3. Monitor and Certify!

A very important part of creating a Learning Journey is to understand how effective it is in transmitting knowledge. Therefore, it is essential to be able to define metrics to better understand what has been the performance of employees in the training, how many hours they spent and even what has been their feedback regarding the contents.

Moreover, at the end of a Learning Journey, it is crucial to be able to certify all the people that have successfully completed all their training, representing an official recognition of their knowledge acquisition and their effort during the process.

With the GFoundry platform, all this is possible in a simple and dynamic way. Firstly, you can monitor crucial information about people’s training through reports available both in dashboards and xlsx files.

In addition, you can also certify all employees who complete your Learning Journeys, adding relevant information to these certificates, such as their name, the date on which the training ended, the hours used and even their final score. These certificates are available in each employee’s profile and they can be shared on their LinkedIn profile.

4. Communication Plan

For any area of an organisation, internal communication is one of the key pillars to get a specific message across to people effectively. Therefore, with regard to Training Plans, it is also important to be able to communicate succinctly and clearly to everyone that it is important to use the tools available to improve their skills and knowledge.

GFoundry is a fundamental piece for the internal communication of any organisation. Firstly, the fact that it is a digital solution allows all employees to have access to a mobile application where they can be in direct contact with your company. This direct contact is not only related to their work goals and linked to their functions, but also has other very important aspects.

On the platform’s homepage, employees have access to a news area, where the company can share important messages, but they can also use push notifications to pass a shorter and more direct message to everyone or to a specific group of people.

Know more here.

5. Have a good platform!

With technological evolution, and the inevitable digitalisation of Human Resources, employees should have access to tools that allow them to access your company’s content in a simple, agile and impactful way for their performance.

For this reason, GFoundry is an ideal partner to implement a project to create Learning Journeys for your employees, whether they are seniors or people who have just joined the organisation.

GFoundry works as a multi-platform solution (Web, Android and iOS), which supports all the actions directly related to Talent Management in an organisation, from attracting and recruiting people, through their integration and development to their departure, providing a rich experience in impactful moments for their performance.

Finally, through a Gamification Engine, which allows you to create game and reward dynamics through multiple user actions and achievements, you can make these paths much more interactive and interesting for any employee, directly impacting their results and, consequently, those of your organisation.

Know more about GFoundry’s Talent Management Solutions here.

Image Credits

2. Leadership Style The leadership style in an organization can significantly impact employee well-being. Leaders who practice empathetic, supportive, and transformational leadership often foster a sense of empowerment and autonomy in their employees, positively influencing their well-being. On the other hand, authoritarian or neglectful leadership can lead to feelings of stress, anxiety, and dissatisfaction among employees.

3. Workload and Job Demand Excessive workload and high job demands can lead to employee burnout, negatively impacting their physical and mental well-being. Therefore, it’s crucial to maintain a balanced workload and realistic job demands, which helps in reducing stress and promoting overall well-being.

4. Work-Life Balance The ability of an employee to balance professional responsibilities with personal life is a key determinant of well-being. Employers that offer flexible work hours, respect personal time, and encourage regular breaks often witness higher levels of employee well-being.

5. Job Security and Compensation Financial stability and job security greatly influence an employee’s sense of well-being. Fair and competitive compensation, benefits, and a secure job environment provide a sense of safety and satisfaction, contributing positively to well-being.

6. Opportunities for Growth and Development Employees tend to experience a higher sense of well-being when they perceive opportunities for personal and professional growth within the organization. This includes training opportunities, clear career paths, and the chance to take on new and challenging projects.

7. Physical Work Environment The physical workspace also affects employee well-being. A clean, comfortable, and safe work environment can boost productivity and job satisfaction, whereas a cluttered, noisy, or unsafe environment can lead to stress and dissatisfaction.

Image Credits

3. Offer Mental Health Support Proactively support employees’ mental health. Consider providing access to counseling services, mental health days, stress management workshops, or mindfulness training. A workplace that acknowledges and supports mental health can significantly improve overall employee well-being.

4. Promote Work-Life Balance Encourage employees to balance their work commitments with their personal life. This could be achieved through flexible working hours, remote work options, or ensuring employees don’t work outside their contracted hours.

5. Create a Positive Work Culture A healthy, positive work culture plays a vital role in employee well-being. Foster an environment that values open communication, collaboration, inclusivity, and respect. Regularly acknowledge and reward employees’ work, and encourage team-building activities to strengthen interpersonal relationships.

6. Provide Financial Wellness Programs Financial stress can significantly impact an employee’s mental and physical health. Provide financial education workshops, retirement planning advice, or even access to financial advisors. Helping employees feel financially secure can greatly enhance their overall well-being.

