Examples of OKR goals in business

What are OKRs?

OKR (Objectives and Key Results) is a method that has brought success to many companies. Just think of brands such as Google, Intel, and Uber. No need to explain what they do, right? Their recognition is one measure of their success. These corporate giants achieved it by incorporating management by objectives and key results into their strategy.

In this article, we will briefly explain what the OKR method is and give some examples of OKRs in business.

The OKR method can be boiled down to asking yourself two questions:

• where do you want to be? (this is your objective)
• how will you know when you get there? (this is the key result).

Reducing the definition to these two answers makes the assumptions of the method seem quite simple. The essence of OKR is to properly define the goal and key results. OKR goals should be inspiring, challenging, and achievable. The results, on the other hand, should allow us to assess without question whether we have reached our goal. For this reason, key results should be measurable above all else.

An important component of the OKR method is employee engagement. Therefore, whenever possible, invite them to set goals and key results. This will give them a sense of influence and unleash their creativity. Thanks to joint action, the organization’s goal will not be a vision imposed from above, but a mutual agreement.

This has an additional advantage: thanks to this approach, every employee knows exactly what their role is, how they affect others, and how they relate to the achievement of the overall goal. That is why transparency and clear communication are extremely important parts of OKR.

OKRs in business

Defining strategic priorities and improving management is a challenge in itself. It is even more difficult if actions are not supported by a plan and the right methodology. Without them, it is a blind pursuit, which may or may not succeed.

It is worth using tools whose effectiveness has been proven by the biggest players. One of them is the OKR method. Today, it is used primarily by startups and large, rapidly growing brands. OKR assumes flexibility and working in short time periods. We reach the overall goal in stages, with feedback sessions in between. This allows us to check whether the actions we planned at the beginning are really bringing us closer to our goal. If not, the team jointly decides to change direction and apply other solutions.

The biggest problem with the OKR method is choosing the right goal and defining key results. Therefore, to help you implement this solution, we have included some inspiring examples of OKRs below.

OKR examples

OKR goals can be shared across an organization, but it is best to break them down into smaller ones and scale them down. To illustrate this, we have prepared OKR proposals for entire companies, departments, and individual employees. Perhaps they will inspire you and help you set an effective goal tailored to your business.

See what defining OKRs might look like in practice.

Example 1: A common goal for the entire organization

Every company wants to accumulate profits, which is why this is the theme of the following example. Remember that it is important for the goal to be time-bound. In this case, it can be defined as follows:

Company OKR: increase revenue by 15% in the first half of the year.

Key results:

• 10% increase in sales compared to the last quarter of the previous year;
• 20 new customers acquired within 6 months;
• 10% increase in median order value.

The key results given in this example are easy to check and measure. All you need is data from the previous accounting period and a summary of current profits.

Example 2: OKR for the HR department

One of the main responsibilities of the HR department is recruitment. It is crucial that positions are filled quickly and that processes run smoothly. Therefore, in this case, we can define the goal as follows:

OKR: efficient filling of specialist positions in the company.

Key results:

• recruitment process duration – no more than 2 weeks;
• process rating by hiring managers is 9/10;
• we obtain 20 new applications during each job fair.

Such examples of OKRs allow for a constant supply of talent, which is one of the most valuable resources of any HR department. Determining the length of the process, measuring the satisfaction of hiring managers involved in the process, and onboarding new employees allow us to assess the effectiveness of recruitment activities. Additional applications, in turn, will supplement the talent pipeline with new people ready to be hired as needed.

Example 3: OKR for customer service

Customer service departments are at the forefront of every business. Based on their interactions with them, consumers are able to change their opinion about the entire brand. Examples of goals may vary, but in this case, the satisfaction rate is an extremely important metric. Here, the goal could be as follows:

OKR example: Customer satisfaction index increased by 10% by the end of the quarter.

Key results:

• increase in customer satisfaction according to the survey – the target result is at least 85%;
• reduction of call waiting time to 30 seconds;
• reduction of case resolution waiting time by 20%.

Key results are a guide to what steps need to be taken to achieve the goal. Thanks to these improvements, customer satisfaction will increase.

