Set expectations for the desired results
By Tom Borg

Learn how to set expectations for your workers.

I was consulting with one of my small business clients recently and she explained to me how some of her new employees “just didn’t get it.”



Didn’t get what? I asked? She replied, “One of my employees comes to work late on a regular basis. Just the other day, this employee waltzed into the office at eight minutes past 8:30 a.m.”


I asked him why he was late, and his response was, ‘I got here at 8:30 a.m.’”

Apparently, the employee had pulled into the parking lot at 8:30, but by the time he finished drinking the rest of his super-sized soft drink and eating his bag of chips, it was several minutes later that he arrived at his workstation. As far as he was concerned, since he was parked by 8:30 a.m., he was “on time.”


Problem: Employees don’t understand expectations.

One of the biggest mistakes I see gift shop owners make today is not providing orientation for new employees.


Do your employees understand how they are expected to perform? Many times, the reason employees don’t perform properly is because they don’t fully understand how they are supposed to behave. They don’t know what they can do and what they can’t do. Often, an employee will find out what he or she is not supposed to do only after it’s done.


Many times, the reason employees don’t perform properly is because they don’t fully understand how they are supposed to behave.



The reason this employee didn’t know is because the company or organization failed to inform him. Improperly reprimanding employees for something that was not properly explained to them can be a real demotivator.



Solution: Create a structured orientation program

One way to prevent this predicament is to have a structured orientation program for all new employees. Explain to them that the only dumb question is the one they don’t ask. Your job is to make sure they understand and are able to meet their job requirements.



Screening is important

Are your employees able to perform as expected? Even though employees understand what they are supposed to do, they may not be suited to particular jobs.


For instance, a greeter at a restaurant needs to be people-oriented and able to interact effectively with customers who come through the door. If that person is shy and introverted, it’s likely he or she will fail in that particular position. Similarly, if you have an employee who is expected to do inventory and he or she has trouble doing basic math, you could be in for a disappointing job performance. Screen your applicants carefully. They’ll be glad you did ... and so will you.