Is managing job expectations really that important when it comes to hiring new employees?

A recent study showed that 40% of new hires leave within six months.

Just imagine that, going through all that trouble of writing job postings, setting up competency models (if you don’t know what these are, check out What is a Competency Model?), receiving applications and setting up candidate interviews.

Then after properly conducting the interviews, you finally close in on the candidate that you want. A person that you think will fill the required role perfectly. You make your offer, and they accept it. Everything is going great, and your work has payed off.

And then they leave you.

The reasons can always be found in poorly explained job expectations. So, to make sure that does not happen to you, we made a simple list that will give you some tips that you can quickly implement in your hiring processes.

Setting up Job Expectations

Communicating job expectations

You have to communicate the job properly. This will usually come down to multiple factors. First off, there is your job description. This will be your employee’s first contact with their job, so make sure it sets the proper tone. Your job description should be clear, and simply state the expected competencies, as well as compensation for the job.

And the second thing, when it comes to conducting interviews, be prepared to answer any questions they may have, and answer them honestly. You will benefit nobody by embellishing a job position.

Explain career paths

A big part of setting up good job expectations is letting the person know what their future within the company may look like. Explain to them where their position will lead them in the future, and how they may get there.

By painting a clear picture of their future, you can give them a great deal of motivation. All of a sudden, they have something to look forward to, something to strive for. And that is usually all an employee is looking for.

Company culture

You should present your company culture to your new employee in a clear and detailed way. If you are a results-driven company, don’t pretend to be a company that is all about connecting and sharing, and growing together. The same goes for the other way around. Your company culture must be explained to your new hire, so they don’t get the wrong ideas.

If you stick to these simple tips, you will be well on your way to establishing proper job expectations. Good luck!