Why Clear Expectations Matter for Early-Career Women
By Tanya Andrews, Founder of Trellis Collective
For early-career women stepping into male-dominated industries, uncertainty isn’t just a mild discomfort, it can be a significant barrier to confidence, participation, and long-term retention.
Gen Z has grown up in an era of instant answers and constant unpredictability. From economic downturns to global crises, they’ve witnessed instability at every turn. Unlike previous generations who were often encouraged to “figure it out,” Gen Z has been raised with information at their fingertips. They’re resourceful, digitally fluent, and highly independent learners.
But while they can Google their way to knowledge, they can’t Google their way to workplace success.
That’s where certainty becomes a game-changer.
Why Certainty Matters
Certainty isn’t about eliminating all challenges or handing everything to them on a silver platter. It’s about reducing unnecessary ambiguity so early-career women can focus on learning, growing, and making meaningful contributions.
Too often, workplaces assume employees will “figure things out” on their own. But unclear expectations lead to hesitation, disengagement, and anxiety. Many early-career women hesitate to ask questions, fearing they’ll appear incompetent or unqualified. Instead, they default to quiet struggle: Googling answers, second-guessing their decisions, and staying silent in meetings.
The consequences?
• Missed opportunities for development
• A lack of confidence in decision-making
• Reduced participation and slower learning curves
• Lower engagement and retention
And while these challenges may seem small in isolation, they add up. Over time, they affect not only the individual’s growth but the team’s performance and the company’s ability to retain diverse talent.
Why it matters 'more' for Early Career Women
Early-career women in male-dominated spaces face an added layer of complexity: the invisible pressure of being “the only.” In many teams, they may be one of just a few women, or the only woman altogether. That sense of being different can amplify feelings of uncertainty and make it harder to ask for help or clarify expectations.
In these environments, clear guidance isn’t just helpful, it’s essential.
Providing clarity from the outset helps:
- Build psychological safety
- Reinforce belonging and inclusion
- Accelerate learning and contribution
- Reduce the gender confidence gap
As I often say, “Clarity builds confidence, and confidence builds contribution.” When women know what’s expected of them, what success looks like, and where to turn when things feel unclear, they’re not just more likely to stay, they’re more likely to rise.
The good news? Providing certainty doesn’t require micromanagement, it requires clarity and intentionality.
Creating Certainty Without Micromanagement
The key to supporting early-career talent is structured guidance that evolves with experience.
At the start of their careers, early-career women benefit from:
- Clear instructions and role expectations
- Specific points of contact for support
- Consistent communication on priorities and responsibilities
As confidence and competence build, managers can scale back oversight, without removing structure entirely. Instead of constant direction, support can shift to check-ins, feedback loops, and open channels of communication.
What does this look like in action?
- Set Clear Expectations: Define what success looks like. Don’t assume it’s obvious. Be clear on timelines, deliverables, and who they can go to for help.
- Create Structured Check-ins: These don’t need to be long. A five-minute check-in can prevent a month of second-guessing. The goal is to normalise open communication.
- Encourage Proactive Communication: Early-career women might wait too long to ask for help. Demonstrate to them it’s okay, and expected, to check in, ask questions, and raise flags early.
- Provide Safe Learning Environments: Build spaces where it’s okay to make mistakes, where feedback is constructive, and where trying (and failing) is part of the process. This reduces fear and builds confidence.
- Celebrate Wins Early and Often: Positive reinforcement isn’t fluff: it’s fuel. Recognising small achievements helps reinforce a sense of progress, contribution, and confidence.
The Business Impact of Certainty
This isn’t just about individual development, it’s about business performance.
When early-career women feel certain about what’s expected of them:
- Stress and anxiety decrease
- Decision-making improves
- Engagement and motivation rise
- Productivity and performance increase
- Retention rates go up
Yet many workplaces still operate under outdated assumptions, expecting early-career professionals to navigate ambiguity without structured support.
The result? A revolving door of untapped talent and inconsistent performance.
Investing in certainty, especially in the first 0-3 years, has a compounding return. It shortens the learning curve, boosts morale, and builds a foundation of trust and clarity that extends well into mid-career and beyond.
Moving Forward: A Call to Action for Managers
If you’re leading early-career women, ask yourself:
🔸 Are we providing clear expectations, or assuming they’ll figure it out?
🔸 Do we have a structured support system in place, or are we relying on informal guidance?
🔸 Are we balancing autonomy with guidance in a way that actually builds confidence?
Because when certainty is present, early-career women don’t just stay, they thrive. And when they thrive, businesses grow, teams become more efficient, and the pipeline of female leadership strengthens.
Let’s make sure the next generation of female talent isn’t left guessing. Let’s give them the clarity they need to step up, speak up, and lead with confidence from the very beginning.