Setting Clear Expectations Reduces Employee Quitting

Cathie Leimbach • July 5, 2023

Remember when you had a coach, teacher, mentor, parent, friend who believed in you 100%? Their high expectations and total belief for what you could do enabled you to perform better than you imagined, consistently and confidently.  You felt good about being successful and you wanted to experience more of these good feelings.  You knew you were in a right-fit place and never considered quitting the team.  You took more courses with that teacher because you understood their expectations.  You spent more time with that friend because you both had similar expectations of the friendship. Likewise, when managers are clear about workplace expectations and provide reinforcing feedback, employees are likely to succeed and much less likely to quit.     

 

However, a recent Harvard Business study found that 69% of managers reported being uncomfortable communicating with their employees.  When managers don't tell employees specifically what they want them to do in a way that the employees understand what is expected, there is little chance of them producing the desired results.  This often leads to managers complaining about employee performance or ignoring underperformers.  Employee frustration with their failure and inadequate communication with their boss causes them to resign, work with mediocre effort, or become a quiet quitter (to collect a paycheck but not even try to accomplish anything).

 

Effective managers make it a priority to clearly communicate expectations.  They share exactly what results they are expecting from each employee, specify which procedures are to be followed, and regulary provide feedback so employees know when they are or aren't fulfilling expectations. Imagine how your employees will feel when they know what is expected.  Good performers will be confident about keeping their job and poor performers will know where they need to improve.  Nobody will be wondering if they are on the right track so they won't be wasting time and energy worrying about their job security.  They will be likely to become strong performers who aren't thinking of quitting your organization. 


Here are some best practices for communicating expectations an regulary reinforcing them so your employees are clear about workplace expectations:

  • Connect the company "why" to your employee's "Why".  Your employees need to know why what they do matters. More importantly, they need to find a sense of purpose in your organization's mission. Treat your employees like they make a difference, and they will.
  • Be clear. Set clear expectations and goals. Meet with each of your direct reports one-on-one periodically to make sure they understand what "good performance" is. And put it in writing so that it is easy to keep track of what has or hasn't been communicated.
  • Co-Create Goals. Don't dictate. Co-creating goals and expectations will create higher buy-in and more significant accountability. Having a conversation with each of your employees will empower and support them to meet and exceed expectations.  
  • Provide C.A.R.E feedback. Continuous. Accessible. Regular. Empathetic. Schedule regular meetings continually. Be responsive, approachable, and empathetic. You have a unique opportunity to unleash the most significant contributions of others.
  • Hold them accountable.  Praise their successes, kindly point out where improvement is needed, and willingly give them the support necessary to become more effective.
  • Be approachable.  Encourage your employees to reach out to you with their questions.  Be available when they need clarification.  Welcome the disruption to your schedule when the purpose is to equip an employee to do their job more effectively. 
  • Get out of their way. Develop agreed-to expectations with each employee. Give them the support they need. And then let them do their thing. Trust that they can solve the problem, find the solution, take care of the customer, innovate and inspire other team members. 

 

As managers, it is essential that you communicate and reinforce expectations effectively and frequently.  You will be making huge deposits into your employees' confidence and performance, greatly decreasing the likelihood that they will quit your company. 


What can you do this month to communicate your expectations more clearly?  Register for - and attend - our free 45-minute webinar “3 Tips to Reduce Employee Quitting”.   

When Leadership Feels “Fine”… But Results Tell a Different Story

By Cathie Leimbach • January 13, 2026
Many leaders feel things are mostly on track. Goals are set. Meetings happen. People stay busy. On the surface, it all looks fine . But underneath, small cracks often tell a different story. You may notice work getting redone, decisions slowing down, or people quietly avoiding ownership. These aren’t just workflow problems. They’re leadership signals — and they’re easy to miss when everyone is moving fast. Leaders often believe they’ve been clear. They think people know what’s expected and who owns what. And they assume that if something was wrong, someone would speak up. But in real life, expectations get interpreted in different ways. Ownership can feel risky. And many people stay silent just to keep the peace. That gap between what leaders intend and what teams experience is where performance starts to slip. A few simple questions can help reveal what’s really going on: · Where is work quality lacking? · What decisions keep getting stuck? · Where do leaders step in instead of letting others own it? Start noticing those patterns. They point to exactly where stronger leadership can make the biggest difference. 👉 See what a 10–15% leadership shift could mean for your bottom line. View the Leadership ROI Chart .

Why Leadership Skills Matter More Than Ever in 2026

By Cathie Leimbach • January 6, 2026
People are essential to your business success—yet many organizations underestimate the return on leadership development. Payroll and benefits alone account for 15 to 60% of operating expenses for most companies. In industries with lower payroll percentages, the trade-off is often expensive equipment—but without well-trained people, even the best tools underperform. The truth is simple: mediocre employee skills produce mediocre business results. What’s often overlooked is where performance and engagement are truly shaped. Employees themselves only control about 30% of the factors that drive engagement and high performance. Leaders control the other 70%. Despite this, only 18% of organizations say their leaders are very effective at achieving business goals, even though 71% offer leadership training. Why the gap? Much of that training focuses on strategy or systems—not on people leadership skills that directly improve performance. When leaders do build those skills, the impact is powerful. Employees who feel supported give 57% more effort and are 87% less likely to leave. Organizations can see earnings increase by as much as 147%. In fact, leadership training delivers a $7 return for every $1 invested—more than double the return on technology investments. Since leadership capability is being touted as the most critical factor for organizational success in 2026, it’s worth asking: Which people leadership best practices have your managers truly adopted? What currently weak areas are the most important to strengthen this year? A short leadership quiz can surface strengths and growth areas that aren’t always obvious—especially when you take time to talk through what it reveals.