This document outlines 5 steps for setting effective goals in the workplace. It discusses Dr. Locke's motivation and goal-setting theory which found that specific, challenging goals lead to higher performance than vague goals. The 5 principles for successful goal setting are: 1) Make goals clear and challenging, 2) Ensure staff are committed, 3) Give regular feedback, 4) Monitor complexity of goals to avoid overwhelming staff, and 5) Provide the time and resources needed to achieve complex goals. Each principle is then further explained with tips for implementation.

1. 5 STEPS TO SETTING GREAT GOALS
Melissa Jones
worklab.breathehr.com

2. WHY SET GOALS?
Goal setting can sometimes be overlooked and taken for granted in the
workplace.
The motivation and goal-setting theory put forward by Dr. Locke can
provide small businesses with the knowledge they need to set effective
company goals.
He identified an inseparable link between setting goals and workplace
performance:
90% of the time, specific and challenging (but not too
challenging) goals lead to higher performance compared to easy, or “do
your best” goals.

3. 5 PRINCIPLES OF GOAL SETTING
Locke acknowledged five
principles for successful goal
setting:
➤ Make goals clear; and
➤ challenging.
➤ Ensure staff are committed.
➤ Give regular feedback.
➤ Monitor complexity

4. CLARITY

5. 1. MAKE GOALS CLEARER
➤ Clarity gives direction for the employee to follow.
➤ Clear goals can be measured accurately so you know when the
goal has been completed.
➤ Clearly communicated goals are understood by both parties
which helps to ensure their success.

6. CHALLENGE

7. 2. CREATE CHALLENGING GOALS
➤ Goals must be challenging, but not too challenging.
➤ Too hard and an employee will decide it's unachievable so
won’t be motivated.
➤ Too easy and an employee won’t be motivated to strive past
that point.

8. COMMITTMENT

9. 3. ENSURE YOUR STAFF ARE COMMITTED
➤ Goals need to be believed in so involve your staff in the
process of setting them
➤ Hearing their views but don’t feel like every goal has to be
negotiated with the entire team.
➤ Share your vision for the business to reassure them that they
are a part of it and empower them to help you get there.

10. FEEDBACK

11. 4. PROVIDE REGULAR FEEDBACK
➤ It's important to let employees know how they are doing.
➤ Recognise good performance as much as you do
underperforming. If an employee is exceeding expectations
then tell them.
➤ Give regular feedback and look to discuss the goals in question.
➤ If needs be look to adjust a goal that isn’t being achieved before
assuming the employee isn’t motivated to achieve it.

12. COMPLEXITY

13. 5. MONITOR TASK COMPLEXITY
➤ Ensure your employees’ workloads don’t become too
overwhelming when you set them complex goals
➤ People who work in demanding roles and are task-oriented can
be prone to pushing themselves too hard and overworking.
➤ Likewise, complex goals may result in employees lose confidence
in their ability to complete the goal.
➤ Managers need to ensure they are providing employees with the
time and resources they need to fulfil the tasks successfully.

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