2018 Goal Setting: The Tools You Need to Get More Done This Year

We're almost two weeks into the new year. How are you doing on your goals? Here at CompareHRIS we prefer the term goals over resolutions, because resolutions are so final. Either you kept them or you didn't. Mess up once and you're out. No mercy. 

But goals, on the other hand, give you something to work toward. If you didn't do it today, try again tomorrow. 

That's why we love some of the fantastic goal-setting features that are showing up in HR software these days.

  

The Relationship Between Goals and Productivity

Goal-setting, tracking, and accountability serve as important components of employee performance. In fact, research shows that setting clear, difficult goals improves employee productivity. And finding the right blend of internal and external motivation can help keep your employees on the right track. 

Most of us are familiar with the SMART acronym for goal setting:

S - Specific

M - Measurable

A - Actionable

R - Relevant

T - Time-Based

But some goal-setting gurus (like Michael Hyatt), suggest that that model doesn't go far enough. In Hyatt's recently released book, Your Best Year Ever, he suggests two additional keys, extending the acronym to SMARTER. Goals, says Hyatt, should be exciting. They should inspire you! That's what will keep you going when drudgery kicks in. Second, they should be risky. They should cost you something to achieve. When goals are difficult, we bring more ingenuity and commitment to the problem. So how do we make our goals SMARTER? 

• Make Them Difficult—Realistic goals sound great until we realize that they're not challenging us. The more difficult our goals are, the more we have to invest in them. 
• Make Them Clear—"I will make more sales calls this month" is a vague goal. "I will make 5 sales calls every day" is clear. Clear goals give us a target to shoot for.
• Find the Right Motivation—Involve team members in goal setting exercises as much as possible. Why? Because we are more likely to achieve goals that matter to us personally than those that are set for us by someone else. Find the right balance of intrinsic (I'm doing this because I want to) and extrinsic (I'm doing this because it's required or I'm earning an incentive) motivators to reach peak productivity.
  
  

How Your HCMS Can Help You Improve Your 2018 Goal Setting Strategy

If setting the right goals is key to getting the best work from your employees, then it makes sense not only to set goals but also to track and reward them. That's where your HCMS fits into the picture. We've seen some exciting innovations in performance management software over the past few years, and you can use those tools to keep your team motivated. 

Here are some of our favorites:

• Integrated Goal Tracking—Give employees immediate feedback on goal accomplishments by tracking them within your HCMS. Many vendors offer the ability to create, track, and collaborate on goals from the employee portal. Both employers and employees can set long-term and short-term goals in the system and keep tabs on progress.
• Automated Reminders and Notifications—Is a deadline coming up? Did your direct report make progress on a goal? Do you need to provide feedback? Get an automated notification so you can easily track progress and keep everyone in the loop.
• Mobile Integration—Checking notifications on your desktop is so last century. Most HCMS apps let you interact and submit feedback from your mobile device so you can send a quick comment or check off a task no matter where you are. 
• AI for Goal Setting—AI applications for HR are multiplying every day. Ultimate Software's Xander technology can already help managers improve employee engagement by deciphering emotions and sentiments from feedback, and soon we expect to see AI that can participate in the goal setting and assessment process from end to end.

We're still learning more about motivation and goal setting every year, and the technology we use to support our employees is evolving as well. As you head into this year, leverage the tech you have to encourage mentoring and collaboration and foster a grassroots commitment to both personal and team achievement. 

And when you reach the end of the year, get ready to celebrate your accomplishments.

 

Looking for the right HCMS? Find your perfect software match with our HRIS Comparison Tool!

 

 

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