The Importance of Employee Goal Setting

As a manager or business owner, you already know that without goals it’s impossible for a company to continue to grow, and achieve advantages over its competition. Doesn’t it make sense that without individual goals, employees are just as unlikely to achieve their best in support of the organization as a whole? It’s easy to sit everyone down for a meeting and tell them that they need to increase sales by twenty percent, but when they go back to their desks; do they really have any idea of how to achieve those targets on a daily basis?

What is Employee Goal Setting?

Employee goal setting is the process of creating a road map that, when followed correctly, will allow workers to achieve the realistic goals that have been set based on discussions with their supervisors. Without goal setting, employees can start to feel stressed and unmotivated with regards to their position. When a boss is constantly hounding you about the company’s bottom line, but doesn’t provide a clear explanation of how you can contribute in your daily work habits, frustration and lack of motivation are expected outcomes.

Benefits of Employee Goal Setting

• Increased Job Satisfaction – One of the fastest ways to drive down your team’s productivity and profit is to demand your employees help you achieve company goals without outlining a clear path for them to do so. When provided with goal setting tips and techniques, most employees report that they feel much more satisfied with their job and motivated to contribute to an improved company environment.
• Better Management – If you feel like you’re constantly hounding your employees to strive for their personal best, it’s important to realize that engaging in individual employee goal setting can make it easier for you to keep people satisfied with their jobs. By working with your team to set clear goals, it becomes easier for you to personally recognize and praise employees when these targets are achieved. When people feel like they’re being noticed for working hard, their respect for management goes way up.
• Reduced Conflict Over Objectives – When the goals for a project, quarter, or fiscal year are clearly stated ahead of time, there is less of an opportunity for coworkers to spend time arguing about what they’re supposed to be doing. Reduced conflict means decreasing wasted time, which will ultimately save your company money.

Conclusion

Remember that employee goal setting must be a cooperative effort. Seek input from team leaders and check in with employees about the best way to create common goals. If you’re looking for a great template to help you organize your thoughts, check out our Staff Objectives Template @ www.demandmetric.com.