Performance is a large umbrella term that refers to innumerable actions. This article analyses precise performance-related goals and objectives, dissecting a slew of practical examples.
Imagine the Vikings trying to conquer the world without a plan or a map. It would have been quite challenging, right? The same goes for businesses.
Companies need employee performance goals and objectives to ensure that everyone is on the same page and knows what needs to be done to achieve success. These aspirations will inspire your team and help them achieve great things.
It is essential to ensure that everyone in your company knows what is expected. This knowledge will help improve productivity and ensure that everyone is working towards the same goal. But it can be tough to know where to start.
That’s why we’ve put together a list of employee performance goals and objectives examples that will give you some inspiration. So read on and see what works best for your team!
What you need to know about performance goals and objectives
Before starting the actionable advice section, it’s essential to get the theory straight. That way, we can better analyse some examples of employee performance goals and objectives.
Goals vs. objectives
Goals are more general than objectives. They are what you want to achieve, while objectives are the specific steps or actions you will take to reach your goals.
For example, a goal is to increase employee productivity by 20%.
The subordinated objectives include a timeline, actionable steps, and tools to complete them. In this case, the tools are the resources your employees need to do their jobs effectively:
- Training
- New software
- A quiet working environment
Establishing goals and objectives is essential because objectives are precise, actionable steps towards your larger ideal. Besides, objectives allow you to measure your results.
And if you don’t know whether or not you’re achieving your goals, how will you know if you’re making progress.
The employee performance goals and objectives examples below will give you a better idea of what this looks like in practice.
SMART goals and objectives
You’ve probably heard of the SMART scheme before, but it’s important to refresh that knowledge before getting to the next section:
- Specific: the objective/goal should be unambiguous.
- Measurable: it should be possible to track progress and determine whether or not the objective has been met.
- Achievable: the objective should be realistic and achievable.
- Relevant: the objective should align with the company’s goals.
- Timely: there should be a timeframe for the objective to be met.
Let’s look at some SMART goals below:
- Implement a new customer service software by the end of Q1 2023.
- Train all customer service employees on the latest software within two weeks of launch.
- Achieve a Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 60 by the end of Q1 2022.
- Reduce employee turnover by 15% in 2022.
- Increase employee productivity by 20% in 2022.
Now let’s see how to break down one goal into SMART objectives, for example, implementing new customer service software by the end of Q1 2023.
The objectives might be:
- Research and select customer service software by the end of Q1 2022.
- Create a training course for all customer service employees by Q2 2022.
- Launch the new software by Q3 2022.
- Evaluate the impact of the new software on employee productivity and customer satisfaction by Q2 2023.
Setting employee performance goals and objectives examples
Now that we’ve got the theory out of the way, we can delve into some examples of employee performance goals and objectives.
Collaboration goal example
Collaboration in the workplace is essential because it:
- Encourages employee creativity
- Improves employee morale
- Reduces the chances of errors
According to a Stanford University study, employees who feel like their team is united and working on the same task are more:
- Productive
- Motivated
- Energised
- Determined to overcome any issues
Now let’s see how this goal might look in practice.
“At Company XYZ, we want to increase the number of ideas generated in team brainstorming sessions by 20% by the end of Q1 2023.”
To do this, we will:
- Encourage employees to share ideas outside of team brainstorming sessions by Q1 2023, with the following steps:
- Create employee profile pages on the intranet where employees can share their skills and interests by Q1 2022
- Set up a system where employees can request help from others with specific skills by Q2 2022
- Implement team-building exercises during companywide events by Q4 2022
- Implement a team reward system for employee collaboration by Q2 2022
- Evaluate the impact of the team reward system on employee collaboration by Q4 2022
By taking these steps, we hope to increase employee collaboration and, as a result:
- Improve employee creativity
- Increase morale
- Reduce the chances of errors
Professional development goal example
Learning-oriented businesses are empirically proven to foster:
- Creativity
- Innovation
- Productivity
That’s why you should always support your employees’ professional development and learning. Of course, you need strategic goals for that.
Here’s one example:
“To increase the number of employees who receive a promotion within 12 months of completing a professional development program by 20% by Q1 2023.”
