How to Manage Expectations at Work: A Guide for Employees and Managers

Expectations. There are two ways they can shackle you, and make your professional and personal lives far more difficult than they ever need to be.

But, Alli, expectations are good! It’s a good thing to have standards and expect for them to be met.

But there is a critical difference between having agreed-upon criteria for behavior or performance, and “expectations.”

By definition, an expectation is not an agreement between people; instead, expectations are beliefs that a certain outcome or event will happen.

Expectations play a major role in shaping our work experiences. Unclear or unrealistic expectations often lead to frustration, reduced productivity and conflict. As an employee or manager, learning how to effectively manage expectations is essential for creating a positive and successful work environment.

In this comprehensive guide, we will explore what managing expectations entails, why it matters, and provide strategies for setting, communicating, and meeting realistic expectations in the workplace.

What Does “Managing Expectations” Mean?

Managing expectations refers to the process of clearly defining, communicating, and fulfilling realistic expectations between parties at work. This involves

Establishing agreed-upon standards for job roles, tasks, workflow, timelines, communication, etc
Clearly conveying expectations to ensure understanding.
Monitoring progress and making adjustments when needed.
Providing feedback and holding employees accountable.
Ensuring expectations align with organizational capabilities and resources.

When done right, managing expectations creates clarity, enhances job performance, improves morale, and reduces uncertainties. Mismanaged expectations often lead to confusion, frustration, and even conflict or turnover when reality does not live up to standards.

Why Manage Expectations?

Here are some of the key benefits of proactively managing expectations in the workplace:

Increases productivity – With clear standards, employees can efficiently prioritize tasks and workflows.
Enhances job satisfaction – Employees feel confident understanding what is expected of them.
Reduces frustration – Uncertainty and unclear objectives lead to tension. Defined expectations prevent misunderstandings.
Improves quality – Established benchmarks for performance enables consistency.
Facilitates collaboration – Teams work better when members understand responsibilities.
Enables progress tracking – Well-defined expectations provide metrics for monitoring progress.

Overall, properly managing expectations optimizes performance, morale, and outcomes for organizations, teams, and individuals.

Strategies for Managing Expectations

To manage workplace expectations effectively, use these proven strategies:

Set Clear Expectations Upfront

Provide clear, detailed job descriptions for roles.
Outline responsibilities, required skills, essential duties, priorities, and performance metrics.
Explain required work processes and procedures.
Define what high-quality work looks like.
Allow employee input to foster engagement.

Communicate Expectations Effectively

Discuss expectations verbally in addition to written policies.
Utilize active listening skills during conversations.
Answer questions to ensure comprehension.
Recap takeaways and action items after meetings.
Follow-up regularly to reassess understanding.

Offer Ongoing Feedback

Provide regular, constructive feedback on performance.
Coach employees to improve skills.
Offer praise when expectations are exceeded.
Redirect behaviors that need adjustment.
Solicit employee feedback on role effectiveness.

Adjust Expectations When Needed

Reevaluate standards when business needs evolve.
Align individual goals with team and organizational objectives.
Make reasonable adjustments if expectations are unrealistic.
Involve team members in resetting expectations.
Get approval from leadership on major expectation changes.

Lead by Example

Model desired behaviors and performance.
Demonstrate transparency in your own work.
Adhere to the same policies and expectations set for employees.
Show that you value feedback and self-improvement as well.

Common Problems from Poor Expectations Management

When expectations are not properly set and managed at work, numerous issues can arise such as:

Role confusion from unclear responsibilities
Employees feeling overwhelmed or underutilized
Diminished trust and low morale
Lack of accountability from ill-defined metrics
Poor quality work and missed objectives
Increased conflicts between staff or teams
High turnover from unhappiness

Learning to manage expectations both as an employee and manager is crucial for organizational success.

Expectation Management Tips for Employees

As an employee, you can help manage expectations successfully by:

Ask clarifying questions – Don’t start tasks if instructions are vague. Seek clarity.
Summarize key takeaways – After meetings, recap action items and priorities to confirm understanding.
Speak up about concerns – Voice overwhelmed feelings or need for better training/tools.
Check-in regularly – Provide progress updates and get feedback from your manager.
Underpromise and overdeliver – Establish realistic timelines and exceed expectations when possible.
Adopt a solutions-focus – If unable to meet a deadline or metric, propose alternatives.