7. Invest in Professional Development Employees are likely to be more satisfied and engaged when they see opportunities for growth and development in their roles. Provide regular training programs, skill development workshops, or tuition assistance for further education.

8. Ensure a Safe and Comfortable Physical Environment Ensure that the workspace is comfortable, clean, and safe. Proper lighting, ergonomic furniture, and a noise-controlled environment can improve employee satisfaction and productivity. A comfortable physical work environment reduces health risks and fosters a sense of well-being.

Google’s commitment to mental health is equally commendable.

The company provides extensive parental leave policies, which allow new parents to spend time with their newborns without the additional stress of work commitments. Google also understands the importance of a flexible work environment in promoting mental well-being.

Employees often have the option to work from home or adjust their work hours as needed, helping to maintain a healthy work-life balance. Google’s workspace environment also reflects its commitment to employee well-being. Their offices are thoughtfully designed to encourage collaboration and innovation, with communal workspaces, adjustable desks, and comfortable lounges.

This not only makes the work environment flexible but also contributes to employee satisfaction and well-being. Professional growth is another significant aspect of Google’s well-being strategy. The company places a strong emphasis on continuous learning and development. Google offers a range of training and development programs and provides opportunities for mentorship and cross-functional projects.

These initiatives help employees expand their skills and grow in their careers, leading to increased job satisfaction. In terms of physical health, Google’s offices are often equipped with fitness centers and even sports fields in some locations.

These facilities encourage employees to maintain an active lifestyle, contributing to their overall physical well-being. Additionally, Google provides on-site healthcare services, including physicians and physical therapy, at several of its locations.

To promote healthy eating, Google offers its employees nutritious meals and snacks for free in their cafeterias.

GFoundry and Mental Health

Fostering a Learning Environment

With its learning and development tools, GFoundry aids in mental health by fostering a growth mindset. Continuous learning can improve self-confidence, provide a sense of purpose, and counter feelings of stagnation or burnout.

Enhancing Communication

Our solutions promote internal communication actions in our clients’ companies because we believe they contribute significantly to mental health. Also, open dialogue can cultivate a supportive, inclusive workplace where employees feel comfortable discussing their struggles. This can reduce feelings of isolation and foster better mental health.

Recognizing and Rewarding Effort

Through performance analysis and recognition, GFoundry helps combat the adverse effects of unrecognized work on mental health. By acknowledging and rewarding hard work, it boosts employees’ self-esteem and job satisfaction, both crucial for mental well-being.

Gamification for Stress Reduction

One way GFoundry promotes wellness is through gamification. This playful, engaging approach can reduce workplace stress, a major contributor to mental health issues. By making daily tasks enjoyable and rewarding, GFoundry enables more relaxed and fun working environments.

What is the success rate of OKR?

The success rate of OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) can vary widely depending on the organization’s implementation and the specific goals set. However, studies have shown that when implemented effectively, OKRs can lead to significant improvements in employee engagement, productivity, and overall business performance.

One study found that organizations that effectively use OKRs achieve 2.5 to 4 times greater growth than those that do not. Another study found that organizations using OKRs saw a 10-15% improvement in employee engagement.

OKRs have been used successfully by many leading companies such as Google, LinkedIn, and Twitter to drive growth and innovation. In these organizations, OKRs are reported to have improved alignment, focus, and transparency.

Does OKR replace KPI?

No, OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) do not replace KPIs (Key Performance Indicators). While they might seem similar, they serve different purposes and can often be used together effectively.

OKRs are a goal-setting framework used to set, track, and achieve ambitious and measurable goals. The “Objective” is what one wants to achieve and the “Key Results” are the measurable steps to reach that objective. OKRs are typically set on a quarterly basis and encourage teams to strive for stretch goals.

On the other hand, KPIs are metrics that track the ongoing performance of an organization, team, or individual. KPIs are used to measure the effectiveness of various tasks and activities in meeting organizational objectives.

In practice, KPIs can actually feed into OKRs. For example, if an OKR is to increase website traffic by 25%, KPIs such as unique visitors, page views, and bounce rate could be monitored regularly to assess progress towards this OKR.

So, rather than replacing KPIs, OKRs can provide a framework for determining which KPIs are most important to focus on for a given time period, thus allowing for strategic alignment and focus.

Why OKRs should not be used for performance evaluation?

