Simplify team communication and collaborate more effectively. Try Pumble by CAKE.com.<\/p>\n\n
![\"Illustration\"](\"https:\/\/pumble.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/cake-blog\/theme\/images\/banners\/templates@2x.png)
\n <\/picture>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n \n\n\n\nWhy are expectations important in the workplace?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Setting expectations with your team is crucial if you want to create an environment of accountability and trust in the workplace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Let\u2019s take a closer look at its benefits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\ud83d\udc49 Clear expectations eliminate ambiguity<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
People can\u2019t read minds. Employees can\u2019t know what you expect of them if you don\u2019t communicate it clearly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Don\u2019t assume anything is self-evident.<\/strong> After all, something that\u2019s undoubtedly red to you could be green to a color-blind person. If you think something \u201cgoes without saying\u201d<\/em>, say it anyway \u2014 just in case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This way, you\u2019ll dispel any ambiguity and confusion among your team and allow them to proceed with their work without wondering how to interpret your intentions for them. You can avoid many misunderstandings and expensive mistakes by communicating expectations clearly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There\u2019s immense freedom in structure. This statement might sound contradictory, but research proves<\/a> creativity is at a much higher level in structured external conditions<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Clear expectations remove the cognitive load of planning off of employees\u2019 shoulders and define the framework within which their creative play can be free.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This framework allows both you and your team to relax in the knowledge everyone is on the right track, without your having to micromanage anyone<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the main stressors at work<\/a> is not fully understanding your responsibilities and role in general<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You might have felt this kind of anxiety yourself \u2014 you have no idea what you\u2019re doing, but you feel like you should<\/em> know. Therefore, you never ask for clarification and keep pretending you\u2019re on top of your work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The stress around unclear expectations intensifies in the times of great changes at work<\/a>. One survey has discovered that 31% of employees find unclear expectations from managers the most stressful part of a workplace change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Clearly set all expectations over Pumble<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n According to research by Gallup<\/a>, clear expectations are essential for employee engagement.<\/strong> The research indicates that employees whose job descriptions match the actual work they do on a daily basis are 2.5 times more likely to be engaged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n By being clear about what you want from your team, you allow them to relax and focus on the task at hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Setting unambiguous expectations is good for overall team communication<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Imagine the following scenario:<\/p>\n\n\n\n John from the Customer Happiness team didn\u2019t reach out to an angry customer because he thought it was Maya\u2019s job to do it. Consequently, the customer has unsubscribed from their service and left a mean review.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The team lead wants to sanction John, John is angry with Maya, Maya is defensive, everyone else on the team is picking sides \u2014 chaos reigns!<\/p>\n\n\n\n The team-wide clash could have been avoided if only everyone knew what their responsibilities were.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n When it\u2019s clear what everyone\u2019s role on the team is, the chances of miscommunication occurring<\/a> are much lower.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Managers can set different types of expectations for employees. <\/p>\n\n\n\n They can apply to individual team members or entire teams. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Manager requirements can also relate to either the employee performance or their behavior in the workplace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In this section, we\u2019ll explore the basic categories of manager expectations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As a manager, it\u2019s your job to steer your employees in the right direction, both individually and as a team. In that respect, we recognize the following types of expectations:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \ud83d\udd38 Individual expectations example<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Mark is a new addition to the design team, and the manager wants him to take charge of all the charts. So, whenever he encounters a chart-related task in their PM software, he takes it on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \ud83d\udd38 Team expectations example<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n The manager wants her marketing team to design a product launch campaign for the company\u2019s upcoming product. She assigns clear roles and responsibilities on the project, with some team members working on targeting the right audience, others on copy or creating a social media buzz, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n Secure, real-time communication for professionals. Discuss, share & collaborate.<\/p>\n\n Great managers consider both individual and team capacities and capabilities before assigning responsibilities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n They need to take into account both individual strengths and weaknesses and team dynamics. Failure to do either can be fatal for the project\u2019s success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Both of the above-listed examples of individual and team expectations represent performance-based expectations<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n However, managers can also require certain behaviors of their team to align with the company values. These are behavioral expectations<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s break down the two categories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Performance-based expectations refer to the job requirements, tasks, and responsibilities of each person in a team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n They are much more than a simple job description \u2014 each employee needs to understand the specifics of their work<\/strong> (e.g. what they need to do, what tools they should use<\/a>, etc.). But they also need to know how their role fits into the big picture<\/strong> (i.e. how it links to the overall department and company objectives).