EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES HAVE DIFFERENT EXPECTATIONS OF EACH OTHER BOTH IN TERMS OF WORK GENERALLYY AND IN TERMS OF PARTICULAR PEOPLE AND JOBS
Irrespective of the size, structure and orientation of any particular organization, it is employer’s responsibility to make improved decisions towards the selection of newly hired employees as well as maintaining previous workforce. It is employer’s expectation to achieve all his organizational needs from his appointed workforce whereas; employees expect to acquire skills and benefits whilst working for an organization. They are keen to show how hard working they are and what sort of skills and abilities they possess. Both the employer and the employee are satisfied with each other when activities and processes are used to legally obtain number of right people at the right place and time so that the people and the organization can select each other in their own best interests (Kramar, McGraw, 1997, p. 310).
There are many employees out there who wish they could get all the secretive information that would help them in getting into the minds of their employers. From the point of view of an employer the great expectation is to hire a bright candidate who would benefit the organization in the long-run. The aim is to hire an employee with an excellent combination of skills, knowledge, abilities and a passion to work hard, an individual whose performance is flawless and accurate all the times. An employer expects that the requirements of his organizational strategy are fulfilled to the maximum extent therefore he prefers to hire individuals who have specific set of skills and abilities to perform a particular job. For instance, to work for an educational sector, one is required to meet certain eligible educational criteria but in a circumstance where there are more than one person applying for the job, the employer seeks for the candidate who would be able to accomplish the required job more efficiently.
An average employee can just still survive in an organization, on the other hand an individual who is professional and possesses good interpersonal skills and excellent work ethics will certainly be an eye catcher for the employer. It is not that the employer is looking for something exceptional or extra ordinary but still, among several candidates he has to make selection then it is most likely that he would select someone who is more hard working, efficient and intelligent enough to learn and grasp new things quickly. Although there are certain universal attributes that every employer expects from his workers like; professional skills, interpersonal skills, communication skills, personal attitude, social interaction and compatibility towards work. But at the same time the main objective of the employer is to make sure all the organizational demands and requirements are fulfilled therefore, an employee who is hard working and dedicated towards his work would be someone that the employer can trust to the fullest.
Now speaking about employee’s expectations, they range in an opposite direction as compared to employer’s expectations. An employee’s main objective is to export his skills to seek benefits in return. He is like a tradesperson who expects good amount of return for every hour of hard work he has done. Whether it is an employee working in a fast food restaurant or a manager in a big firm, everyone expects good returns from their employers both financially and professionally as well. Besides financial benefit, an individual also expects his employer to understand him in terms of what his or her personal requirements are and they are always looking for any feedback coming their way.
While considering the current labour market, it is quite clear that the employee expectations have changed very drastically over the years. Previously, the role of trade union was very limited but now it has evolved and one can observe quite dramatic changes with regards to the whole concept on which today’s labour market is built. Elements of social involvement and participation has emerged which has made it possible for the employees to have their say when they feel it right. It is more likely that a re-invention of the labour market would occur and it would become more like a business partner rather than just another part of any particular business. So much so, relationship between employees and their heads have certainly improved in this re-invention process of the labour market. In the past there was always a certain level of uncertainty with regards to the labour market and its impact on the employment industry and relationships between workers and their leaders. But all these uncertainties have become a thing of past as new emergent labour market has appeared again.
With respect to employer and employee’s expectations who work in different segments or communities, it is observed that the expectations of two different organizations would definitely differ from each other. The reason behind it is that while comparing two organizations or segments of a particular business industry you will observe that they are never similar in any real sense. In fact, two firms that offer similar services would differ from each other in terms of their structure, work ethics and values. For instance, there are two photo printing firms offering same service which is photo printing and production, but their objectives might differ from each other in the sense that one organization focuses on its business ethics and hires employees who are able to maintain the image of high professionalism and high level of accurate performance. Whereas, the other firm focuses more on customer retention and increase in sales, therefore such firm would hire employees who are able to maintain a good level of customer services.
