Creating Employee Goals
Happy New Year!
My wish for you this year is a strong working relationship based on mutual respect between you and your employees.
Creating Employee Goals
The business goals are in place and now it’s time to align your employee’s goals to the business.
Most businesses have two parts to their performance management systems…evaluation of last’s year’s performance and creation of this year’s goal(s)…employee deliverables. I would suggest that you use “deliverables” to your employees as it’s clearer regarding what is expected of them…to deliver.
Most companies use the acronym S.M.A.R.T to create individual goals. This system helps managers and employees create clear and measurable goals. Here are the definitions of each letter:
- S – Specific
- M – Measurable
- A – Attainable
- R – Realistic
- T – Timely
Specific – What, Why and How are the important keywords in this activity. In order to meet a goal the employee needs to know specifically what the goal is all about. The easiest way to explain is a goal for a salesperson.
For example you could have a goal that says “increase sales” which would be too vague. Though if you state that the employee has to:
- increase their sales in each of their territories by a certain amount,
- in order for the company to be #1 in the industry, and
- they would use specific campaigns to increase sales
- …the employee would know exactly what is expected of them.
Measurable – If you can’t measure an employee’s performance, how can you manage it. For salespeople, it’s easy to know if they met their goals….their numbers reflect how they have delivered on their goals. Include for each goal specifically what is the final result when the employee completes their goal.
Attainable – If the goal is attainable, the employee will set into motion the attitude and focus to meet the goal. If the goal is not attainable, then the employee will never be able to fully deliver on what is expected.
Realistic – The goal must be something the employee is willing and able to do. For example, if you expect a new sales person to meet the same numbers as a seasoned account manager who has developed business contacts, then the goal may not be realistic for that particular employee to reach.
Timely – always need to put a time frame around a goal. This keeps everyone accountable…the employee and the manager both know when to expect the goal is to be completed. Again, creating a specific time eliminates vagueness…that enhances clarity and helps the employee meet their goals.
Manager’s Role
What is your role in the goal setting process? Check out the book by Erika Anderson “Growing Great Employees: Turning Ordinary People into Extraordinary Performers.” On page 131, she speaks about making “agreements” with your employees.
Clarity
You need to provide clarity to the employee…what is expected of them and why it is important to the company.
Commit
Commitment around meeting goals needs both you and your employee in agreement. I use the word “accountability” myself, but Erika Anderson does a great job in explaining “commit.” Obviously, the employee needs to perform the work…you need to make sure that they are on track to completing their deliverable.
Support
Your role here is that of a coach….keeping the flow of clarity and commitment moving forward.
Exercise
As you create your own goals, you may want to create a SMART goal specifically targeted to developing your skill in managing employees. Find an area in your manager’s toolbox that you would like to improve…i.e. communication with your staff.
Next Topic
Different Types of Employee Goals
Pat
Other Topics:
3 Different Types of Employee Goals
Tips For Effective Performance Reviews
That Time of The Year…Again…Performance Reviews
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