OKRs they are not typically recommended for performance evaluation for several reasons:

1. Innovation risk: When OKRs are tied to performance evaluations, it can discourage employees from setting ambitious goals. They may tend to choose safer, more achievable objectives to ensure they receive positive evaluations, thus stifling innovation and risk-taking.
2. Focus on learning and growth: OKRs are meant to encourage continuous learning and growth. Using them for performance evaluations can shift the focus away from this and towards achieving specific outcomes, potentially at the cost of long-term development.
3. Promotes a culture of fear: Tying OKRs to evaluations can create a culture of fear and competition rather than collaboration. Employees might be hesitant to help others, worrying that it could negatively affect their own performance.
4. Biased evaluations: The achievement of OKRs may not accurately reflect an individual’s performance because many external factors can influence their realization. This could lead to biased or unfair evaluations.
5. Short-term focus: If OKRs are tied to performance evaluations, employees may focus on short-term objectives to the detriment of long-term strategic goals.

While OKRs are an effective tool for aligning and motivating teams around common objectives, they should ideally be decoupled from performance evaluations to maintain their effectiveness and purpose.

How often should OKRs be changed?

OKRs should not be changed too frequently, as this can disrupt progress towards the goals. However, they should also not be set in stone for long periods of time, as the business environment can change rapidly.

A good rule of thumb is to review and update OKRs on a quarterly basis, with the possibility of making minor adjustments as needed.

However, the frequency can depend on the nature of the organization and its objectives. For example, a start-up in a fast-paced industry might need to adjust their OKRs more frequently, while a more established organization in a stable industry might choose to set OKRs on a semi-annual or annual basis.

It’s important to remember that while the specific Key Results might change each quarter, the overarching Objective often remains more stable, reflecting the organization’s long-term strategic goals.

Moreover, it’s also crucial not to change OKRs too frequently within a single quarter (or set period) because doing so can cause confusion, disrupt focus, and make it difficult to measure progress.

At the end of each quarter, there should be a review process to assess the success of the previous OKRs and to set new ones for the next period.

What are the disadvantages of OKRs?

Overemphasis on short-term results

OKRs can incentivize teams to prioritize short-term goals over long-term objectives, leading to neglect of important goals that may take longer to achieve.

Excessive focus on metrics

Setting and tracking metrics can be helpful, but it can also lead to an overemphasis on numbers rather than qualitative factors that may be harder to measure.

Can be demotivating

If employees feel like they are constantly falling short of their goals, it can be demotivating and lead to burnout.

Can lead to a lack of creativity

When employees are too focused on achieving their OKRs, they may be less likely to take risks and try new things.

Can create a culture of danger competition

While some competition can be healthy, an excessive focus on OKRs can lead to a cutthroat culture where employees are more concerned with outperforming each other than with achieving the company’s overall objectives.

Know more about the GFoundry’s OKR’s solution on this link!

How can an OKR tool spot unmotivated staff?

Our OKR tool helps bosses spot employees lacking drive. It does this by checking their goal progress. If a worker always misses goals, they might be lacking motivation.

Another method is using surveys. GFoundry solutions have survey features that gather employee feedback. This information can show where staff feel unnoticed or unsupported. Managers can then fix these problems.

Regular meetings can also help. In these sessions, progress, feedback, and issues can be discussed. This helps find reasons why an employee may be uninvolved or unmotivated.

Our OKR platform is a strong tool for spotting inactive or unmotivated staff. It tracks goal progress, collects feedback via surveys, and supports regular meetings. Managers can then quickly see who’s struggling. This lets them act fast to solve issues and boost engagement and motivation.

Why gamify the OKR experience?

You should gamify the OKR experiences because that can bring a fun, engaging element into the process of setting and achieving objectives and key results. This approach not only boosts employee engagement but also promotes collaboration. Plus, gamification simplifies the tracking of progress, fostering accountability among team members. In essence, gamifying OKRs can lead to a more energized, effective, and transparent work environment.

The OKR (Objectives and Key Results) approach can be made more fun with gamification. This makes achieving goals more exciting for employees. Here are some ways gamification improves OKRs:

• Boosted Engagement
• Gamification adds fun to goal-setting. This keeps employees more involved and eager.
• Improved Teamwork
• It encourages employees to join hands and help each other in reaching goals.
• Enhanced Performance
• By making goal-setting enjoyable, gamification can boost work efficiency and output.
• Better Tracking and Accountability
• Gamification can simplify progress tracking for employees and supervisors alike.

OKR Examples: Driving Business Success

Google OKRs

Google is known for its culture of innovation and focus on ambitious goals. A famous example of OKRs implemented by Google was during the development of Chrome, their web browser. The objective was to “Capture 20% of the browser market by the end of the year,” while the key results included “Launch three unique features in Chrome” and “Increase loading speed by 30%.” These challenging OKRs encouraged the team to pursue innovative solutions and focus on delivering value to users.

