- Asking team members if they feel comfortable being accountable for these expectations.
- Setting up a time to check back in on progress.
Setting expectations for your employees is an essential responsibility of leaders and managers. Setting employee expectations benefit your staff and your business.
Join the successful businesses who use First Avenue Consulting to manage and optimize their workplace.
Get started today!
Your HR Solution
Between recruiting and retaining employees to managing employee performance, there are many challenges small and medium-sized businesses face when it comes to the responsibilities of HR management. Outsourcing your HR through First Avenue Consulting can help businesses save time and money and allow you to focus on growing your business.
Get affordable and complete HR support that’s right for your business needs. Contact us for a free consultation info@firstavehr.ca or by phone at 647-406-4476.
Print this article