Why are SMART objectives important?
SMART objectives are a form of objective setting which allows managers and employers to work together to set, track and complete both short and long-term goals. They help to ensure that employees are aware of the goals they are working towards, and they help to be an indicator of productivity in the workplace. They are also key in motivating and engaging employees.
In this topic, I will include a breakdown of the SMART objective system and how it can be effectively used in the workplace by both managers and their employees to meet their business goals.
The SMART Objective System
Objectives are important in any business, as they set out what the company is trying to achieve, and they help to organise employees to ensure they are working towards certain goals. The SMART acronym helps businesses to set out their objectives effectively, to ensure that the objectives set are realistic and provide motivation to the employees. Here is a breakdown of the acronym, and a brief description of how each part of the “SMART” objective can help to ensure these objectives are achieved:
S – Specific. Target a specific area for improvement/a specific mission statement for your goal
M – Measurable. How will progress towards your target be measured? Measurable goals highlight to both the manager and employee that progress is being made towards the end goal and acts as an indicator of progress.
A – Achievable/Agreed. The objective set should be feasible to complete and should be agreed upon by the manager and the employee.
R – Relevant. Set objectives that are relevant to the wider goals of your company and what it wants to achieve. Is your objective worth dedicating the time to? How will this affect other parts of the business?
T – Time-Bound. By setting a specific timeframe to complete your goals in, you can judge the productivity of your work by evaluating your progress at staging posts throughout the period. Once the period is up, you can evaluate whether the objective has been met and what needs to be changed to ensure future objectives can succeed.
Importance of Using SMART Objectives
Through utilizing SMART objectives effectively, managers can work together with their team members to create a plan to meet their goals in the workplace. Managers can use SMART objectives to keep their team motivated, as the system will help to create attainable and specific goals, giving their employees a clear focus of what their work is going towards. In fact, according to a Gallup poll, roughly half of all employees don’t know what is expected of them at work. Through utilizing SMART objectives, this problem can be nullified, leading employees to have a clear picture of what goals they need to accomplish.
In addition to this, the SMART system can be used to motivate your workers through an incentive program, where employees can be rewarded for reaching certain milestones. This can keep employees focused and productive and also act as a progress indicator towards the total completion of your objective.
As mentioned in the breakdown of the SMART acronym, objectives should be agreed upon by the manager and the employee. Including the employees when setting the goals allows them to take ownership of the work they are doing and allows them to see how their workplace objectives fit into the wider goals of the business and how their work is contributing to these goals. This also helps to ensure that there is an understanding between the employees and the manager of what goals are attainable in certain timeframes. This can lead to a more positive workplace, as employees will be less likely to feel the stress of being overworked whilst still being productive working towards the goals that they helped to set themselves.
So in conclusion…
In a busy workplace, SMART objectives can create achievable goals which help provide clarity, focus and motivation to the employees. Clear and open communication between managers and team members can help to avoid the setting of unclear goals which can cause unnecessary stress and unproductivity.
