Management of expectations is one means to maintain all workers and departments in a company working together, as long as performance and motivation are good. Yet this means that the company needs to create an organizational culture rooted in effective communication and strategic planning.

This is because when we work with expectations, we are working with individuals’ wishes and ideals, which may not always agree with reality. Most people become frustrated when their expectations are not fulfilled and this, in the business environment, can mean a lack of returns for the organization and de-motivation of employees.

Hence, discovering ways to handle such expectations enables everyone to work together in sync, with leaders knowing what to expect from individuals and employees, respectively, with the organization’s backing.

10 tips to improve expectation management at work

With this in mind, companies can establish an expectation management process so that teams remain aligned and everyone has clear objectives and goals. Here’s how to do this:

1- Clear and frequent communication

Communication is the foundation of this management, since there must be ongoing exchange among employees, leaders and teams. The more aligned they are, the more it will be easy to see what each one expects or thinks about a certain project and what is actually required to make it happen.

This can be achieved through open and transparent channels of communication and through frequent meetings to synchronize expectations and review progress.

2- Defining clear objectives

For expectations to be met, it is important to have clear goals that guide people’s actions and determine well-defined activities and processes.

One of the main ways to do this is through the SMART methodology, which allows you to define specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound goals.

Additionally, communication is necessary to ensure that team members understand these goals.

3- Establish realistic deadlines

Imagine that a group of people defined a series of steps for a project in a meeting, and each person was responsible for something. But the deadlines for each step were not defined, and the participants delivered according to their availability. It is not difficult to assume that this project will suffer from delays and possibly rework.

Setting realistic deadlines for each step allows people to have the right amount of time and perform their tasks better. Therefore, when setting deadlines, it is important to identify the team’s capacity and available resources, and avoid promising more than can be delivered.

4- Continuous feedback

Feedback is a wonderful help when it comes to handling expectations since it creates constant communication among individuals and a genuine evaluation of what is actually being accomplished. Regular constructive feedback and inviting the team to discuss their concerns and suggestions are a must.

5- Resource management

Of course, to deliver as desired, there are various aspects that involve resources. There are great ideas that come along and, despite being as creative as they are, are not grounded in the nature of the business.

So, there is a need to see that the team is adequately resourced to accomplish its functions and modify the deployment of resources accordingly.

6- Transparency in decisions

Just as communication needs to be open, decisions made by leadership need to be communicated transparently. The company needs to explain the reasons behind important decisions and keep staff informed about changes and updates.

7- Flexibility and adaptation

Even with all the steps aligned, changes happen all the time. Any planning is subject to changes to adapt to reality. Therefore, it is necessary to be prepared to adjust plans and expectations as necessary and maintain a flexible approach in the face of unforeseen events.

8- Recognition and reward

In addition to feedback, recognition for a job well done and for achieving goals is an important motivator for people. It indicates that they are on the right track and that their effort and dedication have been recognized.

Creating recognition and benefits programs maintains good team performance and shows employees that they can grow within the company.

9- Training and development

Expectation can sometimes be confused with “guesswork”, when someone simply believes that something can be accomplished in a certain amount of time, or that a certain professional will be able to complete a task alone.

10- Documentation and monitoring

Another means of ensuring that things that were planned are accomplished as intended is having clear records, either using digital planning tools or even group calendars. In this manner, all members have visibility of the activity progress and individual assignments.

Through the application of these tips, it is easy to significantly enhance workplace management of expectations, leading to an increased productive and harmonious workplace.