Do Your Employees Know Your Expectations?
Cathie Leimbach • September 16, 2020
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Years ago, when I was participating in an exchange program to Britain, I was unclear about how to meet my host’s expectations. She asked me to make cucumber sandwiches and handed me bread, butter, cucumbers, and the necessary kitchen tools. I asked her how she wanted me to make them and was told it was up to me.
My only experience with cucumber sandwiches had been at High Tea. The bread had been cut in dainty circles, spread with cream cheese, and topped with a cucumber slice. But my host hadn’t provided a round cookie cutter nor cream cheese. And I thought it strange to put slices of cucumber between two slices of bread. My host left the kitchen and I proceeded to make basic open-faced cucumber sandwiches with quartered slices of buttered bread and a couple of cucumber slices. When she returned, her quizzical facial expression showed this wasn’t what she had in mind.
She was expecting cucumber slices between two slices of buttered bread. She didn’t care whether I buttered the bread or sliced the cucumber first, nor whether the sandwiches were cut into two or four pieces. She had empowered me to make the sandwiches HOW I wished but had assumed that I knew WHAT a cucumber sandwich looked like to her.
Similarly, many employees report that they struggle to meet workplace expectations because they don’t know what their supervisor or the company expects from them. They don’t know if fulfilling 20 takeout orders per hour or calling 75 prospects per day is considered good performance. The sales rep may not know what to do when they get voicemail; do they leave a message or not?
Effective managers are very clear. Each staff member knows what they are expected to accomplish each day. The manager communicates what the staff are to achieve, the volume of work to be accomplished, and the required quality standards.
Providing a very specific description of the results staff are expected to achieve, is essential in developing high performing team members. Start with one result you want that at least one staff person is not pulling off. Show and tell that individual the exact outcome you are looking for. Then, ask them to state your expectations so you can see if your explanation was adequate.
Until they can list all of your expectations - that is, they can accurately describe WHAT the desired result is - they won’t be able to achieve the results you are seeking. The ball is in your court, manager!
An empty workstation gets your attention. What caused it should keep your attention. When attendance becomes a problem, the first response is often to review the policy, document the absence, or find someone to cover the shift. Those things may be necessary. But they don't tell you why the problem is happening. A conversation might. Instead of starting with “Why do you keep calling off?” try “I've noticed you've missed several days recently. What’s going on?” Then listen. You may hear about something outside of work. But you may also discover frustration with a supervisor, conflict with a coworker, unclear expectations, scheduling difficulties, or an employee who no longer feels valued. Understanding the reason doesn't mean ignoring attendance expectations. It means you know what you're actually dealing with. Also, look for patterns. Is absenteeism higher on one shift? In one department? Under one supervisor? Did it increase after a schedule or leadership change? Those patterns may tell you where another conversation needs to happen. Most importantly, don't wait until attendance becomes a disciplinary issue to start talking. Check in with employees. Ask what's making their work harder. Ask what they need from their supervisor. And when someone raises a concern or makes a suggestion, be sure to tell them what action you are taking or why their idea won’t be implemented. The goal isn't to eliminate accountability. It's to address problems before accountability is the only conversation left. Conversation is Where Leadership Happens™ You Don't Need to Go It Alone. Bring your workplace people challenges to the FREE Workplace Conversations Clinic on September 21. Gain insights from Cathie Leimbach and other attendees. Register here for the FREE Workplace Conversations Clinic
Absenteeism is expensive. Every unexpected absence costs more than a day's wages. Someone else may need to work overtime. Priorities get reshuffled, service slows, projects fall behind, and customers notice. Before long, absenteeism starts taking money right out of your pocket. That's why many organizations turn to attendance policies, incentives, disciplinary action, or tighter oversight. But what if those approaches are addressing the symptom rather than what's really going on? Most people don't wake up one morning and suddenly decide they don't care about their work. Disengagement usually happens gradually. People stop sharing ideas. They stop feeling heard. They begin doing only what's required. Eventually, some stop showing up. By the time absenteeism is brought to your attention, the real issue may have been growing for weeks—or even months. If absenteeism has become a recurring challenge, don't just ask, "How do we reduce call-offs?" Instead, ask "What happened before people stopped wanting to show up?" That question may lead you somewhere an attendance report never will—and may ultimately save far more than overtime costs. Attendance problems. Accountability. Difficult conversations. Team conflict. Every leader faces workplace people challenges, and few have been taught exactly what to do when they arise. Talking through your challenges with others can be helpful. Ask questions of your network. Get some ideas online. Sometimes another perspective is exactly what you need to see the situation differently. You Don't Need to Go It Alone. Bring your workplace people challenges to the FREE Workplace Conversations Clinic on August 17. Gain insights from Cathie Leimbach and other attendees as you explore practical ways to handle the situations you're facing. Register here for the FREE Workplace Conversations Clinic
