The world of work has changed significantly over the past few years as both organisations, and their employees have been pushed to the limit.
Our expectations of each other are at the core of how we now show up in the workplace.
For employers, the standard of innovative work delivered on time is how a company measures its success. For an employee, expectations have shifted to an inclusive company culture with empathetic leaders and increased flexibility around how and when they work.
The CEO of Peakon, the employee success platform which analyses millions of pieces of employee feedback, commented recently that we are entering a phase where expectation setting will need to be addressed.
“As employees, we often think about what companies expect from us. But we also need to be clear about what we expect from our employers.”
Disengagement is at an all-time high, as I shared in a recent post, yet we also need to be aware that expectations go both ways.
Leaders at every level of an organisation need to get work delivered on time, and setting expectations around this is at the core of driving performance.
So today, let’s look at both sides of the coin and what we need to consider as we manage expectations for everyone in our organisations.
Let’s start where the biggest shift has occurred, employee expectations.
Employee Expectations are Changing
Historically speaking, depending on the size of a business, the expectations of customers and shareholders have always come before those of a company’s employees.
But as organisations have become more aware of how critical their people are to a positive bottom line, the focus is now shifting towards the employee.
Before we talk about flexible working, which has made the biggest shift in expectations, you might be surprised that working for a responsible and diverse organisation is changing both engagement and the ‘stick’ factor of a huge cohort of employees.
Today, employees demand a career, not ‘just’ a job. They want and, in many cases, expect their company to be purpose-driven, with a clear moral compass, so they have the opportunity to bring their whole selves to work.
This isn’t only a requirement of Gen Z employees either. ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) factors are becoming critical criteria for employees of all ages.
According to a recent Heartbeat by Workday survey, most industries saw an uptick in employee comments on climate change, with Consumers (106%) and Professional Services (79%) seeing steady increases.
However, employees in the Manufacturing sector were by far the most vocal on climate change in the past year, with an increase of 595% in climate-related comments.
What about well-being?
It is a concern for both employers and employees. In 2019, the World Health Organisation officially added burnout to its International Classification of Diseases, defining it as ‘chronic workplace stress’ that has not been successfully managed.
Burnout is considered a result of the always-on world we now find ourselves inhabiting. As the lines between our personal and professional lives blur, the increased pressures of high workloads, a shifting skills economy, and a never-ending stream of emails creeping into our inbox after hours means we see more cases than ever of work-related stress.
Employees are suffering, and they want support from their employers.
Finally, let us discuss the shift in employees’ perceptions of flexible working. During the pandemic, many members of our teams were incredibly productive. Alongside this, the U.K. entered its first test of the four-day working week in June, and hybrid working is being implemented in more organisations than it isn’t.
According to flexjobs, over 80% of organisations offer flexible working, confirming that many employers see the need to provide a more inclusive approach to their employees.
Logically from an employee perspective, what is wrong with continuing to work from home rather than the office if you can still do the work you are expected to deliver?
Over the last few years, the digital and A.I. explosion has meant that remote working is possible for many businesses and employees to see that and then ask why they are still expected to be in the office.
A fair point, though; what about innovation growth and sharing of best practices, all areas of challenge in our remote world?
With the biggest skill shortage in recent years being a huge challenge for employers, many of the candidates they want to hire won’t even consider moving to an organisation where there is an expectation to be in the office more than at home.
From my experience of working with thousands of participants in our training programmes over the years, employees want to work and deliver results for their employer. However, they also want to be listened to and work for organisations that truly care about them and the planet.
So, let’s turn to employers who historically have set all the expectations in the employer and employee relationship.
Employer Expectations in The New Norm
As I researched various data points for this post, I was surprised to see how little voice the employer currently appears to have regarding the employer and employee relationship.
Let’s talk about the facts of this relationship.
An employee is hired to deliver results for an organisation according to a set of expectations set by their manager. Currently, a manager may expect this to occur in a certain place and at a certain time, which may now need to be reviewed.
Which many businesses are doing.
Though there is something to consider around expectation setting and monitoring, I would like to share.
The challenge for many managers is that expectations are not always clear or communicated well consistently.
Add to this the common issue where a manager does not manage an individual against their expectations, which both parties have agreed on.
I am sure we have all experienced a scenario where one team member seems to ‘get away’ with behaviours others consider unacceptable; late work, inappropriate comments, poor communication, and so on.
What next?
A data review of how expectations are set and managed is the first step. How good are your management team at developing and managing expectations; Is additional or updated training required?
Hybrid working is here to stay; as a leader, you may have to work with this; while managing your team without a drop in performance.
Managing expectations currently might be challenging, but what if they were the way through to a better working environment?
Until next time,
Julia
About Zestfor
Zestfor specialises in developing leadership Training programmes and resources scientifically tailored for technical markets – including Pharmaceutical, I.T., and Life Sciences.
Our blend of in-classroom, online, and virtual live-stream delivery methods will engage and assure even the most introverted team members from the first meeting. Let’s arrange a brief chat; call us on 0845 548 0833.
