Role Clarity and Its Connection to Vision
Are your employees clear on what’s expected from them in their work? Do they believe that the work they do matters? Are they excited about helping the organization reach its envisioned future?
If you don’t know the answers to the above questions, then it’s time to find out—and help your employees get clarity in their role so that they understand the part they play in helping the organization reach its vision. In this article, we cover the importance of role clarity for both the employee and the leader, as well as share three steps to take to gain role clarity and increase employee engagement levels.
Why is Role Clarity Important?
Recent Gallup research revealed that only 46% of employees clearly know what is expected of them at work, a decline since 2020. Employee engagement is currently trending down, but it doesn’t have to continue a negative trajectory. As a leader, you get the opportunity to foster a healthy organizational culture and give those you lead clarity in their roles. By communicating clear expectations to your employees, you’ll set them up for success because people need to know how to “win” at work while also receiving encouragement and feedback along the way. When employees have a supportive manager, a clear understanding of their role’s expectations, and the belief that their work matters and helps move the organization forward, their engagement levels will rise.
3 Steps to Role Clarity
Define success. People want to know what’s expected of them. They need to have a clear understanding of the metrics used to measure their success in their roles—because without role clarity, it’s simply hard to know whether you’re doing a good job or not. As a leader, you get to help people onboard with well-defined goals and clearly communicated expectations. And by helping them to understand what success looks like in their roles, you can connect their daily job functions to a greater vision, one that you’ve set for your team, and one that’s ultimately connected to the organization’s stated vision.
Discuss current reality. In your one-on-ones, take time to understand how your employees are feeling about their work. Demonstrate intentional curiosity and learn from them about what aspects of their work they’re excited about or needing help with. Create an atmosphere of authenticity where they feel the freedom to come to you, their leader, for help. Encourage resourcefulness, but also offer guidance when needed. In doing so, you’ll get a clear picture of how they are doing in their role. It’s important to realistically assess the current reality of each employee so that you can help them reach their goals (and, in turn, help the organization achieve its vision).
Bridge gap to envisioned future. Once your employee understands how their work connects to the organization’s overall vision, they’ll be able to lean into the integral part they play in the work. Make sure they see the connection between their daily job functions and the company’s goals. Keep them updated on progress and celebrate their wins. Help them to understand how their success directly impacts the company’s success. When people feel like their work matters and when they see the success of their role connected to a purpose bigger than themselves, that’s when you’ll get to lead a team of highly engaged employees partnering together to reach a shared vision.
Looking to help those you lead get clarity in their roles? We partner with leaders like you to develop and execute leadership strategies that enhance performance, increase engagement, and drive organizational impact. Reach out to schedule a complimentary consultation today. And learn more about our leadership development strategies at the button below.