Every organization seeks optimization in planning and goal achievement. It is possible to find several methodologies to achieve these results. However, none of them is as efficient and adaptable to the profile of an organization as OKR.
OKR stands for Objectives and Key Results. It consists of a management system based on the definition of objectives at different levels of the organization.
This is done based on the company's strategic model, so that measurable and dynamic goals are established, making all employees work together in a single direction. See in this article how to define your company's OKRs and what are the benefits generated by using this method. Enjoy your reading!
Employee Engagement
To achieve the goals set for the organization, the engagement of all individuals involved is of fundamental importance. The objective of OKR is precisely to connect the company, so that the team and the goals are aligned, making all employees work together in a unified direction.
When everyone involved feels part of a whole, there is an increase in productivity. Different from what is peculiar in goal meetings, which are held by the management and then only passed on to the other levels, when defining the OKRs, the scope is complete, dividing responsibilities and providing motivation.
The management sets the directions and long-term goals, and each staff member determines the ways to achieve the results. OKRs are kept public, so that all employees and teams move toward the same goals and know what others are focusing on.
In this way, great engagement is generated and collective and individual performance is optimized. This vision of the connection and the importance of each part involved does not allow for demotivation, because each one of them clearly understands their responsibility and relevance to the organization as a whole.
Transparency of Results
The more diffuse the direction and delegation of responsibilities, the less transparency there is, and consequently, the less productivity there is. An organization must act as a system, in which each part is important and clear about its part in the overall smooth functioning.
Since OKR is a process that works with specific short-term goals and transparent management, when well implemented, results tend to emerge in a short period of time. This transparency, given by everyone's engagement, brings very concrete results.
By defining the OKRs, employees and teams will always be up to date about where the company is heading. This contributes to the development of each member of the organization. The sense of responsibility generated makes everyone seek to add more knowledge and develop their strengths.
Learning Cycle
Even with well-designed goals, there is a risk that they will not be achieved. However, this can bring about greater maturity and understanding. When you fail to achieve a certain goal, you should analyze the reasons why you were not successful.
This will serve as a lesson to understand where the failures occurred, and how to adjust the way of application to achieve the goals, as well as increase the perception of the organization about the market in which it operates. Feedback should be constructive and continuous.
This maturing cycle challenges the improvement and structuring of the work teams. Competitiveness is given by the perception that the learning cycle provides. The deadline for the achievement of goals is usually quarterly. During this period, it is possible to make adjustments that enable a better development and achievement of goals.
Ease of Use
In general, OKRs escape bureaucracy and are more productive and accessible. Because of their consistency and simplicity, they are easy to implement and use. There are two main components when defining OKRs, namely
- objectives (O): is the statement of the direction the company wants to take. They should be simple, short, and easy to remember;
- key results (KR): consists of the targets set to achieve the goal. The ideal is to define 2 to 5 key results for each objective. They should be quantitative and measurable.
Example:
Goal: Increase profit by 10%;
Key results:
- outsource the distribution fleet and reduce costs by 25%;
- launch seasonal campaigns on commemorative dates and double the revenue in relation to the previous year;
- implement a supplier registration system with reverse auction and save 10% on purchases.
The steps for measuring how effective the teams' application process is being are measured quantitatively. Using a scale of 0% to 100%, or 0 to 10, it is possible to have simplicity in measuring what is being done in a standard way.
With the objectives well defined within a realistic and ambitious vision, in a clear and objective way, the key results come in to indicate whether the objective has been achieved at the end of the established period. The performance follow-up can be done by means of e-mails, bulletin boards, announcements, among other tools, to keep everyone aware of the progress of the process.
For example, if the goal is to increase the number of new leads by 10% within a period of one month, every week everyone will have access to the performance data of this goal. By being successful in this step, consequently the number of sales increases. Because there is no systematic pattern, OKR becomes flexible, bringing the internal reality of the company to the key definitions.
Surprising Results
Usually, tactical level OKRs are stipulated quarterly, and strategic level ones, annually. By following to the letter the entire definition of the OKRs, always seeking adjustments to reach the goals, the results appear naturally.
The weekly follow-up already indicates if the measures taken by the team were assertive, by means of the score. By keeping the focus, the results emerge and by the end of the first period they may exceed expectations. This drives the company in the search for the achievement of the strategic level objectives & long-term.
Remember that metrics do not measure effort, but the efficiency of the tactics adopted by the departments. After the short-term objectives have been reached, other OKRS will be implemented to start another cycle of well-defined and transparent objectives for everyone.
Thus, OKR becomes part of the company's culture, with its direct and clear definitions and the involvement of all departments. All this internal change impacts the customers, who will receive an optimized and attractive service. This improves the relationship, making the clients themselves act in the dissemination of the institution's services.
A greater reach of leads will add to the strategic objective and give greater impetus to the tactical indicators. This customer engagement fuels and fosters an increasingly higher productivity.
Now that you know how to define your company's OKRs, be sure to share this article on social networks! Help others optimize their business through this effective method!
