Setting Clear Expectations for Employees

What are employee expectations?

Sadie Banks, assistant general counsel and human resources consultant at Engage PEO, said that, in addition to standard performance appraisals, there are many workplace factors in setting expectations. 

“Industry expectations; internal and external company image; client, customer and vendor relationships; employee knowledge of products or services; company policies and performance; and even social media all play a part in setting expectations for employees,” said Banks.

Belinda Wee, an associate professor at Husson University’s School of Business and Management, said that every employee should expect to maintain the following behaviors in the workplace:

• Displaying a positive and respectful attitude
• Working with honesty and integrity
• Representing the organization in a responsible manner
• Performing their job to a reasonable, acceptable standard
• Maintaining good attendance
• Conducting themselves in a professional manner, even when off duty
• Following set policies and procedures when dealing with problems or issues

Just as there are expectations for employee behavior, workers should expect certain behaviors and opportunities from their employers. Wee said that the following expectations are not only essential for employees to have for their management, but also required by law: 

• Proper training, support and leadership
• Timely and accurate payment of wages
• Safe and healthy working environments
• Full disclosure and explanation of the job responsibilities, company policies and procedures
• Regular feedback on performance from supervisors or managers

Additionally, Banks said that it is reasonable for employees to expect the following:

• Access to the resources they need to perform their work tasks efficiently and properly
• Fair and consistent communication and application of policies (e.g., performance, discipline, conduct) across the team
• Credit and acknowledgment for work achievements

Each company may set additional expectations of their employees and provide more for them in return, but it is a give and take.

“If the employer expects loyalty from their employees but does not reciprocate, this can be seen as unfair and unprofessional,” said Wee. “Dealing with employee expectations means the employees must be assessed objectively, reasonably and fairly.” 

What are team expectations?

Most employees will find themselves working on a team at some point in their careers. Team expectations are similar to individual expectations, except that team expectations are something every team member should be accountable for while also holding others accountable.

Wee said that team expectations are not the same as team goals. Goals are typically tasks that need to be accomplished, whereas team expectations are for the behaviors that occur while the team accomplishes said tasks.

Wee said that established team expectations are necessary for the group to be productive and work cohesively. She listed these 10 team expectations that every team member should be accountable for:

1. Respect each other, and be courteous and sensitive to everyone’s needs and concerns.
2. Be accountable for your work.
3. Be flexible about job and task assignments.
4. Be willing to help each other instead of displaying an “it’s not my job” attitude.
5. Ask for help when needed.
6. Work safely together.
7. Be open to constructive feedback without being defensive or negative.
8. Be self-motivated and reliable.
9. Share ideas for improvement.
10. Be cheerful, positive and encouraging to other team members.

What are performance expectations?

It is important to set clear employee and performance expectations for each new person during the onboarding process. Be specific and clear as to what the expectations are and how you will measure them. Banks said performance expectations should be measured by the company and communicated by management or leadership. 

“The overall purpose of having performance expectations is to move toward a specific company goal and create workplace accountability from one employee to another,” she said. “It is a method applied by a company to assess the progression and position expectations as performed by individual employees.”

Each employee also needs to understand the importance of their role and how their responsibilities impact their organization and department.

“Performance expectations go beyond a job description and include a range of expected outcomes – for example, the impact of the work on the organization, expectations on level of service rendered to clients and co-workers, and the organizational values demonstrated by the employee,” said Wee.

Since an employee’s position affects their performance expectations, Wee created this table to illustrate the performance expectations for different job levels:

Some experts highly recommend using SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, time-bound) goals to set employee performance expectations. This will help you tailor your performance expectations to each individual.  

How do you communicate and manage expectations?

After you set clear expectations, there are a few steps you can actively take to communicate and manage them. Most importantly, communication of employee expectations should be as clear and specific as possible. For you to manage expectations, everybody needs to be on the same page regarding what is required of them.

When you meet with employees to communicate and manage expectations, Banks recommends that you always be clear on attainable objectives, provide an opportunity to ask questions and discuss the tools necessary to accomplish each task. It also helps to explain the purpose of each task and casually check in with your employees, showing them that you are reachable and attentive.

Wee recommends meeting with employees regularly to discuss ongoing projects and holding one-on-one meetings to display caring and professional leadership. However, since every employee is different, you may have to use different methods of communication to best reach each one. For example, some team members may prefer frequent face-to-face meetings, whereas others might prefer a more hands-off approach.

“To communicate and manage expectations effectively, it is important to know what is expected from the employees and teams and set realistic, reasonable tasks and deadlines,” Wee said. “The success of the organization hinges on having good communication practices, resulting in lower employee turnover.”

How do you measure employee performance?

After setting employee expectations, it’s important to monitor their performance to see if there are any gaps. If so, you can find out where the issue is and adjust your expectations accordingly. 

There are a few ways to keep track of your employees’ productivity. Below are a few methods to help you choose one that best suits your managing style. 

Employee monitoring software

Employee monitoring software can help managers directly observe the effects of their expectations on employees. Each program provides tools to extensively monitor employee behavior, including the websites they visit and the files they share.

Although evaluating employee performance is often done at a specific time of year, employee management tools can make it a continuous process. You can get real-time information about your team so that you can address any potential issues before they affect productivity. 

Performance reviews

Many businesses hold periodic performance reviews to offer their employees feedback. Rather than criticizing an employee’s work, these reviews are about highlighting their strengths while working with them to improve on their weaknesses. That’s why the most effective performance reviews are two-way conversations in which the employee has a fair say.

Self-evaluations

Asking your team to track their productivity can be more effective than many managers assume. If your team is engaged with their work, they’ll likely be just as honest on a self-evaluation as you’d be when writing a performance review. Additionally, your employees might have greater insights than you into reasons for any dips in their performance.

Writing a self-assessment is pretty simple. All you need is a form with relevant job performance questions and a space for employees to provide their responses. You can leave room for multiple-choice answers, short open-ended answers or both. Prompting your employees to think about their performance can start a conversation about improvement.

Steps to set expectations for new and existing staff members

To improve the chances of employees meeting or exceeding your expectations, follow these steps when you plan and set them.

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 time frame
• 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
• Remain professional at all times 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’ll 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 as a whole 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 customers.
• Displaying a positive attitude at work helps employees deal with stress and keeps morale up.

5. Get an agreement and commitment.

Formalize the expectations by requiring employees to sign off on them. When employees sign off on your expectations, it makes them feel more serious. In the event they don’t meet your expectations, you will have the documentation to hold them accountable and make a case as to how they have fallen short of the agreement.

Expectations are the first step to success

Morale is important to a functioning workplace, and employees knowing what’s expected of them on a daily basis is important for morale. Clearly communicating your expectations as a manager can help employees better understand your company’s goals and work toward them more effectively. Without those expectations outlined from the beginning, you run the risk of miscommunication and low employee engagement. But when everyone is on the same page, your company can run like a well-oiled machine.