Expectations and Communication in the Workplace

Imagine hiring a new employee and discovering weeks later that their priorities don’t align with yours. Often, the issue isn’t effort or talent—it’s clarity. Only 47% of employees strongly agree they know what is expected of them at work, down from 56% before the pandemic (Gallup, 2024). For leaders, this isn’t just a statistic—it’s a warning.

If employees aren’t clear about their roles, tasks, and performance benchmarks, leaders must ask: are expectations being communicated effectively?

Why Expectations Matter

Expectations function as psychological contracts between leaders and employees. When those contracts are clear, employees experience role clarity, less ambiguity, and higher job satisfaction (Smollan, 2024). When they are vague or assumed, frustration and disengagement follow.

The effects extend beyond individuals to the organization itself. Blackman, O’Flynn, and Ugyel (2025) found that role and goal clarity are essential for sustaining high performance and work satisfaction. Vision statements alone don’t move organizations forward—it’s the translation of vision into clear, daily expectations that drives results.

Goal Clarity and Performance

Why do we set goals in the first place? Because they work. Research shows that teams with specific, measurable goals significantly outperform teams with vague or shifting objectives. Van der Hoek, Groeneveld, and Kuipers (2016) found goal clarity to be one of the most critical drivers of team performance. But effective performance management isn’t just about task lists. It also requires attention to contextual performance—the discretionary, extra-role behaviors that hold organizations together, such as helping colleagues, showing initiative, or supporting team culture (Borman & Motowidlo, 1997; Contextual performance, 2023). These contributions often go unspoken, yet they are vital. If leaders never define or discuss them, employees are unlikely to engage in them consistently.

The takeaway is clear: we can’t just hope culture will align everyone. Leaders must provide clear, specific guidelines for how employees should engage in work practices.

Expectations in Practice

So how can managers set expectations that stick? Two proven practices stand out:

1. Onboarding

Clarity starts on day one. Within the first week, supervisors should meet one-on-one with new employees to outline key expectations. A short written guide (1–3 pages) is highly effective, covering professional conduct, communication standards, work quality, collaboration, and growth opportunities. Provide employees with a written copy they can review at any time. Go over each item together, invite questions, and explain not just the “what” but also the “why.”

Leaders should assume that what isn’t explicitly stated and reinforced is unlikely to occur consistently.

Leadership Tip: Provide employees with an expectations checklist they can refer back to. A sample list is included in the Tools section.

2. Performance Reviews

Expectations are not “set it and forget it.” Regular reviews—quarterly, biannual, or annual—should serve as checkpoints. These conversations reinforce expectations, recognize contextual contributions, and allow for adjustments as goals and priorities evolve. In these one-on-one meetings, leaders should revisit the expectations list from onboarding or the prior review and discuss how both the leader and employee have performed in relation to those expectations.

Think of them less as evaluations and more as opportunities to align and re-align. Any time roles or workflows shift, expectations should be revisited and clarified.

Conclusion

From an Industrial and Organizational Psychology perspective, expectations serve as the bridge between organizational strategy and individual performance. It provides the roadmap to achieving those lofty goals of the company. They reduce ambiguity, align employee contributions with organizational goals, and acknowledge the full range of work employees provide.

As Gallup’s (2024) data makes clear, assuming employees will meet standards without explicitly discussing expectations is no longer an option. In today’s hybrid and remote environments, clarity and co-construction of expectations aren’t just best practices—they are organizational imperatives.

References

• Blackman, D., O’Flynn, J., & Ugyel, L. (2025). Managing expectations to create high performance government. Public Management Review. https://doi.org/10.1080/14719037.2015.1029353

• Gallup. (2024). Only 47% of employees know what is expected of them at work. Gallup Workplace. https://www.gallup.com/workplace/644717/chros-think-performance-management-system-works.aspx

• Smollan, R. (2024). The bright side and dark side of performance expectations. International Studies of Management & Organization, 54(1), 23–39. https://doi.org/10.1080/00208825.2024.2320580

• Van der Hoek, M. E., Groeneveld, S., & Kuipers, B. S. (2016). Goal setting in teams: Goal clarity and team performance. Public Administration Review, 76(3), 486–496. https://doi.org/10.1111/puar.12409