SMART Goal Management

TURN STRATEGY INTO ACTION

Goals provide the focus and energy for organizations to achieve their vision and strategy, but without GOAL ALIGNMENT, employees and departments are disconnected from it, and corporate goals—as a consequence—cannot be fully realized.

Employees who understand their individual goals—and how they relate to those of their organization as a whole—will also be more engaged and motivated to play their part in this collaborative effort. It is the coordinated, collective efforts of individuals and departments that drive organizational success, as everybody’s energy is harnessed and directed toward common outcomes.

Employees can only be productive when they know exactly what are expected of them, i.e. having goals that are SMART:

• S – Specific (clearly specify the intended outcome/s)
• M – Measurable (quantifiable; stating exactly what the criteria for success are and how it will be assessed/measured)
• A – Attainable (challenging but achievable; employee has the skills, time, resources and authority to deliver the expected results)
• R – Realistic (relevant to the employee’s role; is willing and able to work towards its achievement)
• T – Time-bound (clearly defined time frame or target date)

Once set, managers at all levels need an easy way to view, manage and monitor such employee goals, so they can ensure that they are on track, and to address those ones that fall behind schedule or target.

Appraisal Smart’s Goal Management System provides you with an online capability and database where goal setting, alignment and management can be achieved with the least effort, as follows:

• Create goal hierarchies at all unit levels in the organization—starting at the top.
• Cascade and align goals cross-company and top-down.
• Base goals on (balanced) scorecard perspectives (user-defined) (optional).
• Ensure goal visibility at appropriately assigned levels (top management can see all employee goals; managers can see those of direct reports; employees can see their own).
• Create goal action steps, standards, due dates, priorities, KPIs, etc.
• Create KPI scorecard dashboards at any organization level.
• Assign goals to individuals or to multiple team members in a single batch process.
• Collaboratively involve employees with goal building (even leave it to them to formulate, for managers to edit and approve).
• Update and track goal status in real-time.
• Transfer goals to performance reviews.

Include employee (career) development goals.

NOTE: Most Goal Management Systems only provide for a Corporate Goal Hierarchy. The Appraisal Smart Goal Management System, however, also allows for the creation of Goal Hierarchies at lower unit levels, consisting of those goals cascaded from above, but where unit managers can also add any additional goals unique to their own unit operations—all of which can be cascaded to their direct reports. Employees can even create their own Goal Hierarchies to assist with their own goal planning and to have all their goals in a logical ‘birds-eye-view’ structure.

The Goal Management Module is an optional add-on module to the core Appraisal Smart System (regular employee performance reviews) but is also available as a stand-alone system.