Performance Expectations

As an employer, you are used to being the one in control. You’re in the driver’s seat, and you’re the one who gets to write the rule book. While you need to stay within the parameters of the law, the rest is effectively up to you. If you want things done a certain way in your business, you have the luxury of dictating those terms.

But how do you ensure that those terms are followed? The answer is setting performance expectations, and then measuring them routinely. For your employees to succeed, you and your team all need to know what that success actually looks like. Here are a few key ways to build and monitor that successful workplace:

Hire the right people

In the world of HR, this is often known as having ‘the right butts in the right seats.’ The truth is that great talent can take your business to new heights, while the wrong people in key roles can be absolutely detrimental to your progress. If you have a team member that’s under-performing, holding others back, or completely uncoachable, you know that it’s likely time for them to go.

Before that happens though, make sure that you’re doing proper screening to find the right talent. Don’t rush to hire, especially for key roles – ensure that candidates have a clear understanding of the work and expectations, and check references thoroughly. If someone looks right on paper, but your gut is telling you otherwise, your instincts may be correct.

Thorough background checks may not be as important for entry level roles, but they can be crucial for more senior employees. Is there anything problematic in your employee’s history which may not be obvious on the surface, but could

Manage performance regularly

If you see an employee struggling with a task, doing something incorrectly, or just not meeting expectations – do not hesitate to intervene early. Remember that good performance management can extend beyond just discipline, and proper instruction may help avoid a small problem from becoming that much worse.

Performance management can be punitive, but it does not have to be. Enter with the best intentions, and the hope that an employee’s poor performance or bad behaviour is a simple error at first that is capable of being corrected. If they are still refusing to follow instructions, or appear to be deliberately ignoring them, then you can make decisions as necessary.

Promote Mentorship

Does your workplace have a formal mentorship program? Are new hires being introduced to senior, more experienced team members who are offering to help them through challenging situations? Do people know where to go when they have a question? Is there someone dedicated to helping younger employees’ guide their career trajectory forward?

A formal mentorship program is a great way to build upon a company’s success. The goal of hiring young talent is usually to grow and foster their development, and mentorship is a great way to do that. A formal, or even informal, mentorship program is a great way to offer that extra soft skills training that can lead to employees exceeding expectations.

Build a Company Culture

Company culture may seem like a hard concept to grasp at first, but to your employees it means everything. Workers today are looking for company culture that embodies their values. A good company culture can be a great place to work, and a toxic company culture can be what drives people out of your organization.

Build on the values that your employees share, and live them. If you say that you have a commitment to community and giving back, then encourage everyone on the team to volunteer, and give them time and opportunities to do so.

A company culture that rings hollow can actually work against you. If you claim that you have a commitment to DEI, but your top leadership team does not include any diversity, younger BIPOC employees may assume they have no chance of reaching the upper ranks. Similarly, claiming a ‘family’ type work atmosphere, but then treating employees badly, is also disingenuous. Know your values, and live them.

Celebrate the Wins

Lastly, when your employees do exceed expectations, celebrate them! Find unique and interesting ways to make employees feel valued when they push hard for success. Forget the traditional plaque and photo on the wall for employee of the month. Publicly acknowledge an employee’s success, and make it known to the whole team how much you value and reward that additional level of effort.