Netflix OKRs

Netflix is a leading company in the video streaming industry, and its OKR approach has been instrumental in its global expansion. An example of an OKR they used was the objective to “Increase customer satisfaction by 10%.” The key results included “Reduce loading time by 20%” and “Personalize recommendations based on viewing history.” These OKRs allowed Netflix to direct their efforts towards improving the customer experience while driving business growth.

Airbnb OKRs

Airbnb revolutionized the hospitality industry, and their success is also tied to effective OKR implementation. During their rapid growth, one of the objectives was to “Expand to 50 new cities by the end of the year.” The key results included “Achieve 1000 new listings in each city” and “Increase revenue by 30% in these new locations.” These OKRs helped Airbnb maintain a rapid pace of expansion and establish itself as a global hosting platform.

Tesla OKRs

Tesla, a leading electric vehicle company, is renowned for its vision of transforming the automotive industry. A notable example of Tesla’s OKRs was the objective to “Produce 500,000 electric vehicles by the end of the year.” The key results included “Reduce production costs by 20%” and “Increase vehicle energy efficiency by 10%.” These OKRs directed the company’s focus toward production scalability and continuous technology improvement, enabling them to achieve ambitious goals.

Bring your OKR methodology to life with GFoundry

With our OKR software, teams and individuals can easily set and track their objectives and key results (OKRs).

They can also visualize the roadmap and see how their work aligns with organizational goals.

GFoundry’s OKR software with gamification ensures progress tracking, regular check-ins, and motivating rewards for a more productive and motivated workforce.

Key Features of GFoundry’s Dynamic OKR Software:

• Robust OKRs and Initiatives: Use our OKR framework and OKR methodology to set impactful objectives and key results, backed by real-world OKR examples. Ensure your team’s alignment with business goals and corporate strategy.
  
• Visual Roadmap: An intuitive representation of your strategic planning journey, highlighting the alignment between individual tasks and broader business outcomes.
  
• Effective Due Dates: Streamline your goal setting process with clear timelines, ensuring that all objectives are in sync with the overall corporate strategy.
• Innovative Gamification: Boost employee performance by motivating and engaging teams through playful elements, encouraging them towards achieving their set OKRs and business goals.
  
• Automated Check-In Reminders: Automated prompts that aid in consistent performance tracking and keep teams on track with their set objectives and key results.
  
• Advanced Statistics with Filters: Dive deep into performance management data, allowing for insightful performance feedback and strategic decision-making.
  
• Progress Dashboards: A real-time overview of employee performance, ensuring timely interventions and alignment with business outcomes.
  
• KR’s Activity Stream: Stay updated with the latest developments in objectives and key results, promoting effective performance tracking and feedback loops.
  
• Personal and Professional Objectives Setting: Enable both individual and team-centric goal setting, ensuring holistic alignment with the overarching corporate strategy.
  
• Mass Objectives Creation and Management: Simplify strategic planning by creating and managing multiple objectives simultaneously, ensuring they align with the overarching business goals.
  
• Efficient Objectives Status Follow-Up: Stay updated on objectives’ progress and ensure they’re on track, promoting effective performance tracking and performance management.
  
• Holistic Talent Management & Integrations: Comprehensive solutions that encompass employee performance, feedback mechanisms, and seamless integrations, ensuring optimized alignment with the broader corporate strategy.

In wrapping up, many ask, “Are OKRs really effective?” The answer isn’t black and white.

While some companies thrive using OKRs, it’s crucial to understand the success rate of OKR is varied. Notably, OKRs come with some disadvantages that could impact their efficiency. And for those pondering if OKR replaces KPI, the two often work in tandem.

Consider looking at OKR examples to grasp how they function in real-world scenarios. In the end, the efficacy of OKRs depends on proper implementation and alignment with a company’s unique goals.

Some of the most common questions about OKRs, segmented into 5 areas:

1. Definition and Basics of OKR

What is OKR?

OKR stands for Objectives and Key Results. It’s a framework used by companies to set and track objectives and their outcomes. OKRs help organizations align goals and ensure that everyone is moving in the same direction.

What does OKR stand for?

OKR stands for “Objectives and Key Results”. It is a goal-setting system that has been adopted by many businesses and organizations to help them achieve success.

What does OKR mean?

OKR means setting clear and measurable objectives and then defining the key results that indicate the achievement of that objective. It emphasizes focusing on measurable outcomes rather than tasks.

What is the OKR method/framework/process?

The OKR method is a continuous process of setting, tracking, and refining objectives and their associated key results. This iterative cycle helps teams stay aligned and focused on strategic goals, ensuring clarity and cohesion across the organization.

What’s the difference between OKR and KPI?

