American workers may not just be burned out from heavy workloads. New research suggests one of the biggest workplace stressors is something more basic: not understanding what their job actually requires.
A new analysis published in the Journal of Vocational Behavior reviewed 515 studies spanning six decades and nearly 800,000 workers. What was determined is that role ambiguity (unclear expectations around responsibilities and performance) was more damaging than workload pressure or conflicting demands.
Unclear Expectations Hurt Performance
The researchers examined three common workplace stressors: role overload, role conflict, and role ambiguity.
Role overload refers to having too much work. Role conflict involves receiving contradictory instructions or expectations. Role ambiguity occurs when employees lack clarity about what they are supposed to do or how success is measured.
Among the three, role ambiguity had the strongest negative effect on employee engagement and performance. According to the study, it accounted for nearly 70% of declines in work engagement and more than 80% of declines in task performance measured across the data set.
Researchers said unclear expectations can leave employees unable to confidently move forward, making it harder to prioritize tasks, make decisions, or understand whether they are succeeding.
Turnover Risk Also Increases
The study also found role conflict was strongly linked to turnover intentions.
Employees receiving inconsistent direction from managers or leadership were more likely to consider leaving their jobs altogether. Researchers noted that changing expectations and contradictory instructions can create frustration and uncertainty over time.
Beyond performance, role ambiguity was also associated with lower job satisfaction, weaker organizational commitment, and reduced discretionary effort within teams.
AI And Workplace Change Are Increasing Ambiguity
Researchers said the findings are particularly relevant as companies continue restructuring around layoffs, hybrid work, and AI adoption.
As responsibilities shift more quickly across organizations, employees are increasingly expected to adapt to changing workflows and evolving job functions, often without clear guidance.
The study suggests relatively simple management practices can help reduce ambiguity, including clearer onboarding, regular feedback, and short recurring check-ins between managers and employees.
Researchers emphasized that improving clarity does not necessarily require large investments or major organizational changes, but consistent communication around expectations and priorities.
