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Human resources (HR) leaders are the bridge between employees and management. It’s a big but delicate responsibility to ensure employees are well taken care of and that a high level of care translates to achieving company goals. In other words, you must strike a balance between employer expectations and employee well-being. Sounds simple enough, right?
Well, we both know it’s a lot more complicated than that because of competing demands. Yes, you want everyone to feel good and have what they need to thrive at work. But if it’s costing the company a lot to do this, and you’re still not meeting your performance and productivity goals, it seems pointless.
It’s a tightrope walk between creating a supportive environment for employees and ensuring the company meets its goals. But as an HR leader, you’re uniquely positioned to cultivate environments where productivity and employee satisfaction coexist.
Achieving this balance requires deliberate strategies, a commitment to employee health, and proactive communication to address evolving workplace dynamics.
Setting Realistic Employer Expectations
Unrealistic demands can lead to burnout, decreased morale, and high turnover rates, all of which undermine an organization’s objectives.
Setting realistic expectations starts with assessing the needs of your organization. Once you know what your company really needs to succeed, you can define clear goals for each employee and map out a plan for achieving them without compromising worker health.
Defining Clear, Achievable Goals
Each team member should understand their role, responsibilities, and how their contributions align with the organization’s broader goals.
Utilizing frameworks like SMART (Specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-bound) goals can provide a structured approach to setting expectations. An example of a SMART goal is:
- Increase our deal closure rate by 10% by the end of the year. The sales department will accomplish this goal by attending sales workshops to improve close techniques and get regular call reviews. Accomplishing this goal will improve overall company profitability by 25%.
Once you have goals in place, clearly communicate them to all employees. Encourage them to write down the goals and expectations in their own words to ensure understanding. And hold regular team and one-on-one meetings to keep you on the same page over time.
Clarity in objectives ensures employees remain focused and motivated, ultimately driving better outcomes for the company.
Assessing Workloads Against Employer Expectations
Regularly evaluating workloads is also essential to ensure they align with employees’ capacities. This involves:
- Conducting workload assessments to identify imbalances;
- Engaging in open dialogues with employees to understand their perspectives;
- Using data-driven tools to track workload distribution and adjust accordingly.
These steps improve efficiency and foster a culture of fairness and support.
Managing short-term and long-term employer expectations
Short-term projects often require intense focus and effort, but they should not become the norm. Balancing these demands with long-term planning allows for steady, sustainable progress.
Establish realistic deadlines and provide adequate resources to help employees deliver high-quality work without undue stress. Additionally, you should encourage teams to anticipate challenges and develop contingency plans, ensuring that short-term priorities do not compromise long-term goals.
Monitoring Employee Well-Being
Creating a supportive environment is key to employees meeting the expectations you have for them and maintaining a healthy and engaged workforce. Employee well-being encompasses mental, emotional, and physical health, all of which directly impact performance and satisfaction.
You can implement initiatives to address employee well-being proactively, such as offering inclusive benefits like mental health packages, unlimited PTO, and employee assistance programs. You should also promote regular breaks and encourage employees to disconnect after work hours.
These initiatives signal to employees that their health is valued, contributing to higher morale and reduced absenteeism.
Also, building a culture of consistent communication helps you stay attuned to employees’ needs. Scheduled one-on-one meetings and team feedback sessions create opportunities to identify stressors, recognize achievements, and strengthen trust and collaboration across teams.
Finally, flexibility in work arrangements can significantly enhance work-life balance. Allow remote or hybrid work schedules. Encourage the use of personal and vacation days without guilt and setting boundaries to prevent an “always-on” culture.
Recognizing and Addressing Unrealistic Employer Expectations
Despite best efforts, there may be instances when employer expectations exceed reasonable limits. If you can identify and address these situations, you can help improve employee well-being and productivity.
A good job description sets the tone for the employee experience and clearly defines what’s expected of a person in that specific role. They should convey exactly what the position will be and how they fit into the broader company culture.
However, many descriptions fail to do this, leading to difficult hiring processes and frustrated new hires. Recognizing unrealistic standards starts by reviewing job descriptions. When a job description is vague, has job requirements well beyond the average skillset in that role, and mentions an unreasonable salary range, it’s a sign of unrealistic expectations and should be reevaluated.
Other signs of unrealistic expectations include:
- Frequent employee complaints about workload or deadlines;
- High levels of absenteeism or turnover;
- A noticeable decline in team morale or engagement.
Understanding these red flags enables you to intervene effectively and safeguard employee well-being.
Once unrealistic demands are identified, it is essential to take corrective action. This may involve reevaluating project scopes and timelines. You might also prioritize tasks to ensure critical goals are met without overburdening employees.
Collaborating with managers to redistribute workloads and provide additional support where needed will likely be necessary, too.
So, make sure you’re encouraging open communication about challenges and stressors. Recognize and reward employees’ efforts to build morale. In addition, provide training for managers on fostering supportive team environments.
Addressing burnout improves individual performance and strengthens overall organizational resilience.
Conclusion
Balancing employer expectations with employee well-being is not a one-time effort but an ongoing commitment. It requires realistic goal setting, monitoring well-being, and addressing challenges proactively.
Clear communication, flexibility, and a focus on health and balance will ensure sustainable success for both employers and employees. Continuous improvement and dedication to this balance will help your company thrive.