To do this, we will:
- Encourage employees to enrol in professional development programs by Q3 2022, with the following steps:
- Inform employees of available programs during new employee onboarding
- Highlight the benefits of completing a professional development program on employee performance reviews
- Provide employees with financial assistance to enrol in programs by Q3 2022
- Evaluate the impact of the professional development programs on employee productivity and satisfaction by Q4 2022
Self-management goal example
Self-management abilities allow your employees to:
- Regulate Their Emotions
- Manage Their Time
- Stay Focused
Research shows that employees who receive training in self-management have better work habits and are more productive.
As a result, employees will be more:
- Proactive
- Happier with their performances
- Motivated to improve
- Likely to focus on solutions instead of problems when collaborating with others
An example of a self-management goal would be:
“To increase the number of employees who report feeling ‘in control’ of their work by 20% by Q2 2023.”
To do this, we will:
- Teach employees self-management techniques by Q4 2022, with the following steps:
- Include a section on self-management in the employee handbook by Q1 2022
- Subsidise three e-learning courses on self-management by Q4 2022, one every three months
- Lead a companywide seminar on self-management on July 20th, 2022
- Evaluate the impact of self-management techniques on employee productivity and satisfaction by Q4 2022
- Adjust the program by Q1 2023 according to these findings
Soft skills goal example
Soft skills goals allow your employees to:
- Better relate to co-workers
- Be more patient with customers
- Resolve conflicts
- Evolve
- Become better leaders
Alexandra Levit, author of Humanity Works: Merging Technologies and People for the Workforce of the Future, underlines that employees with well-honed soft skills are more likely to be:
- Satisfied with their jobs
- Productive team members
- Resilient
- Able to reinvent themselves
Soft skills can be split into two categories:
- External soft skills are oriented on the outside. Thus, they help employees interact with others and achieve external goals (e.g., promotion).
- Internal soft skills change people on the inside. These abilities help employees become more assertive, compassionate, and aware.
An example of a soft skill goal would be:
“To leverage four opportunities that increase employee assertiveness and compassion by Q1 2023.”
The objectives to achieve this goal are:
- Provide training to employees on how to be assertive by Q1 2022
- Encourage employees to practice meditation for at least 20 minutes every day by Q2 2022
- Implement an employee support system by Q3 2022
- Have at least 50% of the workforce sign up for the employee support system by Q4 2022
Process and workflow goal example
Process goals improve your workflow. One example could be decreasing customer response times from the Customer Service Team from 24 to 5 hours by Q1 2023.
The subordinated objectives are:
- Train customer service representatives on the new process by Q2 2022
- Evaluate the customer service team’s performance on the new process every two weeks and make changes as needed
- Compare customer satisfaction ratings from Q4 2022 to Q1 2023
- Celebrate when the goal is reached by taking the customer service team out for lunch
Remember:
Faster customer response times improve the customer experience and increase sales.
By implementing this goal, you will see an improvement in:
- Customer satisfaction ratings
- Employee morale
Another example is increasing your influencers’ sales by 20% within six months.
Associated objectives include:
- Use an engagement rate calculator to assess your influencers’ ability to connect to their followers within two weeks
- Terminate contracts with influencers who don’t deliver results by the end of the month
- Train your influencers on the new sales process by [date]
- Provide affiliate links to monitor and evaluate success by [date]
- Follow up with each influencer after they’ve implemented the new sales process to see how it’s working for them by [date]
- Evaluate results after six months and make changes as needed
Measure and optimise employee performance goals
After going through these employee performance goals and objectives examples, you probably have a few in mind for your company.
However, you should always measure and optimise these goals.
Here are some tips:
- Use the SMART goal setting method to ensure that your goals are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound.
- Set quarterly or yearly goals to give employees time to adjust to new objectives.
- Use data from employee performance reviews, engagement surveys, and other feedback mechanisms to inform your goal-setting process.
By following these tips, you will be able to create employee performance goals that improve your bottom line and contribute to a positive work environment.
What are your thoughts on these employee performance goals and objectives examples? Let’s talk in the comments below!
And don’t forget to celebrate employee milestones and successes to show that you are invested in their development. Thanks for reading!
In Summary
If you want to increase your team’s performance, set goals and objectives covering the entire meaning of the word “performance.”
This article discussed examples across all aspects of the concept of performance, from collaboration to professional management, personal development, soft skills, and process and workflow. We also discussed how to ensure those goals & objectives are SMART and measure/ optimise them.
About the Author
David Morneau is the co-founder and CEO of inBeat, a hybrid micro-influencer marketing SAAS/agency that helps brands scale their marketing efforts. He has helped over 200 DTC brands to date.