<\/p>\n\n\n\n The three elements that constitute clear performance expectations are the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n We\u2019ll explain each of the elements in greater detail through an example of a specific performance expectation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As you can see, this sales team<\/a> performance expectation is clear and detailed, with little room for misinterpretation. It is based on data, and it specifies the quantitative results the team needs to achieve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The reasoning behind the objective is straightforward, which helps employees understand why they are striving toward it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Finally, employees are familiar with the specific actions they should take on their way to fulfilling the set requirement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is an example of a team performance expectation \u2014 which can further be broken down into individual roles of team members.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n Boost teamwork and simplify communication by switching your team to Pumble.<\/p>\n\n As the name suggests, behavioral expectations are norms around employee behaviors and values they are expected to fulfil<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These expectations primarily ensure that employees are a cultural fit within the organization and that they successfully collaborate with their team. <\/p>\n\n\n\n No matter how good someone is at their job, it\u2019s no use if their behavior is off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Behavioral expectations are usually simpler and more straightforward than performance-based ones. They read as direct instructions to follow to do the best job possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some of the most important behavioral expectations in the workplace are centered around time, communication, and culture.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The emergence of a great number of remote and hybrid work models<\/a> has also popularized flexible work hours. An increasing number of employees can now work on their preferred schedule. That\u2019s exactly why it\u2019s essential to set time-based expectations so that everyone knows when they can reach out to each other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Requirements for employees regarding time are especially important in teams where individual schedules differ wildly<\/strong>, such as in those working across different time zones<\/a>. These rules allow everyone to stay in the loop, not miss anything important, and not have to be bothered in their off-hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Keep the communication going even across time zones with Pumble<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n \ud83d\udd38 Time expectation examples<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Great communication is key to successful team operations \u2014 so, it\u2019s important to establish clear communication expectations in the workplace. <\/p>\n\n\n\n These rules might outline how, when, where, and with whom employees can communicate about certain topics<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Clear communication standards are especially vital for remote teams<\/a>, who don\u2019t share the same physical location. They have to be careful about how they communicate and always work on boosting their messaging skills<\/a> \u2014 otherwise, they\u2019ll have a problem getting their message through.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \ud83d\udd38 Communication expectation examples<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \ud83d\udca1 Pumble pro tip<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n You can formalize your communication expectations and put them in writing by creating an internal communication plan. Check out the instructions and templates for the plan in our knowledge hub: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Workplace culture should not be treated as a mere summary of some abstract values the company supports. It\u2019s much more than that \u2014 it\u2019s those values, shared beliefs, and attitudes put into action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In other words, organizational culture is embodied in employees\u2019 behaviors<\/strong>. As a manager, you want your team to act in accordance with your shared values. Thus, you might have certain cultural expectations of your employees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \ud83d\udd38 Examples of culture-based behavioral expectations<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Effortless collaboration and communication. Try Pumble by CAKE.com.<\/p>\n\n It\u2019s evident employees thrive when they understand what is required of them \u2014 regardless of the type of expectations in question. <\/p>\n\n\n\n To set those requirements straight, it\u2019s best to follow the steps we\u2019ll outline below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before you even begin to communicate your expectations to your team, you need to be clear about them yourself<\/em>. In other words, you need to set specific requirements<\/strong> that employees won\u2019t find confusing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you yourself are not quite sure about what exactly you want, how can you relay the information to your team and expect them to grasp it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n As mentioned above, always try to use the SMART approach to determining expectations. The better you can define the requirement to yourself, the better you\u2019ll be able to convey it to others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You need to assign a new project to your team. Instead of just handing it over to them with no instructions, you take the time to consider:<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s not enough to expect your employees to do a great job. <\/p>\n\n\n\n What does a great job mean? <\/p>\n\n\n\n What exactly does a job well-done look like for each individual on your team? <\/p>\n\n\n\n How can they strive toward it? <\/p>\n\n\n\n What are the steps they can take to achieve it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Of course, this does not mean that you have to lay out every detail of how each task should be done. Breaking down expectations merely means providing general instructions or steps<\/strong>, which are clear enough to help employees understand what you want of them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Keep track of your action items on Pumble<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n You want an employee to design an infographic for a blog post. You outline the steps she should follow in your PM software:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you\u2019ve laid out the what<\/em> and how<\/em>, it\u2019s time to explain the why<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Studies show that employees are much more engaged<\/a> if they find meaning in their day-to-day work. You need to show them why it\u2019s important that they do what you expect of them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Start by explaining how their role on a project contributes toward a larger goal of completing the project. But also help them understand why their work is important in a larger context \u2014 how it supports the company\u2019s mission and vision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Understanding the reasoning behind a task will give employees an extra boost to put effort and thought into it<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When setting behavioral expectations for your support agents \u2014 e.g. how they should communicate with customers and prospects \u2014 you don\u2019t just provide instructions. You explain how the support agent role is essential for building a great reputation for the company, as they are in direct contact with the customer, and they affect how the customer perceives the company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n Strengthen teams and simplify work with Pumble \u2014 the all-in-one communication app.