How to Set Clear Expectations for Shift-Based Workforces

In the fast-paced world of shift-based work, the secret to a successful team lies in setting clear expectations. Without clarity, confusion reigns, morale dips, and productivity suffers.

Studies have shown that many employees in today’s industry don’t know what’s expected of them at work.

When it comes to defining and clearly communicating your expectations, it’s important to consider various angles. In this blog post, we’ll dive into various areas that you should address to help create a high-achieving and well-functioning shift-based team.

Defining Roles

The first step in setting clear expectations is to articulate what each role entails. This goes beyond a mere job description. It’s about painting a vivid picture of what success looks like in each position.

For a front desk admin, this could mean not just handling transactions and sign-ups, but also articulating the details and tone of your business and helping customers feel welcome. For an instructor, this might involve not just teaching lessons, but also providing comfort and reassurance to students and parents.

When roles are defined with such clarity, employees have a blueprint to guide their actions and decisions.

Communication

Clear communication is the lifeline that keeps the heart of shift-based teams beating. It’s about ensuring that the baton of information and clear expectations is passed seamlessly from one shift to the next.

This could mean setting up systems for where important announcements, shift handovers, employee check-ins, information about inventory levels, customer feedback, or operational challenges are shared quickly and efficiency.

When employees feel heard and informed, they’re more engaged and invested in their roles. This feedback, coupled with regular skill assessments, provides a two-way street for communication, allowing for targeted improvements and recognition of excellence.

Performance Standards

Setting performance standards is like drawing a map of clear expectations that guides your team toward success. It’s about establishing clear, measurable goals that align with the larger objectives of the business.

No matter if it’s student progress markers for instructors, customer satisfaction targets for admin, or cleanliness standards for housekeeping staff, goals give employees something concrete to aim for.

But setting these standards is only half the battle. Providing regular feedback on progress, celebrating achievements, and constructively addressing areas for improvement are equally important.

Utilizing daily reports and notes on staff interactions to track these standards enables managers to monitor progress in real-time, identify training needs, and adjust strategies as necessary.

Training

Effective training programs – tailored to the unique demands of your organization’s shift-based work- can equip your team with the skills and knowledge they need to excel and maintain clear expectations.

This includes not just technical skills, but also soft skills like communication, teamwork, and problem solving.

Ongoing training opportunities, highlighted by regular skill assessments and incentive plan, show employees that their organization is investing in their growth. This not only boosts morale, but also aligns individual development with the team’s performance objectives, creating a cycle of continuous improvement.

Conclusion

Setting clear expectations for shift-based teams requires a thoughtful approach – one that can take some time to create. Having said that, when a team knows what’s expected of them and is equipped to meet those expectations, they’re far more likely to find success for themselves and the business.