OKRs

Why Using Spreadsheets to Manage Your OKRs Won’t Work

Technology

Goal setting is significant in every organization as it provides the expected outcomes to every stakeholder. But what’s more important is the strategy implemented to achieve these objectives. 

In most cases, leaders set organizational goals but implement wrong approaches that affect the goals’ achievement. However, with the availability of practical OKR tools, business tasks have become more effective as companies enhance their pursuits and increase directional success and effective communication.

What is the OKR strategy?

Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) are the objectives you set in your business plan. This framework plays a significant role in setting achievable objectives, tracking progress, and analyzing the outcomes. 

The framework applies in every department and team where every employee has a unique objective aligned with the overall organizational objective. The qualitative objective is then measured through quantitative Key Results. In most cases, one objective has around 3 Key results.  

Are OKRs the Same as KPI?

The Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are quantitative goals that break down the organizational progress in small bits of measurable data. However, the OKRs framework is more ambitious and advanced, requiring all the employees to stretch to achieve the desired results. 

Note that although the goals set in OKRs are overarching, they should still be attainable. 

OKRs framework handles a sheer volume of documents and data shared and updated regularly. It would be a challenging task when using spreadsheets that can only manage a confined amount of data. 

What is OKRs Software?

The framework’s software is a digital tool that helps you develop objectives and develop strategies that connect the employees, teams, and the organization. 

The OKRs software has features that enable companies to track all the objectives involved in a specific quarter. In other words, the OKRs software is an online tool that enables simple goal tracking across the board. 

Considerations When Choosing OKR Software

Advanced technology has led to the availability of various OKRs tools online, making it hard to discern the right for your company. The fact that one tool may work for a different company does not mean that it will automatically work for you. 

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Every company has its culture, and there are unique circumstances for every organization. Therefore, you should make the following considerations when choosing your OKRs tool. 

Features

The features in every tool will determine its effectiveness in your company. Besides, a tool with clear and simple features will enhance a more positive user experience than a complex tool. Some of the standard features that you should look out for in your preferred tool include:

  • Goal maps: Since this is a goal-tracking tool, the goal map should be clear to help you easily see the prioritized objectives and the key results that tie to them. 

Through the goal map, you should tell whether the prioritized goal in every team and employee aligns with the greater company goals. 

  • Employee section: The OKR tool should also have a data section regarding every employee, including surveys and comments. The tool should help you discover the employee voices and gain insights on what is working and areas that need improvement. 
  • Reports visuals: This feature is significant in the goal tracking process as it ensures that all levels are on the same track and that you have ready-to-use templates. The tool should provide factual reporting and provide information that can easily be analyzed, shared, and visualized. 
  • The feedback feature: This tool facilitates peer-to-peer communication and engagement that is critical to goal setting and achievement. Although the management may find time to review performance and provide immediate feedback, the teams need to collaborate and make performance more accessible throughout the organization. 

Having the software will help them check on other teams and align for ultimate performance. 

The OKRs tool should also have a friendly user interface that is simple for every stakeholder. Simply, the interface should be attractive and work like other common software to help all the employees, even the low-tech. 

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The software’s usability should also be enhanced through employee training, tutorial, and user support. Besides, the company offering this tool should have an online platform or community where users can find crucial information about the product. The availability of such information will make onboarding new users an easy task. 

Ensure that the software you choose easily connects with other tools you use in the organization. The integration will enhance the reporting, and goal tracking process as the tool combines information with the employee management systems and performance management software in your system.

Choose a tool that provides value for your money. Also, the pricing should be flexible, transparent, and clear. Note that this tool’s pricing should be based on the user experience, features, and capabilities. 

Top OKRs Tools

Profit.co OKR Tool

Profit.co combines weekly-check-in functionality with the OKRs framework to focus teams, drive company outcomes and build a goal-oriented organizational culture. 

The tool has been the favorite for small and large companies. Besides, it has features that enable swift alignment between the company and team objectives through progress breakdown and dashboard creation for each team and individual employees. 

The Yaguara Software

Yaguara mainly focuses on data-driven projects that align with the overall organizational objectives. Through this software, you can orient product launches, community engagement, and sales acquisition. 

The software is best known for its unification of communication and data to help teams and individual employees interact and address setbacks, goals, and progress satisfactorily. 

PeopleGoal OKR management Software

This software is mainly used for HR management and helps track employee performance. For that reason, it has unique features appropriate for the HR department, including a customizable feedback system and a balanced scorecard approach for goal setting. 

The software is flexible and allows different goal tracking options, adaptable review drafts, customizable department goals, and various overview levels. 

The OKRs software is the best solution for you as it helps track progress in all teams working towards the organizational objectives. Make the right choice for the OKR tool that would work best for your company and address the underlying issues. The highlighted considerations will guide you in choosing the best software.  

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