<\/p>\n\n If you have a history of frustration over your employees\u2019 not understanding your instructions, you\u2019re probably doing something wrong. Employees missing vital information<\/a> and misunderstanding expectations may mean you\u2019re not making yourself as clear as you may think.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Don\u2019t be afraid to overcommunicate what you expect of your team<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This doesn\u2019t imply you should spell it out for them \u2014 but don\u2019t shy away from repeating the message several times<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you want your team to have the necessary information on hand at all times, you can make it available on multiple team channels of communication. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You have a new set of rules for how social media managers should run your organization\u2019s social media channels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n First, you announce the news during your weekly stand-up. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Then, you create a document with the instructions and post it on your wiki. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You also post the new instructions in the relevant channel of your team chat app and pin them so they don\u2019t get lost in the general discussion<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n Pin and save messages on Pumble<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the essential communication skills of effective leaders<\/a> is actively listening to your team members\u2019 needs and responding to them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While thinking of the best way to set and communicate your expectations, you should consider the individual needs and strengths of your employees<\/strong>. This will help you determine the best role for each team member, as well as the best ways to communicate it to them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As a manager, you should be aware of how your subordinates function and understand that not everyone responds best to the same communication style<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You want a developer to build a new feature for one of your apps. As his manager, you know him to be a functional thinker and communicator \u2014 so you go straight to the point and provide him with a detailed design document without much introductory talk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The document details the user scenarios, integration and architecture data, dependencies, and all other information that\u2019s relevant for the process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Personalize your messages, emojis, and workspace on Pumble<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n You can\u2019t count on employees fulfilling their tasks if you don\u2019t provide them with the necessary resources. This step is especially critical when delegating responsibilities to new hires<\/a>, as they may not be aware of all the company resources they have at hand<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When communicating tasks to them, make sure to include links to internal materials they may find useful, as well as any links to websites that may come in handy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A new remote writer on your team is working on her first blog post. You DM her in your team collaboration app to ask her if she needs any help and provide her with the links that might help her in her research.<\/p>\n\n\n Make Pumble your digital HQ and keep all your resources there<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n We\u2019ve already mentioned you should consider your employees\u2019 individual strengths when setting expectations. But you should also consider their opinions \u2014 otherwise, you risk making wrong assumptions about their work styles and capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Involving employees in the process of setting goals and expectations creates a sense of accountability and motivates them to do their best<\/strong>. Research shows<\/a> that employees who work at high-involvement organizations are much more engaged than those in low-involvement environments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Just like every other process in your team, setting expectations should also be a collaborative effort<\/a> \u2014 at least to an extent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You organize a video brainstorming session with your remote team to figure out how best to approach a critical project that will greatly impact the future of your organization. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Different team members pitch ideas and offer to work on parts of the project for which they believe their skills and experience best qualify them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When the session is done, you review the recording of the meeting. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You carefully prepare a plan of action relying on the ideas you\u2019ve come up with together and try to be mindful about the roles you assign, based on the tasks the team members signed up for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sometimes, managers and employees believe they are on the same page when they are not even in the same book. You may believe you understood each other, only to find out that you didn\u2019t when the damage is already done.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When you\u2019re not sure you\u2019ve been clear, it\u2019s best to ask everyone to repeat what they\u2019ve understood they should do<\/strong>. This step is particularly beneficial when the instructions are complex or out of the ordinary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You\u2019ve decided to take a different approach to a new marketing strategy<\/a> because the old one produced poor results. You gather your marketing team in the conference room to discuss everyone\u2019s new roles and tasks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At the end of the meeting, you ask team members to take turns briefly outlining their roles in the campaign. This way, you can determine if anything needs further clarification.