Expectation Management Tips for Managers

For managers, managing your team’s expectations well requires:

Set clear objectives – Employees need to understand priorities, responsibilities, deadlines, and success metrics.
Align with company goals – Ensure individual and team expectations ladder up to organizational needs.
Allow employee input – Have employees help define their own goals to boost engagement.
Communicate regularly – Provide context for why expectations exist and offer ongoing feedback.
Offer development opportunities – Training, coaching, and tools to help employees succeed.
Be flexible – Adjust expectations as needs and circumstances evolve. Don’t rigidly stick to outdated plans.
Lead by example – Model the behaviors you want employees to demonstrate.

Fostering Realistic Expectations

Here are some other tips for creating realistic, achievable expectations:

Learn individual strengths and limitations before assigning work.
Look at actual past performance rather than relying on perceptions.
Build in buffer room on estimates to accommodate unknowns.
Have new employees shadow existing ones to visualize typical workflows.
Collaborate as a team to establish goals rather than dictating them.
Break large projects into smaller milestones.
Celebrate small wins, not just end results.

Successfully managing expectations is crucial for reducing workplace frustrations and enabling optimal performance. Both employees and managers play an important role in clearly defining standards, actively listening, providing ongoing feedback, and aligning with organizational objectives. With strong expectations management, teams can collaborate seamlessly for shared success.

how to manage expectations at work

2 Ways Expectations Shackle You

So I started by stating that there are two ways that expectations can shackle you…it’s time to delve deeper into each of them!

The first type of expectations is when you have expectations of others, as in the example of the Philosophy professor.

The second? Is when others heap expectations upon you, as the wife of the professor experienced.

Knowing each of these potential pitfalls, and more importantly how you can avoid them, is a life skill that will serve you well as you go through your day, from business to family and everything in between. Once you being to recognize them, you’ll be surprised at how often throughout your day expectations are at play.

An Illustration of Expectations

A college professor I know of once told his Philosophy classroom about his wife’s recent birthday. He’d planned everything he knew she’d love, so that when she arrived home she’d be wonderfully surprised. He had prepared her ideal meal, the lights were dimmed and scented candles were lit. The centerpiece contained her favorite flowers, and the music was exactly what he knew she’d want.

When she walked in, she said, “Ugh. I’ve had a horrible day. I’m not even hungry. I’m going to go take a bath.”

The Philosophy professor told his class how he was originally very angry. How dare she? He worked so hard! Where was her appreciation?

Then he realized that she failed to live up to his expectations, but that isn’t her fault. The expectations were his; she had no obligation to fulfill them.

In this story is a valuable lesson we can take with us throughout all aspects of our life. Expectations should be avoided, otherwise they can cause grief for all parties involved. The professor was originally upset that his wife didn’t react the way he’d anticipated, and his wife was shocked and upset that he was angry with her for simply wanting to take a bath at the end of a long day.

We’ve all had similar experiences, whether or not we realized at the time that expectations were the culprit. But we can manage the expectations that could arise in our life, so that we aren’t affected by their consequences.

I.C.E – MANAGING EXPECTATIONS | Dr Duncan Cross | TEDxUniversityofBolton

How do you manage expectations?

Once you have a clear understanding of your expectations, the next step is to communicate them to the other person. Open, honest communication is key to managing expectations successfully. Consider these questions: Have I communicated that expectation to the other person? Have I asked them what they think I expect from them?

What are expectations in the workplace?

Expectations are beliefs or assumptions that something will happen in our personal or professional lives. This belief, often powerful, shapes our determination and motivation to engage in an activity. In a workplace, expectations can broadly be divided into two categories. We shall define each in how it applies in the workplace.

How do managers manage expectations at work?

Managers also manage their own expectations at work by setting goals similar to those they assign to staff. Why is managing expectations at work important? Managing expectations at work may be important in order to create a structured work-life balance. Some benefits of managing those expectations include:

How do you manage expectations in a project?

Encourage open communication among team members to address any concerns or questions regarding their roles. Periodically review and update roles and responsibilities to accommodate changes in the team or project requirements. Managing expectations is an ongoing process that requires open communication, understanding, and support.