Measuring Employee Engagement With the Q12: Question #1

#1: I KNOW WHAT IS EXPECTED OF ME AT WORK

Why It's Important

Clear expectations are the most basic and fundamental employee need. Employees who strongly agree that their job description aligns with the work they do are 2.5 times more likely than other employees to be engaged.

Employees need to grasp the fundamentals of their work, which are not limited to their job description. In many cases, employees are held accountable for work that doesn't match their job description, which can confuse and frustrate them as they try to do their job and make decisions every day.

What the Numbers Say

Globally, one in two employees strongly agree that they know what is expected of them at work. By increasing that ratio to eight in 10, organizations could realize a 22% reduction in turnover, a 29% reduction in safety incidents and a 10% increase in productivity.

What the Best Managers Do

The greatest pitfall of the first element is that managers assume the simplicity of the statement means they have a simple solution when their employees disagree with this element: "If people don't know what's expected, I'll just tell them." But helping employees understand what their manager and organization expect from them requires much more than just telling them what to do.

The most effective managers define and discuss the explicit and implicit expectations for each employee. They paint a picture of outstanding performance and help employees recognize how their work leads to the success of their coworkers, their business area and the entire organization.

Continue to Q02: I HAVE THE MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT I NEED TO DO MY WORK RIGHT