OKR is about setting objectives and defining measurable results to achieve them. KPI, or Key Performance Indicator, is a measurable value that demonstrates how effectively a company is achieving business objectives. While OKRs drive forward progress and outcomes, KPIs track the success of ongoing operations or processes.

What are the two parts of an OKR?

The two main parts of an OKR are the Objective, which defines a clear goal, and the Key Results, which are specific and measurable outcomes indicating the achievement of the objective.

What is a key result in OKR?

A key result in OKR defines what success looks like for an objective. It is a measurable outcome that provides clarity on whether the objective has been achieved.

What are OKR objectives and key results?

Objectives in OKR set a clear direction or goal. Key results are the specific, measurable outcomes that indicate success towards achieving the objective.

What is an objective in OKR?

An objective in OKR is a clearly defined goal that an organization or individual wants to achieve. It provides direction and purpose, and is qualitative in nature.

2. OKR in Context

What is OKR in business?

In business, OKR is a framework that helps companies set, communicate, and monitor their goals. By defining objectives and measurable key results, businesses can align their teams, foster focus, and drive growth.

What is OKR in project management?

In project management, OKR can be used to set clear objectives for a project and then define measurable outcomes to achieve these objectives. It ensures that all team members understand the project’s goals and aligns their efforts accordingly.

What is OKR in agile?

In agile methodologies, OKR complements the iterative and incremental approach by providing clear objectives and results for each iteration or sprint. It ensures alignment of agile teams with the broader organizational goals.

What is OKR in software development?

In software development, OKRs help teams focus on delivering features or improvements that have a meaningful impact. By setting objectives and measurable results, development teams can prioritize work that aligns with business goals.

What is OKR in performance management?

OKR in performance management involves setting clear objectives for employees and teams, and measuring their performance against defined key results. It facilitates transparent feedback and ensures alignment with organizational goals.

What is OKR in HR?

In Human Resources (HR), OKRs are used to align team efforts with the overall company goals, manage employee performance, and drive initiatives that contribute to organizational success.

What is OKR in product management?

Product managers use OKRs to set clear objectives for product development, ensuring that the product aligns with company goals and meets market demands.

What is OKR in marketing?

In marketing, OKRs guide teams to focus on campaigns and strategies that align with the company’s overall objectives, ensuring measurable results that drive growth and brand visibility.

3. Using and Implementing OKR

How to write an OKR?

To write an OKR, start by defining a clear, qualitative objective that outlines what you want to achieve. Then, specify 2-5 key results which are quantifiable and indicate the successful achievement of the objective.

How to set OKR?

Setting OKRs involves collaboration between teams and leadership. Start with the company’s strategic goals, then create aligned objectives for teams or individuals. Ensure key results are specific, measurable, and time-bound.

How to implement OKR?

Implementing OKRs begins with top management setting the organization’s strategic OKRs. These are then broken down into departmental or team OKRs, ensuring alignment. Regular check-ins, feedback sessions, and reviews are essential to track progress and make necessary adjustments.

How to track OKR?

Tracking OKRs involves regular check-ins, where teams review their progress towards the key results. Many companies use OKR software to monitor progress and ensure transparency across the organization.

How to measure OKR?

Measure OKRs by evaluating the progress made towards the key results. Each key result should have a quantifiable metric, which can be tracked over a specified period to determine success or areas for improvement.

How to facilitate an OKR session?

Facilitating an OKR session involves gathering teams, setting clear agendas, discussing past OKRs, and collaboratively setting new objectives and key results. It’s a forum for alignment, feedback, and collective goal setting.

How to align OKR?

Aligning OKRs involves ensuring that individual or team objectives support the broader organizational goals. Regular communication, collaboration, and transparency are essential to maintain alignment across all levels.

How to cascade OKR company to teams?

Cascading OKRs means breaking down company-wide objectives into smaller, actionable objectives for departments, teams, or individuals. This ensures that all levels of the organization are aligned and working towards the same overarching goals.

How many OKRs should an organization have?

While there’s no one-size-fits-all number, most organizations find that 3-5 OKRs per team or individual per quarter strikes a balance between focus and achievability.

4. Significance and Benefits of OKR

Why use OKR?

Using OKRs helps organizations maintain alignment, clarity, and focus. It ensures that teams work towards meaningful objectives and provides a framework for tracking and measuring success.

Why OKR is important?

OKR is crucial as it ensures that organizations have a clear direction, with all teams and members aligned to the same goals. It fosters transparency, accountability, and drives results-oriented actions.

Why OKR is better than KPI?

While KPIs measure performance of ongoing processes, OKRs drive progress towards specific outcomes. OKRs provide direction and focus, making them more dynamic and adaptable to changing business environments compared to KPIs.

