"Blueprint for Success: The Transformative Journey of Crafting Concrete Expectations for our Team and the Lessons Learned Along the Way"

ResaHR Bangalore is a leading recruitment agency and HR Consultancy firm supporting startups and SMBs in hiring needs. If you are looking for recruitment support or if you want to set up an HR process in place, reach out to us @[email protected]. Rekha Hegde

As the HR Manager at a Mumbai-based tech startup, I faced a significant challenge that taught me the crucial lesson of setting clear expectations. Tasked with recruiting 20 new tech talents within a quarter, I chose a hands-off approach, trusting my team's expertise to meet this ambitious goal.

"Let's make this quarter a success," I motivated them, assuming they understood the strategic importance of their mission.

However, as the quarter progressed, it became clear that my approach had flaws. The team prioritized quantity over quality, leading to a talent mismatch that impacted a critical project. This misstep was a wake-up call during a tense meeting where the disconnect between our efforts and the company's strategic needs was starkly highlighted.

Realizing my mistake in not setting clear expectations, I took immediate action to correct our course.

I met with each team member individually, setting specific, measurable goals tied to timelines. For example, I tasked Aakash, our lead recruiter, with filling five critical positions within six weeks, emphasizing the need for specific skill sets that were crucial for our projects.

This approach transformed our recruitment efforts. By providing clear, personalized objectives and regular check-ins, we fostered a sense of accountability and direction. The results were evident by the end of the quarter: not only did we meet our recruitment target, but the quality of hires significantly improved, directly benefiting our projects.

This experience underscored the importance of clear expectations. It's not just about setting goals; it's about providing a roadmap for success. Clear expectations lead to accountability, improve performance, and build a culture of trust and transparency. Moving forward, this principle will be at the core of our team management strategy, ensuring every member knows what's expected and feels empowered to contribute their best.

To effectively set clear expectations, it's crucial to address these four key questions:

1. What is the goal or desired outcome?

2. How do we define success or what are the criteria for quality?

3. When does this need to be accomplished?

4. Can we provide any examples to illustrate this?

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Setting Clear Expectations for Recruitment Goals

1. Goal/Desired Outcome:

- Recruit 20 new employees across specific roles, with a diversity target.

2. Success Criteria/Quality:

- Fill all targeted positions with qualified candidates, achieving a 40% diversity rate.

3. Deadline:

- Complete recruitment within the next quarter.

4. Example for Illustration:

- Last year, successfully recruited 30 employees in 2 months, meeting all role-specific and diversity criteria.

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Example.

Clear Goals for Hiring Full Stack Developers

1. Goal/Desired Outcome:

- Hire 20 Full Stack Developers with 3-5 years of experience.

2. Success Criteria/Quality:

- Candidates must meet experience level, have a balanced skill set in front-end and back-end technologies, and fit company culture.

3. Deadline:

- Complete hiring within 6 months.

4. Example for Illustration:

- Previously hired 10 Full Stack Developers within 3 months, focusing on rapid onboarding and skill match, aiming to replicate this success with a focus on experience and cultural fit for 20 roles.