OKRs, or Key Objectives and Outcomes, is a collaborative goal-setting methodology used by teams and individuals to set ambitious and challenging goals with measurable results. This method is becoming increasingly popular among companies and SMEs, as it allows them to track progress, create alignment, and encourage participation around measurable goals. A goal should represent a long-term aim that you strive to achieve, while key results measure whether you are achieving this goal or not and to what extent. Together, OKRs are structured objectives and outcomes that are designed and tracked to improve business performance.
OKR programs are used to ensure that the entire team and organization work towards the same goal, regardless of whether employees have unique goals and objectives. This provides a transparent and objective performance evaluation mechanism that allows for greater performance. For the most part, personal goals and team goals are linked to company objectives to ensure that employees are aligned with corporate priorities. When team members participate in goal setting through a bottom-up approach to defining OKRs, it translates into greater participation and commitment on their part.
Companies execute OKR programs as a workforce plan that helps them set goals and then align, prioritize, concentrate and evaluate the results of the work they do to achieve those goals. The best OKR software is one that allows you to clearly configure and manage key objectives and outcomes, and create alignment around those measurable objectives. Along with the objectives and their key results, employees should consider recurring activities that will help them get closer to accomplishments.