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n Simplify team communication and collaborate more effectively. Try Pumble.<\/p>\n\n Setting expectations is not a matter of one and done. If you lay down the requirements and check in the next time when the employee fulfills it, you may get an unpleasant surprise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many things can happen in the meantime, such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n That\u2019s why it\u2019s imperative that you regularly check in on your team to see how they\u2019re doing and if they\u2019re on the right track<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You\u2019ve tasked an accountant on your team with preparing a budget forecast for the upcoming year. You\u2019ve set a deadline and established the way she should go about the task. After a while, you check in on her and review her preliminary analyses to see how she\u2019s doing. You do this often throughout the process to make sure she\u2019s on track.<\/p>\n\n\n\n No matter how certain you are that everyone knows what\u2019s expected of them, you can\u2019t be too sure until you\u2019ve put everything in writing and shared it with the team<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n By documenting your expectations, you \u201cseal the deal\u201d and leave no room for errors and confusion. If anyone needs to double-check what\u2019s required of them, they can simply refer to the document.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You want your team to follow a code of conduct, which calls for them to respect each other, follow the established procedures, communicate regularly, and more. You outline the preferred behaviors, as well as those not welcome in your team, and attach the file<\/a> in your team channel in Pumble by CAKE.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\ud83d\udc49 Clear expectations give employees autonomy within a set framework<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\ud83d\udc49 Clear expectations release stress and boost employee satisfaction<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\ud83d\udc49 Clear expectations increase employee engagement<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\ud83d\udc49 Clear expectations improve overall team communication<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Types of expectations for employees<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Individual vs. team expectations<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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![\"setting](\"https:\/\/pumble.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/setting-dev-team-expectations-min.png\")
![\"Illustration\"](\"https:\/\/pumble.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/cake-blog\/theme\/images\/banners\/landing-1@2x.png)
\n <\/picture>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n \n\n\n\nPerformance expectations<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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\ud83d\udd38 Example of a performance expectation<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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![\"Illustration\"](\"https:\/\/pumble.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/cake-blog\/theme\/images\/banners\/landing-2@2x.png)
\n <\/picture>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n \n\n\n\nBehavioral expectations<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\u23f1\ufe0f Time-based behavioral expectations in the workplace<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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\ud83d\udcac Communication-based behavioral expectations in the workplace<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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\ud83e\udd1d Culture-based behavioral expectations in the workplace<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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![\"Illustration\"](\"https:\/\/pumble.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/cake-blog\/theme\/images\/banners\/landing-4@2x.png)
\n <\/picture>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n \n\n\n\nHow do you set clear expectations for employees?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
1\ufe0f\u20e3 Determine your expectations<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\ud83d\udd38 Example for determining your expectations<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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2\ufe0f\u20e3 Break down expectations into action items<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\ud83d\udd38 Example of breaking down expectations<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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3\ufe0f\u20e3 Explain the reasoning behind your expectations<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\ud83d\udd38 Example of explaining the reasoning behind your expectations<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
![\"Illustration\"](\"https:\/\/pumble.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/cake-blog\/theme\/images\/banners\/landing-3@2x.png)
\n <\/picture>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n \n\n\n\n4\ufe0f\u20e3 Overcommunicate<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\ud83d\udd38 Example of overcommunication<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/pumble.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/A-manager-pinning-guidelines.png\")
5\ufe0f\u20e3 Personalize<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\ud83d\udd38 Example of personalization<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
6\ufe0f\u20e3 Provide resources<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\ud83d\udd38 Example of providing resources<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/pumble.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/A-manager-providing-instructions-min.jpeg\")
7\ufe0f\u20e3 Involve employees in the expectation-setting process<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\ud83d\udd38 Example of involving employees in the expectation-setting process<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
8\ufe0f\u20e3 Verify that everyone has understood what you expect of them<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\ud83d\udd38 Example of verifying that employees have understood the expectations<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\n <\/picture>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n \n\n\n\n9\ufe0f\u20e3 Communicate often and regularly<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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\ud83d\udd38 Example of communicating regularly and often<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\ud83d\udd1f Put everything in writing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\ud83d\udd38 Example of putting expectations in writing<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
![\"Setting](\"https:\/\/pumble.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Setting-expectations-with-employees-template.png\")
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