How do companies benefit from OKR?

Companies benefit from OKRs by gaining clearer direction, improved team alignment, and measurable outcomes. OKRs also promote accountability, transparency, and foster a results-driven culture.

How does OKR work?

OKR works by setting clear objectives and associated key results. Organizations then track progress towards these key results, ensuring that efforts align with strategic goals. Regular reviews and feedback sessions help refine and adjust OKRs as needed.

5. Miscellaneous OKR Related

Who invented OKR?

The OKR framework was popularized by Andy Grove during his time at Intel. Later, it was adopted by many leading tech companies, including Google, which played a significant role in its widespread adoption.

Who uses OKR?

Many leading companies, from startups to Fortune 500 firms, use OKRs. Notably, Google, LinkedIn, and Twitter have implemented OKRs to drive growth and innovation.

OKR software: What is it and what does Google use?

OKR software helps organizations set, track, and review their OKRs. Google initially used spreadsheets but later developed its internal tools. Several OKR software solutions are available today, each with its features and benefits.

Measure What Matters book related queries.

“Measure What Matters” is a book by John Doerr that delves into how OKRs can drive focus, alignment, and engagement in organizations. Doerr shares insights from his experience and showcases how leading companies use OKRs to achieve success.

OKR vs. KPI vs. SMART goals comparison.

While OKRs set and track objectives and results, KPIs measure ongoing performance. SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) align closely with the principles of OKRs, ensuring goals are clear and measurable.

OKR planning, training, certification, and related concepts.

OKR planning involves defining the strategic goals and cascading them throughout the organization. Training ensures everyone understands and uses the OKR framework effectively. Several institutions offer OKR certification for professionals looking to master the methodology.

Keep on reading

• Real-world OKR examples across different industries
• How to Crush Your OKRs with This One Weird Trick
• Free OKR software with gamification
• The Role of OKRs in Software Development and Delivery
• HR Trends: What Will HR Look Like in 2024?
• Benefits of a Good Organizational Climate: Productivity and Talent Retention
• When do teams engage?
• Churn Rate

The Talent Management cycle

In order to build great employee experience, it is important to look at the complete Talent Management cycle. The impact that an employer can have on an individual starts by the attraction and recruitment phases, going until the moment when the employee leaves the company. During all the stages, it is important to keep the employees engaged, providing them an experience that will keep them connected to their roles, and to the organisation.

Additionally, by using gamification as a way to make the workplace a dynamic environment that stimulates interaction and positive competitiveness, it is proven to be a great tool to improve the employees’ experience in their roles. The example of DPD Portugal is a great case study on how gamification allowed the company to skyrocket their KPIs. Another great case study is Carglass, which has implemented a complete talent management solution which is called Go Inside, currently spread throughout the entire internal structure.

Attraction and Recruitment

The period while a candidate is considering and/or applies to the company is crucial for its engagement with the organization. By providing them an experience that differentiates the organization from its competition, it is possible to increase the Employee Value Proposition and attract more talent directly. With GFoundry, you can create a Recruitment Journey, in which the candidate can go through different steps, while being in direct contact with the organization through an app. You can read more about how to design Recruitment Journeys here.

Onboarding

The onboarding period defines the relationship that the employee has with the company in the long-term. A successful onboarding has direct impact on the success of the individual in its objectives, while increasing their motivation and retention. With GFoundry, you can create Onboarding Missions that will lead the new employees through a path of different activities that will prepare them for the challenges ahead. You can read more about how to build onboarding missions here.

Develop and Manage

While change is a constant nowadays, it is important to invest in developing the employees in order to prepare them for all the challenges that they might face. With the support of our platform, it is possible to disseminate tools that allow the employees to have a Learning Journey that not only is engaging and dynamic for them but that also adds value to their knowledge and capabilities. You can read more about how to create impactful learning journeys here.

Departure

Finally, we reach the phase where the employee leaves the company. This last moment within the organization can impact the way the individual will spread the message about how their past employer manages their people. In this moment, it is important to still maintain the employee engaged, while collecting crucial feedback about their path in the organization, in order to improve any flaws detected in the process. What to know more? Book a demo now!

New technologies streamline communication with all stakeholders, in particular with customers and employees, but they cannot by themselves overcome the biggest corporate challenge: ensuring effective and efficient communication. In other words, capturing and retaining the attention of your public, increasing the degree of understanding of key information that leads them to make decisions that exceed the company’s objectives.

The digital transformation of companies lies, therefore, in the magic of mobilizing and awakening their valuable target human potential in the pursuit of their corporate purpose.

