When your employees' goals align with the purpose of the organization, they are more likely to be loyal to your brand, more likely to be engaged at work, and they become brand ambassadors - more willing to recommend your company to others.
Yet, according to a recent survey, 85% of frontline managers and frontline employees reported that they are unsure how they can live their purpose through their work.
Employees at all levels of your organization seek purpose in their lives. If your employees don’t see the higher purpose in the work they do at your company, or how their personal and professional goals align with company goals - they’re likely to seek greener pastures.
So, how can you start to align your employees’ goals with that of your organization?
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 actionable steps 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?
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.
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.
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.
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?
Interested in learning more about how to attract, retain, engage and appreciate your employees? Check out our blog, where we explore new topics regularly.
