CHICAGO–Seeking to better manage employee expectations and enhance motivation? One expert is offering three strategies for doing so.
Paul Keijzer, a business leader and an HR professional who is CEO and Managing Partner of Engage Consulting in Malaysia, Pakistan and UAE, noted that quite oftenHR professionals and the management team face the challenging situation of mismatched employee expectations.
“This happens when your employees’ expectations don’t match the reality of what the corporate philosophy, ideology and culture are,” wrote Keijzer. “Sure, the challenge is more prevalent with startups and smaller companies where the weaker employer brand can sometimes mislead or misinform employees. Often it’s not the company’s fault; however, your talent, holds high expectations from the organization.”
Unfortunately, observed Keijzer, the consequences of failing to manage employee expectations can be severely damaging for a company’s image and brand. “It tarnishes its ability to attract more talent and may even impact its business,” he said. “It also costs the company valuable resources to find the right people only to have them realize that the company isn’t the right fit for them.”
The solution, according to Keijzer, can be found in three techniques for managing employee expectations:
1. Orientation Program
When was the last time you reviewed your orientation program?, asked Keijzer. “I’m talking about the onboarding process that every new recruit undergoes. And no, your program to pair a new recruit with an employee who’s been around for a while doesn’t count. What I’m asking you to review is the formal program which has documented values and purpose. Don’t have one? Let’s get this documented immediately! The values you put down on paper form the basis of who you are as a company, what you stand for and value, how you do business and what purpose you’re striving for. By communicating this to everyone who joins you’ll be able to build a culture that you want and set employee expectations straight.
2. Employer Branding Efforts
Even if a credit union is an “unknown” company in the industry, Keijzer said it still needs to play a role in informing people of the realistic expectations to have from the organization.
“Expectations need to be set right from the beginning of an employee’s journey with your company. Managing and promoting your emplower-branding is vital, irrespective of your company size,” said Keijzer. “It’s especially important if you’re looking to boost your company values to potential and current employees. Essentially, by creating a solid employer brand you’ll let everyone know what they can expect from your company and why they should be keen on working for you. Along the way, you’ll be able to sift through those talent that don’t fit your culture with ease.”
3. Communicate Openly
If you’ve tried the above two techniques and yet still find yourself struggling to manage employee expectations, Keijzer said it doesn’t have to end your relationship here.
“You’ve already spent a lot of resources hiring these talent (and they too have invested in your company),” he said. “The only logical step to take from here is to put in the effort to realign their expectations of the company.”
Regardless of where the disconnect lies, be it office timings, community involvement or even job expectations, what Keijzer said a leader must do is:
- Identify the gap in their expectations,
- Clarify the employees’ thoughts,
- Explain to them why things are this way, and
- Examine where things can be improved and communicate where they can’t be.
“This step is probably the most important of the three and will need to be undergone continuously,” said Keijzer. “It’s not just the new recruits who lose their way with mismatched employee expectations. In fact, your long serving employees may feel the same as well with time. By keeping communications open and frequent you’ll continuously manage employee expectations and show that you value their views and opinions.”