It implies an innovative and active management, with a robust communication strategy focused on human capital and inducing engagement, since pure cutting-edge technology is only an important tool to facilitate success.

The construction of engagement solutions in GAMIFICATION architectures and aligned with the business strategy of the companies/organizations, contribute to their digital transformation, offering a disruptive, personalized, integrative and mobilizing management and communication of all their human resources.

Stimulating the acquisition of knowledge, interaction between employees and their recognition by peers and the entire network of managers, allowing talents to be identified, problems to be solved, change to be driven and performance to be improved for all those involved and for any type of organization.

In simplified terms, these solutions accelerate the apprehension of more and better knowledge, practices and behaviors.

The implementation of this type of actions is based on the development of challenging game strategies that stimulate participants to embrace missions and achieve goals, via the adoption of algorithms to measure and promote players’ performance. To this end, rankings, feedback and permanent reward models are used, allowing companies to motivate their internal or external publics to achieve the set goals.

It was with this purpose that Pierre Fabre selected the strategic communication consultancy CATCH GLOBAL MARKETING, which with its technological partner GFOUNDRY, developed a mobilized engagement strategy, in a GAMIFICATION structure, addressed to pharmacies and their employees.

The objective was to reinforce the knowledge of these publics about all Pierre Fabre product lines, in a multi-brand context. In addition, it aimed to bring the sales force closer, boost cross-selling and challenge the global commercial performance, particularly in the seasonal product ranges.

For that purpose, an integrated communication strategy was designed and an umbrella storytelling was built to leverage and interconnect all the game dynamics launched throughout the year, in order to increase brand awareness and the spontaneous notoriety of the brand Pierre Fabre Dermo-Cosmétique Portugal .

The results obtained, in the first cycle of 12 months, quantified by the game’s own statistics, demonstrated the reach of high levels of engagement – more than 47.000 visits, 2500 active users and more than 3.000 total hours of gameplay, with more than 80% concluding all levels of the game after each launch, translating into a global performance of around 87%.

Mariana Caraça, Human Resources Manager of Pierre Fabre Dermo-Cosmétique Portugal said:

The common space to manage talent with proximity

The platform is from GFoundry and was parameterized according to the challenges identified by Closer. It systematizes the performance evaluation and is the interface to carry it out, also articulating it with training. It also allows onboarding to be a unique and fun program

Founded in 2006, Closer Consulting is a Portuguese company specialized in what is now commonly known as data area – Data Science and Artificial Intelligence -, helping their clients (for example, large banks and telecommunications companies) to take the best advantage of it to be increasingly competitive. These 16 years of existence have been marked by good results, which are reflected in market growth and organic robustness: more than 300 projects and 150 customers, presence in 14 countries (3 continents) and about 370 employees (44% growth in 2021).

The culture of Closer – as an organization – about the role it should have before society leads it, permanently, to have initiatives that foster proximity in its various dimensions. In this sense, in 2018, with the company in full growth and assuming a larger scale, it became necessary to professionalize the communication with its employees (some, for example, spend several days at the clients’ offices, therefore, physically distant from the parent company and the corporate ambience) and strengthen their collective commitment – in the sense of positive involvement.

Closer, then, looked for solutions that could achieve these objectives, guided by the demand of three requirements that, as Woitek Szymankiewicz, Partner of Closer, recalls, defined from the start: the implementation of an innovative platform; easy and interactive (mobile application) and with a gamification component (playful/game).

The choice fell on GFoundry and followed the design of the model best suited to the reality of Closer, ie, starting from the matrix platform created by GFoundry, was made the customization to the specific interest of Closer, namely through the co-creation made in several modules.

The final platform designed – the Stay Closer – has distinct areas, corresponding to different modules, of which the three most significant for Closer until now will be addressed separately below.

Performance evaluation

This has been the module with more importance and (intensive) use for Closer. Stay Closer allows, right from the start, to make the evaluation cycles at the pace desired by who runs the company, in this case every three months (and not only annually, since Closer considered it too watertight).

The whole assessment operation is, as one of the three Closer Partners says, “supported by the GFoundry platform”, and not only in its most important moment, the meetings (called “conversations with purpose”) between the employee and the manager. These conversations end up being, simultaneously, the arrival point (evaluation) but also the starting point (progression) for the next step.

In quarterly sessions, to reinforce a technical skill or by identifying a certain gap in the so-called soft skills (for example, the ability to listen or to be pragmatic), commitments (practices or tasks, to meet objectives, with precise metrics) are agreed upon between both, in a kind of mini-contracts, which will be periodically monitored by each during the next three months, and may be the subject of reciprocal communication/contact.

