Not specifying how often employees should submit progress and goal updates, in addition to how often to review OKR progress, is a common mistake, and a dangerous one. On one hand, updating OKRs on a weekly basis will create accountability and on the other, it'll ensure you stay on top of things.
More often than not, people review OKR progress a little too late, only to discover they haven't accomplished their results and that at that point, time is against them.
One of the most frequently asked questions is "how often should we review progress on our OKRs? The answer is simple: as much as possible.
This is especially true when you're new to OKRs because you're trying to change the way people work. Any change requires repetition to eventually become a habit.
Define cadences
When defining your OKR process, make sure you define a cadence for:
Perdoo Update frequency (weekly/monthly). The frequency in which you want everyone to update Key Results and Initiatives in Perdoo. This includes Team OKRs (weekly) and Company OKRs (monthly). We recommend that OKRs are updated prior to the progress review session and to use the commenting tool in Perdoo to provide context on the update.
Team OKR progress reviews (weekly). This is the time where Team leads sit together with their teams to discuss wins, risks, and next steps. These quick meetings make sure everyone is aligned and proper action is being taken to keep progress moving forward.
Department/Business OKR progress reviews (monthly). In bigger organizations you usually find Teams that have a more complex structure. Department heads need to stay looped in on progress being made on Subteams OKRs because these are essential to accomplishing the outcomes for the department as a whole. Make sure this meeting frequency is also considered to give managers the chance to recognize a job well done or correct the path if something's falling behind.
Executives (monthly). Commitment from the leadership team will set the tone to the rest of the organization. During this check-in, Executives can understand what each Team is working on and how everything is pushing or influencing Company results.
Create & follow up on the process
When organizations first start with OKRs, employees often feel confused. Develop a simple, straightforward process that can act as a guideline on where to start. People can then personalize it as they grow comfortable with it.
Establishing the process is the first step, but ensuring the process is being followed is key to success. It's incredibly common for people to fall off the wagon once the initial thrill passes, so staying on top of the process will keep everyone accountable ensuring whoever fell off hops back on. Remember, you're creating a new habit so repetition is essential.
Integrate OKR progress reviews to existing meetings
The idea is to remain efficient. The less meetings, the more time you can focus on hitting your goals. Use OKRs to initiate team discussions and have a better understanding as to where you stand and what needs to happen to push forward. Integrating it to existing meetings will also help reduce resistance and the feeling that they're adding one more thing to their plates.
Need a hand?
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