Roman Samborskyi/Shutterstock
Managing student workers in higher education creates unique challenges and opportunities for professional and personal growth. This has been evident in our distinct experiences as new managers. For me (Aaliyah Ford), the transition from social work to inclusion career advisor at Le Moyne College presented unexpected hurdles. After three years in social work, adapting to campus culture and managing a diverse team of 10 students was daunting, requiring me to adapt to a new environment and industry and to reimagine my leadership style.
In contrast, I (Ned Khatrichettri) brought a decade of higher education experience to my position as assistant director of career services at Boston University’s College of Communication, where I embraced the opportunity to supervise three graduate students and a full-time career coach.
Despite our different paths to management, we shared a key mission: helping our teams develop healthy workplace cultures. By sharing our experiences with aspiring and current career service managers, we aim to enrich the discussion on managing student workers, setting expectations for them, and upholding personal boundaries.
Expectation-Setting Is Critical
Effective managers understand that clear expectations are essential for organizational success and mutual respect. Like guardrails, they guide workplace interactions and create safe spaces for open dialogue, enabling team members to discuss challenges, raise concerns, and contribute to solutions. Setting clear expectations with students is key for developing as a manager while supporting students’ professional development.
Workplace boundaries require constant attention, as what works in one environment may not in another due to evolving organizational cultures. Managers must clearly communicate expectations — from email response times and texting etiquette to appropriate settings for private conversations and proper information handling — while remaining receptive to discussions about team stressors.
As organizations grow and change, so too must leaders’ boundaries. Through regular team meetings and individual check-ins, managers can refine these boundaries, demonstrating their commitment to workplace health and employee well-being. This ongoing effort fosters an environment where both productivity and personal development thrive.
While each workplace has its unique culture and protocols, emphasizing interpersonal skills helped our staff develop confidence and agency. Workplace success often hinges more on interpersonal skills than technical expertise; strong interpersonal skills are crucial for career success across industries and positions.
Interpersonal competence is especially vital for student workers navigating workplace dynamics for the first time. College employment is often their first exposure to workplace cultures and expectations. As such, bringing student employees onto your team successfully will require teaching them workplace etiquette and unique dynamics specific to your institutions/department and setting clear expectations for them, as demonstrated by the following examples.
Student A:
The student’s stress from her master’s program, job search, and interviews overwhelmed her, negatively impacting her work. She attempted to compensate by working on unscheduled days in order to complete tasks, without notification or permission from Ned.
This sparked a conversation about importance of self-advocacy, mental health, and proactive communication. While task completion is important, it shouldn’t supplant well-being. Additionally, the student learned not to work non-scheduled hours without approval and was reminded that supervisors can only help when informed of challenges.
Student B:
When the student arrived at work wearing a mask and clearly feeling unwell, Ned used it as a teaching moment, explaining that their workplace prioritizes personal boundaries and well-being. He emphasized that responsible workplace conduct includes recognizing one’s limits, resting when sick, and preventing the spread of illness.
As an international student, the individual had internalized a problematic stereotype about American work culture, glorifying overworking and “pushing through” illness. Ned’s guidance helped them dismantle this assumption and recognize that genuine professional excellence is about sustainable performance and collective wellness, not sacrificing personal health — or jeopardizing the health of others in the office.
Student C:
Aaliyah accepted her position two months before a student staff member started their role. Clear communication between the two was, therefore, crucial, given the limited existing structure for the student’s role.
To forestall potential miscommunication, the student’s responsibilities were clearly defined early on, and Aaliyah gave the student the opportunity to articulate their interests, strengths, and supervisory needs. This proactive approach helped establish a strong foundation for their working relationship and set the stage for effective collaboration.
Student D:
At the start of their collaboration, Aaliyah noticed that the student staff member was hesitant to take initiative and often relied on constant reassurance before completing tasks. Recognizing this, Aaliyah took a thoughtful approach by first establishing clear expectations and outlining specific short-term goals. She created a structured schedule for regular check-ins, during which she provided concrete feedback and asked open-ended questions to guide the student’s thinking rather than give direct answers.
This helped the student build confidence in their own judgment. As the student grew more comfortable and capable, Aaliyah gradually reduced the frequency and depth of her oversight, shifting from detailed instructions to broader discussions about priorities and outcomes. This intentional transition allowed the student to exercise greater independence while still feeling supported. Aaliyah’s approach not only improved the student’s confidence and problem-solving abilities but also ensured that their work continued to meet high standards.
Moving Forward
Workplace cultures vary widely, so it’s important to assess your team’s individual needs and adjust accordingly. While incorporating AI tools and modern technologies can streamline communication and track progress, it’s crucial to consider their impact on personal relationships and boundaries. Before scaling these practices, reflect on whether such an approach is even feasible and how it will align with your team’s dynamics.
It’s also important to recognize that when things go awry with student workers, the stakes are often lower than with full-time professionals. However, these situations provide a valuable opportunity for students to develop their professional etiquette in a lower-risk environment. Modeling and teaching appropriate workplace behavior, such as email norms, asking for help, or respecting time off, can have a lasting impact on their development.
So, what’s next? We recommend having an open and transparent conversation with your student employees about expectations. Be honest about the changes you need to make as a supervisor and how these adjustments will foster your team’s growth. Framing this shift as a commitment to their professional development and overall well-being can help them embrace the change. If you’re a more relaxed supervisor, this may be a chance to introduce more structure; if you’re stricter, consider ways to empower your student employees to take more initiative. By setting clear expectations and modeling healthy behavior, you not only guide your students’ development but also strengthen your own managerial skills.