Similarly, different communities may have an effect on employer and employee's expectations. For example, people working in South Asian countries are not much aware of employee’s rights and they do what their employer wants them to do. At the same time, the requirements of professional working environment may differ from those that are practiced in most of the European countries. Whereas, in most of the European countries, employees are very much familiar with their rights and they exactly know how to make the employer respect their expectations. Also, the work ethics, level of professionalism and type of work force differ from one community to another and these all play a very important role in determining the expectations of both the sides.
There are many other factors that influence the expectations of employer and employee of each other. The nature of a particular business or an organization is a vital phenomenon in determining and building the expectations of its workers and their employers. It is a wrong assumption that employee and employers try to create hindrance for each other by enlisting their expectations. In fact, these expectations sometimes help in determining the nature of the organization and its workforce. For those businesses that are unable to quote what their requirements are and what they want from their workforce, it gets difficult to hire suitable individuals for particular jobs. Similarly, workers who do not have an idea what to expect from their employers are unable to perform to their best of abilities. Good level of communication from both sides is an essential thing so that everyone knows what to expect from each other.
Every organization aims to achieve success and every potential employer is on the verge of seeking a suitable candidate who would help in solving problems related to the organization’s structure and working while using all his abilities and expertise in the most efficient way. Whether one is hiring or getting hired it should always be kept in mind that the demand for unrealistic expectations from each other brings negativity to both sides of the organization and little can be done to meet those unrealistic expectations. So, make them very realistic and precise at the same time. Professionalism is another vital key for the employer and employee to maintain. The first step towards professionalism is taken when the candidate sends his resume to the client. Proper knowledge of basic business etiquettes and use of excellent work ethic is in demand for employers; Those individuals who are enthusiastic, optimistic, passionate and professional at the same time are considered as very respectful in the world of employment.
Relationship building is considered as a vital ingredient and those organizations that are able to showcase excellent relationship building between the workers, co-workers and their employers, such organizations are termed as successful. But relationship can only be strengthened between the two parties when they both equalize their expectations from each other. For employer the high priority is to do work on time and make sure that every single employee is thoroughly engaged with his work commitments. While the employee prioritizes his interpersonal skills and abilities and he expects that his employer will appreciate his hard work and in the end he will achieve a suitable reward for it in financial terms.
Employers value those workers who are willing and able to demonstrate excellent skills and are willing to work harder than before. Other than working hard, the employee is required to be talented and knowledgeable. He or she should be able to complete tasks given to them right on time and without any flaws or mistakes. A display of positive attitude towards work is more than enough to fulfil the expectations of an employer. Those candidates who do much more than what is expected from them are highly appreciated by their employers. Such situations where the worker feels like as if his or her hard work is recognised are termed as ideal environment because in such an environment the worker is able to perform at his best and the employer is able to understand his candidate even more.
In some cases, it becomes essential to fulfil certain expectations of the employer because not every individual is qualified enough to carry out every sort of work. For example, an organization that is looking to hire an engineer, cannot hire anyone from anywhere. For this particular role a very relevant and qualified individual is required. Apart from people the type of job and the nature of job also determines what the employer’s and employee’s expectations would be.
Constructive relationship is something that creates a bond between an employer and his employee. Because this way they are able to know what they both expect from each other and to what extent. Once everyone in the organization is able to know what is expected from then it is most likely that they would be able to perform more efficiently (Bryson, 2001). Whereas, if there are no clear cut directions given to the workers then they might not get an understanding of what is required from them. Besides laying down expectations, whether it is the employee or the employer the next thing is to create the right pitch for describing what is expected from whom.
Hence, while concluding, it can be said that the expectations of employees and employers differ from each other in many different respects. They both aim to achieve their own personal goals but at the same time they know that they have to work hand in hand. There are various different factors that may influence the expectations of either side. Moreover there are several different situations where these expectations might deviate a little bit. Two similar employees with same qualifications but working in different companies might have different expectations of their employees and vice versa. It can be concluded that a diverse labour market has emerged during the recent years which has totally changed the appearance of employee market. Furthermore, the expectations of organizations and workforces belonging to different segments of the society differ from each other. Different communities also practice different ways to express their expectations.
References
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