Make a New Year's Resolution to Align Employee Success With Company Goals Team members who are sincerely engaged are a company's greatest asset. Nurturing engagement is the leader's job.
By Matt Straz Edited by Dan Bova
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
There is no better time to focus on employee and company goals than the beginning of a new year. Communicating and aligning employee goals to that of their team and the overall company vision builds morale and improves individual and team performance. Engaged, well-performing employees contribute greatly to the long-term success of an organization.
As we ring in the New Year, consider some of the following tips to knit employee goals to the goals of the company:
1. Communicate company objectives.
Clearly define the company's main objectives. Actively sharing and updating employees on the company's strategy helps employees see how their personal career goals affect the progress of reaching company-wide goals.
According to a recent report by Harvard Business Review, 71 percent of respondents ranked employee engagement as very important to achieving overall organizational success, yet only 24 percent of respondents said employees in their organizations are highly engaged.
Employees who understand organizational objectives are much more likely to be engaged and actively working toward contributing to the company mission.
Related: 7 Ways to Pump Up Employee Engagement In Your Office
2. Set goal deadlines.
It's no secret that deadlines act as a great motivator. Setting realistic deadlines for achieving company goals gives employees something to actively work toward. Establishing deadlines will also assist employees in prioritizing their objectives, ensuring timely execution of company goals.
Related: Are You Actually Setting Goals? Probably Not. Here's How in 3 Steps.
3. Provide development opportunities.
Employee development is an aspect of management that is mistakenly undervalued. In an effort to successfully achieve company-wide goals, consider offering employees the opportunity to participate in training programs or workshops that relate to the company's strategy.
For example, if a company goal is to increase sales, provide employee training on effective sales techniques. Equipping employees with the means to succeed in reaching their career goals will aid in accomplishing the overall company mission.
Related: How to Make Employee Training a Winning Investment
4. Review progress.
Consistently provide helpful feedback to improve employee performance. Analyzing employee progress toward goals and how it ties to company-wide progress is an essential part of the performance review. This also gives employees the opportunity to discuss challenges they face, or opportunities they found, while working toward their goals.
Maintain a sense of transparency by updating employees on the evolution of established company goals, so that they can see how their goals help to drive business success.
