So you’ve started a new position, congratulations! You undoubtedly put a lot of hard work into finding, applying for, interviewing, and ultimately getting the job. Now that you’re in the position, it is time to dive in, learn some new tasks, and start finding your way in a new setting. Soon you’ll be out of the “training and getting settled” period and jumping into your first couple of projects.
But what happens if that initial period is way too short? What if your manager is already setting unrealistic expectations, and you don’t even have a full week under your belt? How can you begin to balance and manage your manager’s sky-high expectations?
First and foremost, take a deep breath. You will get through this, and every manager has to realize that new people are typically not going to jump right into projects at a pace that more seasoned employees can. As you work through your projects, here are some steps to start building a foundation for a strong relationship and balance with your new manager.
Your new manager may give you the impression that everything is going to need to be finished far more quickly than you feel ready for. You may not feel as though you have the depth of experience or breadth of knowledge to even remotely meet these expectations. And you certainly don’t want to be the new employee who completely fails at their first task on the job.
The first thing you can do in this situation is recognize that you are new. You’re just going to be slower for the first project and it will take you more time to get it right. Don’t be afraid to lean on some of your colleagues and ask as many questions as you need to be successful. Set personal timeline goals such as I will make sure I understand company policy by the end of the week by ready documentation and asking questions.
Likewise, don’t be afraid to set aside time or ask for overtime pay to help yourself balance training needs with current workloads. Maybe you’ll be most successful with a daily schedule, something like: I will check emails in the morning and respond to easy requests, then I spend two hours on training followed by tackling one piece of an assigned project for the rest of the afternoon.
Communicate, Communicate, Communicate
The next step to managing your manager’s expectations is built around communication. Not only should you be asking questions to your colleagues, but you should also be checking in with your manager. One of the best ways to do this is to sit down with your manager within your first month and define what success in your position looks like.
Meetings with your manager should happen every couple of months. This can give you both an opportunity to build a working relationship, clarify expectations needed to stay on track, and provide a space to ask questions and get answers. Transparent communication is key to managing expectations and making sure you both understand each other’s perspectives and it is critical to long-term career success.
Put Boundaries in Place
Another aspect of managing expectations in your new position involves putting boundaries in place for yourself. As a new employee, it can be hard to say no to tasks and easy to find yourself burdened with more than you can reasonably accomplish.
Failing to set boundaries early can result in you experiencing burnout down the road, especially if you work in a demanding or high-stress profession such as emergency services. You can overcome burnout with things like self-care techniques, even in these career paths, but it’s ultimately far better to prevent it in the first place if possible.
Saying no doesn’t mean you’re not a team player or are letting people down, it just means that you recognize the amount of work you’re capable of being successful with and when you’re maxed out. Setting boundaries is an important leadership skill that plays a pivotal role in long-term career success. The most important boundaries to set are often the simplest such as when you start and end your work day or when you take breaks.
Automate when Feasible
As you start diving into your new position and learning the tasks associated, you may identify opportunities to streamline your workloads. Automating tasks and finding quicker ways to tackle monotonous jobs can free you up to focus on more creative and time-consuming endeavors. After all, why spend time on data entry when you could be designing the next project?
Finding ways to streamline your workloads and automating tasks may also make you look like a rockstar and earn you plenty of bonus points with your manager. Incorporating technologies can also open new doors and ideas for projects, build better analyses for existing projects, and help keep things moving forward at a faster clip.
Protect Your Well-Being
Regardless of all of your job expectations, one of the most important things you can be doing is taking the necessary time to protect your mental and physical well-being (especially if you’re facing any additional challenges like harassment or discrimination). Some positions will offer perks such as gym memberships or paid time to exercise — use them. Mental and physical health is important.
And it isn’t just important to you. Plenty of data suggests that employees who are encouraged to take breaks and get some physical activity are more productive and happier in their careers. Placing a higher value on your well-being at work may help you meet your manager’s expectations more readily.
When you’re stressed and busy, you might feel pressured to eat unhealthy fast food. Get healthy food delivery instead. It’s more convenient and keeps you feeling energized even during the most difficult days. You can even order ahead of time so you’ll have food the moment your stomach starts to rumble.
Manager expectations can be tricky, especially when you’re starting a new position at work. Setting realistic expectations early on is a key component to developing a positive working relationship. This might mean taking steps like managing work time, building communication, setting boundaries, finding tools to streamline projects, and protecting your well-being. You’ve got this!
