As the new year progresses amid looming economic uncertainty, it may be necessary for some C-suite leaders and department managers to rethink their original strategies for reaching their quarterly goals. As adjustments are being made, it's smart to bounce ideas off of your team and let them know how much they are valued no matter what the company may be going through in today's marketplace.
For additional help, 16 members from Forbes Human Resources Council provide their best tips for setting goals that are aligned with the company's purpose and core values and are doable during this uncertain year.
Members pictured from left to right.
Photos courtesy of individual members.1. Be Flexible In Making Adjustments
Recognizing that things are ever-changing in today's workplaces, organizations should build a flexible process that allows employees to adjust goals as business needs change. In 2023, we should ditch static plans and incorporate opportunities to refresh goals throughout the year. Making goal setting flexible is a great way to foster engagement and build confidence in the overall process. - Raven Lee, Scientific Games
2. Include Employees In The Conversation
My top tip when it comes to goal setting is to include employees in the conversation. While goals are traditionally cascaded down through an organization, engagement rises when employees take an active role in defining their goals and see the connection and link between their goals and the larger company's purpose. Workforce trust rises when employees see how their work influences top-line company goals. - Susan Tohyama, Ceridian
3. Keep It Simple
Too often, companies not only identify more items than they can possibly do as top priorities, but they overcomplicate how they communicate those goals to employees. Keep your top-level goals simple so your team can understand them, remember them and tie their own work to your most important company objectives. - Tracy Cote, StockX
4. Prepare A Plan For The Unexpected
Aim high and always plan for economic or macro headwinds. Sometimes what seems like an economic challenge that could affect your forecasting could turn into a positive or competitive advantage. The landscape for 2023 is so complex, anyone who tells you they know exactly what is going to happen this year is lying. - William Stonehouse, Crawford Thomas Recruiting
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5. Know The Organization's Purpose
Use a strategic goal-setting process by knowing the organization's purpose, focusing on long-term objectives, making the goals actionable and defining how success will be measured. Once the overall strategic plan and goals are defined, cascade those goals throughout the organization. - David Weaver, Compensation and HR Group
6. Create A Mind Map
Mind mapping creates a visual path to your goals, which includes steps and tasks that can be broken down into smaller, more manageable parts. It also enables teams to see connections and relationships between different aspects. Gamification is another technique that involves turning goal setting into a game or competition to make the process more engaging and fun and it also helps to increase motivation and accountability. - Raj Tanwar, ADVANTAGE CLUB TECHNOLOGIES PRIVATE LIMITED
7. Show Employees That Their Contributions Matter
As a company works to set goals, it should always strive to keep both the business and its employees in mind. People are the driving force of any company and are the ones that do the work to achieve the goal. When your company goals resonate with your employees, employees will be able to rally behind them and feel like they can meaningfully contribute toward a larger company vision regardless of their roles. - Kathleen Pai, N-able
8. Analyze Company Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities And Threats
Deploying SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis strategies for company goal setting in the new year can help businesses plan what they want to achieve in a realistic and organized manner. Conducting a SWOT evaluation enables executives and managers to recognize what works, identify targeted concerns and develop a plan to move the business forward with fresh goals. - Laura Spawn, Virtual Vocations, Inc.
9. Set Inspirational And Aspirational Goals
Set a goal that is inspirational and aspirational, in addition to the more traditional goals. Communicate that its purpose is to change the world for the better. Think of it as a goal your employees would be proud to tell their family and friends about. Even if you don't attain 100% of it, any progress toward it should have a positive impact on your employees' motivation and feeling of purpose. - Sanja Licina, QuestionPro
10. Foster A Fun And Healthy Organization
Employees want to perform their jobs well and continue to stay at fun and healthy organizations where they have impact and career growth. Ensuring you promote this type of environment should be interwoven into your goal setting. Embracing learning, normalizing mistake-making and actively listening to your teams will go a long way toward helping your organization achieve goals in an inclusive way. - Gianna Driver, Exabeam
11. Be Transparent About Common Goals
I recommend transparent goal setting. When leadership teams establish and share goals that align with their vision and strategy, it helps the rest of the organization do the same. People feel more connected when they understand how their work contributes to the company's mission. In addition, teams are more likely to set meaningful goals when they can tie them back to the big picture. - Mikaela Kiner, Reverb
12. Align Efforts And Resources To Priorities
Don’t lose focus on what the organization is trying to achieve. Determine whether people are focused on what matters most to the organization and adjust as needed. Make sure efforts and resources are aligned with what the organization is prioritizing. - Jennifer Rozon, McLean & Company
13. Be Realistic And Clear
Goals must be realistic. While there can always be a couple of stretch goals in our annual planning, the majority of goals should be realistic and logical. Teams must understand the goal, the "why" behind the goal and the "how" to get there. What does success look like? A clear road map to a successful year is key. - Christina Hobbs, Force Scaling
14. Keep Everyone On The Same Page
My best practice is, after the goals are set, to make sure they are transparently communicated to the entire organization. From C-suite to intern, everyone should know where the company is heading in 2023 to align their individual goals and feel their value to the business strategy. - Jessica Wallen, Wurl, LLC
15. Tie Goals To Rewards And Recognition
Collaborate, consolidate and communicate—early and often. While goal setting should be linked to organizational goals, it's important to consider the needs and desires of team members. Goals should be S.M.A.R.T and challenging and tied to rewards and recognition for a job well done, as well as providing consistent feedback, resources and support. - Domonique Revere, Adjaye Associates
16. Stay Grounded In The Data
Ground your goals in the data—either your team or company's past performance or industry benchmarks. This is especially important for diversity, equity and inclusion goals. Taking a data-informed approach to goal setting, committing to tracking and monitoring and having DEI data transparency will support positive outcomes and a people-first culture. - Raghu Gollamudi, Included
