The Importance of Clearly Defined Goals

Having previously worked for a company that didn’t have clearly defined goals or relative values, combined with a lack of overall communication amongst staff, I have seen the negative effects it has on employee morale and productivity.

The company felt fragmented, employees didn’t understand what the big picture was, and not everyone was working towards the same vision or goals which intensified as the company grew.  Productivity wasn’t efficient and staff didn’t feel like an important part of the team.

Ask yourself the following questions:

• When was the last time you set organizational goals in writing and communicated them to all employees in the company?
• Are they S.M.A.R.T. – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Results-Focused, Time Bound?
• When was the last time you reviewed them?
• Do individual employees have their own goals?
• What is the process for ensuring alignment of the corporate, team and individual goals?
• If we asked individual team members in your company what the vision or mission of the company was, would they know?  Or would they have to look it up somewhere, or do they even exist?
• If we asked individual team members in your company what the goals of the company were would they answer the question the same way you would?
• Do your team members know the role they play in the overall success of the organization?

No matter what the size of your company is, effective communication of the company’s goals and vision are a critical way to make employees feel like part of the team and ensure everyone is on the same page.  Goals are important to have at all levels of the organization – corporate mission and vision, annual goals and targets for the organization, departmental goals, and individual goals that are aligned.

If you guide your employees in setting goals that really matter to the company, your employees will be more empowered by knowing how his or her job impacts the organization’s success.  You will increase motivation, loyalty, and create an overall positive atmosphere throughout your company.

Coming to work at Jouta was a stark contrast to what I had previously experienced.  We have clearly defined goals, and we regularly review our company mission, vision, and values to make sure they’re still relevant, and to ensure we’re all moving in the same direction.

We each feel like a huge part of the team and know that our contribution is valued, making us more efficient and productive.  This gives us an overall sense of importance to the company and increased motivation.

We Walk Our Talk – Don’t wait to align your workforce and increase productivity; the unmeasured cost to the bottom line can be staggering.

Call Jouta at 604-488-8885 today, let us help you succeed!

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