Example 4: OKR increasing competence in the organization

Automation and digitization are affecting more and more areas of life. Therefore, increasing technological competence will be the goal of many organizations. OKR can therefore also be defined in the area of improvements.

OKR example: increasing the digital skills of employees.

Key results:

• training 95% of staff in new technological tools;
• adding training courses and webinars on new technologies to the knowledge base;
• increasing productivity by 15% as a result of newly acquired knowledge.

In this case, OKR goals may coincide with the private needs of employees.

Example 5: Individual employee goal

OKRs don’t just work for entire organizations. Perhaps defining the main OKR will determine the employee’s goals. Let’s say a company is planning to expand into the Iberian Peninsula. In this case, it would be beneficial to have people in the support department who not only know the product but can also speak Spanish. Therefore, the company’s goal will translate into an individual employee goal. An example of an OKR for an individual employee might look like this:

Goal: I will learn Spanish at the A1 level.

Key results:

• read and understand a book at the A1 level;
• be able to hold a simple, casual conversation;
• pass the exam with a minimum score of 90%.

The goal is clearly defined, and the key results will allow us to assess whether it has been achieved. Passing the exam itself could be a matter of luck, but the ability to read with understanding and converse will confirm the acquisition and application of a new skill. The OKR goals of one person can translate into the achievement of the organization’s goals.

Example 6: OKR for the marketing department

It is risky to underestimate the role of marketing. It builds brand recognition, which helps attract customers. Therefore, the effectiveness of this department’s activities should be measured not only by the number of campaigns, but above all by their impact on business results.

Goal: to increase customer engagement through marketing campaigns.

Key results:

• 20% increase in website conversion rate;
• 50,000 organic views of content on social media;
• 15% increase in MQLs during the quarter.

These examples of strategic OKRs let the marketing department know what expectations it has to meet. Now it will focus on activities that directly translate into sales growth and customer engagement.

Example 7: OKR for the sales department

The effectiveness of the sales department should be measured both by the number of closed deals and the quality of acquired customers.

Goal: improve sales efficiency and increase the number of closed deals.

Key results:

• signing 30 new contracts per quarter;
• shortening the sales cycle by 10 days;
• increasing the average transaction value by 12%.

Such examples of measurable OKRs allow the sales department to focus on optimizing processes, rather than just the number of calls made or meetings held.

Example 8: OKRs for the IT department

Companies are often faced with the question: what KPIs should be applied to IT? We have the answer for this type of organizational OKRs. High-quality technological solutions are essential to maintaining competitiveness, and IT should focus on stability and speed of implementation.

Goal: to improve technological processes in the organization.

Key results:

• 25% reduction in the number of errors in the code;
• 30% reduction in the time needed to implement new functionalities;
• improvement of system uptime to 99.9%.

This breakdown of OKRs will allow you to focus on the goals that are most important for the development and efficient functioning of the company.

Example 9: OKRs for internal processes

Eliminating unnecessary activities and automation translate into savings in terms of time and costs. How to formulate OKRs that will achieve this?

Goal: optimization of internal processes in the company.

Key results:

• 40% reduction in document approval time;
• introduction of process automation tools in at least three departments;
• 20% increase in employee satisfaction with administrative processes.

The result? The company can increase its operational efficiency by eliminating time-consuming and inefficient procedures. Employee capacity is freed up for other strategic activities.

How to monitor progress in OKR implementation?

Remember that the OKR method assumes short (usually quarterly) intervals? This allows you to assess the degree of goal achievement and correct any actions that do not lead to it.

To effectively monitor progress, it is worth using dedicated tools, such as an OKR management platform. Thanks to it, people collaborating on a project will be able to work more effectively. Such platforms offer many useful features, for example:

• the ability to define goals and key results;
• setting deadlines;
• tracking progress and updating results on an ongoing basis;
• creating reports and analyzing data;
• integration with other business tools.

One of the popular tools supporting OKRs is the HRcode platform, which enables companies to effectively manage goals and monitor their implementation.

In summary, OKRs are a powerful tool that helps companies define their goals, track progress, and achieve better business results. The examples of OKRs we have presented show the diversity of applications of this methodology in various areas of business. Modern OKR management platforms allow you to effectively monitor progress and achieve business success.

See what OKR goal management could look like in your organization. Contact us!