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Updated: 12 hours ago Advice

101: Setting goals to inspire workforce success

By Sloane M. Perron

The start of a new year means new goals. This is the time for managers to take stock of where their teams are and find ways for them to reach new objectives in the future.

Implementing the SMART technique. Goals must be actionable and realistic. Otherwise, they are just dreams. Supervisors implementing the SMART technique ensure their goals are well structured for team outcomes. SMART refers to goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound, according to an article for the website Mindtools. These elements create clear expectations, directions, and deadlines, increasing the likelihood of employees achieving their assigned goals.

Aligning individual goals to the company vision. When working as a team, the totality of everyone’s work should be directed toward an overarching, common goal. However, when the goal strategy is set by upper management, it can be hard for employees to see how their individual tasks make a difference in the big picture. To motivate team members, it is important to transparently communicate how their goals impact the greater good. “When managers cascade goals, it helps employees see specifically how their performance and commitment contribute to the organization’s success. This is important to employees who want to make a difference because of what they do each day,” Denise Triba writes in an article for Forbes.

Recognizing workforce achievements. Incentivizing achievement is a surefire way to help employees stay on target to reach their goals. Managers can recognize success through bonuses, certificates, or public acknowledgements at meetings. These tokens of gratitude recognize the hard work of employees. However, some employees cannot always meet the outlined expectations. It is important to assess the circumstances when an employee fails to meet their goals. “In a situation where the agreed-upon deadline arrives and the employee hasn't met their goals, there should be an in-depth discussion about what went wrong, combined with encouragement to try again and address or rework the stated objectives,” says an article from the human resources firm Paychex.

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