Changes in Employee Expectations Need to be Communicated

Changes in any situation, whether in a personal or professional setting, can create anxiety if not properly planned out. We know that change is inevitable. We know that change happens in life. At work, employees can and do make the adjustments necessary when change happens; it just depends on how the change is communicated to them and the kinds of preparations that are put in place so employees are ready for it. 

In the workplace, changes in employee expectations can sometimes put employees on-edge and create unhealthy stress if they’re not informed of the changes being made ahead of time. This can also happen if employees didn’t have sufficient time to adjust to the changes. In addition, it can create confusion for the employee because they do not know what may be expected of them. However, changes in employee expectations do not need to create unhealthy stress. In fact, change can actually be healthy. For example, providing employees with resources in order to deal with the change will make the situation more manageable. Those resources can include training, counseling support, sharing information and open communication. 

Common Mistakes

One of the mistakes employers make is not giving employees a viable explanation for why the change is necessary. 

Some possible reasons an employer might not give employees an explanation are: 

• Employers are hesitant because they think an explanation will generate more questions from employees and they don’t want to deal with it. Avoidance will only make the situation worse. Employers should anticipate the questions that might come up and prepare appropriate responses to allay employee concerns.
• The employer hasn’t thought out how to communicate an explanation yet.  Planning for the change should include how to communicate the change. If the employer skipped this step, the desired results may not be achieved. 

Another common mistake is not giving employees enough preparation time. Employees need time to adjust to change before it happens, otherwise they can feel overwhelmed and not know what to do. The amount of time needed to make the adjustment varies by situation and by individual. The employer must weigh these factors when scheduling the new expectations. 

Not fully utilizing the resources available to the company is another mistake. If the company has resources within the organization to facilitate change, they need to be utilized. As an example, a training course may be available to help employees deal with change and learn to adapt to it. Using the company’s communication system to inform employees of the changes about to occur should also be utilized. Sometimes the communication system is written out, but sometimes, depending on the message, it might be more effective to have face-to-face meetings. Management must fully utilize these resources so they are not wasted. 

Examples of Effectively Communicating Employee Expectations

As far as changes in performance expectations are concerned, the one step employers must take is to have a well-written job description. If the nature of the work has changed, then a new job description needs to be developed and shared with the employee. This helps communicate what is expected of the employee. 

Ongoing communications are also just as important. Employers should have regularly scheduled meetings with each employee so there is an avenue for the employer to share how they see the employee performing. This is a venue for the employee to ask any questions or make comments or suggestions, as well. 

The meeting also sets the expectation for employees that, on a regular basis, their manager is going to review their work with them. 

Another thing that an employer must have is well-thought-out policies and procedures that are written down. Policies and procedures are communicated in writing to employees through the Employee Handbook. This makes it easier to communicate the policies with employees because there is text that can be cited for reference. 

Policies and procedures manuals tell employees how they are expected to conduct themselves while they work for the company. It also tells employees what they can expect from the organization.

In my next Insight, I’ll give an example of a time I helped a company with its employee expectations.

Changes in any situation, whether in a personal or professional setting, can create anxiety if not properly planned out.