Margarita M. Phillips 
Everyone involved in hiring knows a common factor related to employee churn rate: people often don’t quit their jobs; they leave their bosses.
Lack of clear direction. Limited opportunity to be heard. Feeling devalued.
The great irony, of course, is that expectations in the workplace often lead managers, employees and the company itself to failure. If the goals are clearly defined – and this is too often a big if – how to achieve them is not.
Enter the objectives and key results (OKRs).
At its core, the methodology for managing goals is about getting the results you want. But when a business invests time in doing them right, managers become better managers, workers feel more engaged, and the business and its customers thrive.
Here’s how embracing OKRs can make you a better people manager (and why Henry Ford’s structured work week may be great for making Mustangs but not so good for motivating high-growth companies):
OKRs offer employees an opportunity for growth
OKRs are simple in theory but deep in practice, which is why OKR software can be invaluable in mastering the process.
OKRs are based on focus and clarity. The goal, of course, is ambitious. It provides a context on what we want to achieve. We want to eat healthier.
On the other hand, the main results are quantitative. They are measurable. They define the success of the goal. Don’t eat red meat more than once a week. Eat fresh fruit every day.
Sometimes, identifying the right measurable results is often a struggle. It is acceptable. Working through this will help you (and your team) gain clarity.
OKRs should also take people out of their proverbial comfort zone. This is also why OKRs are not a human resources tool. They are not intended to measure performance. OKRs are designed to keep you focused on the desired outcome.
If you get 100% on your key results, you are setting the bar too low. Ideally, you set them so that 70% is achievable, but 100% is a real stretch. If you are short, that’s OK. Knowledge workers and organizations are learning driven. “It’s good to celebrate success,†said Bill Gates, “but it’s more important to heed the lessons of failure.â€
Thoughtful quarterly and annual OKRs give employees clarity and reward in what they do, as they give workers a fair opportunity to rise to the challenge.
The # 1 reason people quit their jobs, according to the online job site Indeed, needs more of a challenge (higher salary was # 2). Other reasons: wanting to feel valued (n ° 4), looking for a better managerial relationship (n ° 5) and needing more feedback or structure (n ° 7).
Thanks to OKRs, managers have the opportunity to meet all these desires.
OKRs can help employees (and their managers) stay focused
OKRs are as much about what you say ‘no’ to as what you say ‘yes’ to.
By having OKRs, you have a “north star” to check against for ideas that might otherwise take you off course. OKRs force an employee to ask themselves (and their manager), “How is this going to help move the needle on my OKR?” And if so, how many? “
We all wake up with a mile long to-do list. OKRs provide a filter against which an employee can say, “O, what is the most important task I have to do today to get the desired result? This brings serenity and clarity, which contributes to job satisfaction and a better relationship with a manager since they are all on the same wavelength. A conversation about prioritizing efforts can also be more fruitful, as they are all clear about desired outcomes.
OKRS gives employees a stake in decision making
OKRs give employees a sense of ownership in what they do and how it contributes to the overall goals and mission of the company. OKRs can be defined top-down or bottom-up, although a negotiated approach between supervisor and employee is most common in companies with a culture that allows it.
Rather than being defined from the top down, where a supervisor risks setting goals or key results that an employee may not be able to affect on their own, OKRs are built collaboratively. It’s a fair approach.
And remember, missing the mark is not a sign of failure. Instead, it’s an opportunity. What have you learned? Maybe you didn’t choose the right results to reach the goal?
The process is transparent and aligned with the OKRs of the team and the entire company.
Remember the Indeed list describing the top reasons people quit their jobs? N ° 12 wanted a clearer vision of the company.
OKRs allow employees to drive results, not tally clocks
Companies are starting to realize that a 9 to 5 efficiency doesn’t get you far. This does not necessarily lead to efficiency. It does not determine the results.
Henry Ford was lauded for inaugurating the 40-hour, Monday-Friday workweek in the 1920s, which was later codified by the Fair Labor Standards Act in 1938. Since then, a mindset has taken hold in the American workplace that time is money – the hours you work reflect your value to the company.
OKRs will free you from that industrial age mindset. The 21st century ushered in the knowledge economy. In this economy, the input is not time, it is knowledge. And organizations should not seek to maximize productivity but rather results. The object of the game is therefore to allow workers to use their knowledge to achieve results. Whether employees work in the office or at home, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. or a random shift, it’s the results that count, not the hours on the scorecard.
In fact, many employees prefer flexible hours and telecommuting opportunities. What else, many employees are leaving instead than giving up remote work.
OKRs create goals with clearly defined key results to achieve the goal. If the results and goals are met, do you care who stayed late on a Friday night?
No, you don’t.
OKR’s win-win-win-win
When done right, OKRs can be a manager’s best friend. They clarify professional goals and expectations. They allow employees to do their best and grow in their jobs. They also improve the business and its products and services.
That’s a lot of momentum from a handful of chips. But OKRs are not easy. You need to change your mindset from hours worked to results achieved. You need to identify OKRs with measurable results and align them across individual employees, the team, and the business, which can be difficult. A results management system with a robust OKR platform can help.
Once you start, however, everyone wins.
