With nearly
70% of employees reporting that they are disengaged at work, it is apparent that there are thousands of people not working toward the goals of their organization. According to a recent survey,
only 2 out of 10 employees reported that they can see a direct connection between their job goals and that of their employer. How can you align the goals of your employees with that of your organization?
Work backwards
In many cases, in the minds of your employees, the goals of an organization don’t translate well into actionable steps. To align employee goals with the organizations’, start with the end goal. Then, develop employee level goals to support the larger picture.
If the corporate goal is to “Treat customers with respect”, how does that relate to the average employee? For those in customer service, it might be obvious, for those in legal, accounting or other departments that don’t have daily contact with your customers, it may be ambiguous.
Define the goals into action steps and individualized goals that employees can work toward. Does it mean every employee is responsible for handling customer service issues as they arise? Does it impact the way customers are greeted? What does the goal look like for each employee?
Communicate
How do you inform employees about the goals of the company? Break the goals down into small talking points. Add one to each staff meeting to introduce and reinforce the corporate vision. Ensure that on-boarding processes include information about the corporate goals, and how each position supports that goal.
Don’t assume that everyone “just knows”. Communicate clearly the goals of the company to each individual. Put them in writing. Display in public locations. Use them in marketing and internal communication.
Increase transparency
Tie employee’s daily tasks to the larger corporate goal. Allow them to see how their daily activities affect the success of the organization. This can help prevent employees from being caught up in the day to day drudgery of their tasks; they see clearly how their efforts impact the company. In addition, increasing transparency helps everyone stay accountable for their work. When everyone can see the success (and failures) of the team, individuals are more motivated to work hard toward their goals.
Develop actionable goals
Employees who have clearly defined goals are more likely to be successful at work. Help your employees
develop goals that are tied to the corporate goals. Offer goal-setting workshops to assist employees in crafting
SMART goals for their position. Help them identify ways they can meet the corporate goals through their own goal-setting plan.
Create excitement
Recognize and reward employees who meet their goals. Broadcast success stories as a way to motivate and inspire others to keep pushing towards their goals. Find ways to celebrate the achievement of goals – no matter how small or incremental.
Track new clients, sales records, customer satisfaction results; whatever the specific goals of your organization are, find ways to measure them, and celebrate their achievement. Use mistakes as a learning opportunity to improve, and encourage employees to keep working on their goals, even if they don’t meet them right away.
Goal alignment is one of the most important aspects of effective leadership. When you get everyone in your team working in the same direction, it can be a powerful opportunity for your company to succeed. How can you improve the goal alignment of your organization today?
Recognize and reward employees who meet their goals. Broadcast success stories as a way to motivate and inspire others to keep pushing towards their goals. Find ways to celebrate the achievement of goals – no matter how small or incremental.
Track new clients, sales records, customer satisfaction results; whatever the specific goals of your organization are, find ways to measure them, and celebrate their achievement. Use mistakes as a learning opportunity to improve, and encourage employees to keep working on their goals, even if they don’t meet them right away.
Goal alignment is one of the most important aspects of effective leadership. When you get everyone in your team working in the same direction, it can be a powerful opportunity for your company to succeed. How can you improve the goal alignment of your organization today?
Michele Bailey is president and CEO of
Blazing Agencyand
My Big Idea™. These two lines of business work congruently to support her clients’ success.
