Heather R. Huhman,
CONTRIBUTOR
Career and Workplace
Expert
November 16,
2015 4 min read
Understanding employee work expectations go far beyond those
monthly staff meetings catered by Qdoba, participating in passive break room
conversations and the countless back and forth emails that solve nothing.
Employees who don’t know what their manager expects of them
can’t be engaged or successful in the workplace. And unfortunately, an October
report from Gallup of 1,000 employed adults found that only
about half of employees surveyed have a clear understanding of what is expected
of them at work.
Considering merely 32 percent of employees surveyed in the same
study from Gallup agreed that their manager helps them set performance goals,
and less than 40 percent said they feel their manager supports them in setting
work priorities, it’s time to tell your employees exactly what they need to
know about workplace expectations and everything in between.
So how do employers effectively communicate employee
expectations?
1. Set
clear and realistic goals.
The key to communicating employee expectations is by setting
goals with them. Unfortunately, employees do not believe their managers are
taking the time to discuss company goals. It’s time to stop hiding behind the
computer. Call it old fashioned, but constructive conversations are more
effective when done face-to-face.
The first question managers must answer is what are the goals
and mission of the organization, and do they align with the goals set for the
team and each employee? Employers must never assume that their employees are
aware of these goals.
Too often, managers tend to focus only on their own goals and
forget to collaborate with others who could provide a new perspective. Pay
attention to the needs and requests of all employees. Remember, goals need
to be challenging, but still achievable.
2. Tell
employees that their jobs matter.
Every employee needs to know how important their role is and how
their work contributes to the overall success of the organization. To achieve
this, employers must encourage productivity and acknowledge dedication and
performance in the workplace.
In fact, a 2015 Employee Development Survey conducted by Saba
Software and WorkplaceTrends.com in August found that out of the 700 employed
adults surveyed, 60 percent of HR leaders believe their companies provide
employees a clear career path, while only 36 percent of employees believe this
to be true.
Try focusing on the importance of expectations by letting
employees know that their role plays a significant part in the team. This can
be as simple as praising an employee for handling a difficult client. Feedback
leads to improved performance and, in turn, could result in advancement and
boost the overall morale of the workplace.
3.
Clear accountability objectives.
How can employees perform if they don’t know what work for which
they are being held accountable? Too many blurred lines can create a workplace
plagued by inefficiency. Managers have an obligation to tell employees what
tasks they are responsible for by using open lines of communication.
Yet, an October survey from Wrike of 1,400 employed adults, 44 percent of employees
believe they are receiving unclear task accountability and consider it a
significant level of stress at their company. In the same survey, 34 percent of
workers are unhappy with their company’s process of managing work.
Solve these problems by encouraging employees to voice any
concerns they may have and always remain available for those conversations.
Employees should feel comfortable reaching out for help. In return, if managers
know an employee is struggling, recognize the problem and address it right
away.
4.
Provide advancement opportunities.
Employee advancement doesn’t always require a formal promotion.
Even if the movement is lateral, employee advancement drives performance.
Questions like the following can help employers identify what
they are or are not telling their employees and if employees truly understand
what’s expected of them at work: If promotions are available how can I help
them get there? Do I acknowledge their hard work? Am I providing employees with
clear goals and expectations? Am I adding to their over success?
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