SMART Objectives Examples
SMART Objectives examples to help with objective setting.
As a manager, setting SMART objectives for each of your employees is likely to take more time than you thought. It could be more of a challenge than you thought too.
Setting SMART objectives at work is a responsibility which requires creativity, initiative and focus. Some appraisers find objective setting to be the most challenging element of the performance management process. The objectives examples here will help to give you a feel for what a SMART objective should look like.
Encouraging the employee to share their own thoughts on their work objectives should make the objective setting process easier. You might consider sharing the information in this blog with staff for whom you have appraisal responsibility. Then, before their performance appraisal review, encourage them to think about their own personal objectives for the coming year. Using the SMART objective criteria will help you to fine-tune objectives once they’ve been stated.
A SMART objective is an objective that is Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-based. Each time you come up with an objective, check it against these five words. If it reconciles each time, you’ve got a SMART objective.
These SMART objectives examples should give you a feel for what you’re aiming at.
Download this essential Performance Appraisal Guide. A handy list of the key actions to take when preparing for the appraisal, during the appraisal meeting and throughout the year.
SMART objectives examples
Idea for objective (not a SMART objective yet) – To improve your software knowledge
Objective fine-tuned using the SMART objective criteria – To improve your IT software knowledge by learning how to use xyz software by ….date
Idea for objective (not a SMART objective yet) – To stop people leaving the business so often
Objective fine-tuned using the SMART objective criteria – To improve staff retention by 4% by …. date
Idea for objective (not a SMART objective) – To improve your management skills
Objective fine-tuned using the SMART criteria – To complete Module 1 of the …. management programme by …. with a view to completing Module 2 by …. date
Idea for objective (not a SMART objective) – To stop being shy, speak up more at meetings and share your thoughts more often with the team
Objective fine-tuned using the SMART criteria – To improve your assertiveness skills by delivering a monthly sales update, to include your thoughts for creating new business, starting in January 2017
Giving your appraisers and appraisees a chance to practise setting SMART objectives is always helpful.
You can find an example of an objective setting exercise here . We use it regularly on our appraisal training courses.
Well thought through SMART objectives should form the cornerstone of a performance management process. Without these, you’re building on sand. If employees possess clearly stated personal work objectives for the year ahead which they develop after discussion with their manager, their work activity is more focused and their performance can be reviewed more effectively during performance appraisals.