5 things that business pros need to know about goal management platforms

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Remote workers are in a rut. According to new data by the business technology company Ally.io, two out of three workers who went remote in the past year and a half say "they're working harder than before"—while "seeing fewer results." 

As a counter to such dead ends, goal management platforms (that is, tracking software that allows enterprises, teams and individuals to effectively measure and track goals) can provide professionals the tools they need to stay on track for fulfilling objectives. According to Ally.io, "76% of corporate employees who use a formal goal framework," such as ones that log key results, "feel empowered to take risks at work, even though it may result in failure." Here are five reasons to use goal-setting platforms to keep on track. 

SEE: Juggling remote work with kids' education is a mammoth task. Here's how employers can help (free PDF) (TechRepublic)  

1. Counter corporate burnout    

Lethargy and stagnation spike, according to Vetri Vellore, the founder and CEO of Ally.io, when a "lack of clarity around priorities and employees are pulled in multiple directions." He adds that employees "become bogged down with too many things and leave work every day without a sense of accomplishment or a sense of purpose." A counter to such circumstances, says Vellore, is using goal management systems, which can assist pros with focusing on top priorities and gaining traction every workweek.  

2. Spike creativity   

Worries about screwing up and failing can render workers and enterprises to push the brakes on being risk-seekers. Such reactions, in turn, all too often hinder innovation. Vellore maintains that goal-management apps, and particularly, OKRs "are designed to help teams stretch beyond what they would typically do." How such platforms are designed, inherently, "the goals aren't always attainable, but the practice builds a mentality that helps teams figure out how they can improve and what could be done differently." Moreover, he argues that "It strengthens not only the company's culture but also empowers and emboldens teams and individuals."   

3. Track progress that you can tangibly see happening  

According to Lars Arendt, the creator of the popular goal-setting app Way of Life, such platforms ought to have "graphs and other kinds of stats." This, he said, is "where an app excels" with helping with goal setting. That's because you can see a handful of data on the platform "in ways that may nudge you towards being just a bit better than yesterday." 

4. They nudge business pros to be better 

Arendt said that dingers on your device are another key for knocking out goals. If an employee is writing them done, in say a notebook, they often can be easily forgotten. As Arendt has it, "being able to set up a system of reminders is invaluable in forming a habit." Reminders that pop up on your phone that poke you let pros know where their focal point should be on any given day can be invaluable.   

5. These platforms can assist with focus — for both an employee and a team

"Teams using OKRs will be less distracted and more engaged," Vellore said. These platforms, he added, "help companies succeed because they provide the ability to align clearly, connect goals to the outcomes that matter, track changes frequently, and bring transparency (and accountability) to every level of the organization." In the end, Vellore emphasized that goal management systems help workers see how their tasks are aligned to the main priorities of their team, as well as their organization. 

Also see

• How to become a CIO: A cheat sheet (TechRepublic)
• Working from home: How to get remote right (free PDF) (TechRepublic)
• Contract work policy (TechRepublic Premium)
• ZDNet's top enterprise CEOs of the 2010s (ZDNet)
• CXO: More must-read coverage (TechRepublic on Flipboard)