内容摘要：Deepti Sadhwani poses for photographers during the awards ceremony red carpet at the 78th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Saturday, May 24, 2025. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)

Deepti Sadhwani poses for photographers during the awards ceremony red carpet at the 78th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Saturday, May 24, 2025. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)

The new survey showed that new employees, younger employees, people in white-collar industries like technology, insurance and finance, and those in hybrid work arrangements were especially likely to report that expectations for their roles weren’t clear.This article is part of AP’s Be Well coverage, focusing on wellness, fitness, diet and mental health.

The findings make intuitive sense. Managers and employees have bushwhacked their way through disruptive changes since COVID-19 first upended public life. In late 2024, about one-quarter of employees with thewere doing so exclusively, up from around 1 in 10 in 2019, Gallup found. Another 55% were working in the office some days and remotely the rest, according to the 2024 data, up from about one-third in 2019.

and in the government and other sectors have left organizations with fewer people to handle the load, and expectations aren’t always adjusted to the new realities.“With all the rounds of layoffs, people’s scope and responsibilities are shifting constantly,” said Jeremy Guttenplan, an executive leadership trainer and coach based in New York. “You think about the ones left behind and the work is just getting piled on them.”

Here are some strategies for eliminating confusion when the scope and responsibilities of a job are ambiguous.

Spell out or make sure you understand what a new role or project entails — along with any relevant deadlines or performance markers — from the beginning so everyone agrees on what’s realistic and wanted. Writing it down in a shared document can help prevent future misunderstandings.Aubrey Plaza, from left, Charlie Day, and Margaret Qualley pose for photographers at the photo call for the film ‘Honey Dont!’' at the 78th international film festival in Cannes, southern France, Saturday, May 24, 2025. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)

Aubrey Plaza poses for photographers at the photo call for the film ‘Honey Dont!’' at the 78th international film festival in Cannes, southern France, Saturday, May 24, 2025. (Photo by Lewis Joly/Invision/AP)Aubrey Plaza poses for photographers at the photo call for the film ‘Honey Dont!’' at the 78th international film festival in Cannes, southern France, Saturday, May 24, 2025. (Photo by Lewis Joly/Invision/AP)

Margaret Qualley poses for photographers at the photo call for the film ‘Honey Dont!’' at the 78th international film festival in Cannes, southern France, Saturday, May 24, 2025. (Photo by Lewis Joly/Invision/AP)Margaret Qualley poses for photographers at the photo call for the film ‘Honey Dont!’' at the 78th international film festival in Cannes, southern France, Saturday, May 24, 2025. (Photo by Lewis Joly/Invision/AP)