In addition to the feedback that may be reported, two weeks before the evaluation meeting, both the coordinator and the employee record their assessment of how the evolution went during that quarter, so that later, during the meeting, they can cross-reference and discuss the two perspectives.

Know more about Performance GFoundry’s Evaluation Solutions here.

Well, for each of these moments, the platform is crucial, because it is there that the steps that materialize an evaluation that is intended to be frequent (quarterly), dynamic in format (it is not limited to meetings, there is a “route” between them) and participated in the model (the reviewed is not relegated to a passive role). It can be accessed either through a computer (browser) or cell phone (Android and iOS).

The parameterization of this evaluation roadmap can be changed by whoever, in Closer, manages the platform (counting, if necessary, with the support of GFoundry). Thus, the time distance between meetings, the tasks between them, or even the actual performance of the assessment to an employee can be changed/suppressed. For Woitek Szymankiewicz, “this flexibility, with such a rich backoffice, is something very useful”.

From a more general perspective, the evaluation can also be done upwards, namely on general aspects of the company’s operation.

The support for talent management has another essential feature of the platform: the interconnection between employee evaluations and individual career and training plans. This means that these plans are integrated into Stay Closer, allowing a true integration in the same space of all components of the professional’s career. “The career plan is assembled on the GFoundry platform”, summarizes Woitek Szymankiewicz.

The manager considers the GFoundry platform (and this module in particular) “central and core to the quarterly and annual evaluations, ensuring that they are transversal and fair, in the sense that they do not bring surprises and are perceived by consultants and managers”.

Training

For Closer, as stated by its Partner, “constant learning is a fundamental pillar for the person to evolve – not only to obtain a certification” – and the fact that “it is systematized” and also “interconnected” with the other aspects of career management in the same platform is fundamental. To this extent, the training module is the second most important for the technological company.

The personalized training path is defined, recorded and implemented through Stay Closer. The various learning options (soft and hard skills) are compatible with the platform – in their organization in menu form, in the choice and consequent realization. In addition to the classic content-based organization, the platform provides an interactive approach, using learning missions that, in a visually appealing way, allow the employee to get from point A to point B with possible interactions and rewards along the way (gamification).

The integration of the training path in the individual career plan (and with the evaluation, through specific objectives) allows the entire talent management of each professional to be concentrated in the virtual space of the platform, shared between the professional and the leadership. Accessibility is, in this module, the aspect most praised by employees, since, being available on mobile devices, it allows the execution of training at the time and place chosen by the trainee.

Know more about GFoundry’s eLearning and Training here.

Onboarding

“Bringing people together as they enter the company”. This simple principle, stated by Woitek Szymankiewicz, guides the onboarding and the tools for its good execution, in which the platform created by GFoundry stands out. It was decisive in the most acute phases of the pandemic – a period during which Closer continued to grow strongly – and continues to play an important role, mainly because of the gamification that it imprints on the entire onboarding process. “Having an onboarding game that shows my progress through the various stages of getting to know the company is very helpful. GFoundry supports this whole process in a fun way, through quizzes, completing missions. In the palm of your hand”, says the Partner of the technological company.

In a global assessment of Stay Closer, Woitek Szymankiewicz considers it an “innovative platform to support engagement initiatives”, underlining the importance of the three pillars already mentioned.

João Carvalho, Co-Founder & CEO of GFoundry, emphasizes the challenge found and the joint manner in which it was met: “Closer operates in a highly competitive sector and is formed by highly qualified employees, with an average age below 30 years old, therefore, with a high level of demand in attracting and retaining talent. They found in GFoundry the solution to manage their talents, and it was very important the mutual trust relationship we established to adjust some details of our platform to the exact measure of what they needed.”

Know more about GFoundry’s Onboarding Solutions here.

The thermometer that measures satisfaction

The evaluation and feedback that Stay Closer allows is not one-way. Employees are invited to give their opinion both on the assessments in which they participate and on more general aspects of the functioning of their company.

“Engagement Thermometer” serves to do just that, to measure the employee’s feeling towards the company, in a totally anonymous way. The “temperature” is measured monthly through a pop-up survey (a much praised format internally) of five simple questions, on a wide variety of topics about life in the organization.

Know more about GFoundry’s Pulse Surveys Solution here.

What is the main objective of the DSPA?

One of the main focuses of DSPA is the provision of certification in the area of Data Science. To this end, they use the GFoundry platform to structure all their training content for professionals in the area.

The Data Science Portuguese Association’s Playbook had its name chosen considering its goal, since it is not only to provide content, but also to provide guidance to professionals in the area in a dynamic and appealing way.

Together with BridgeLK, all contents were transformed and adapted to the digital environment, focusing on converting heavy and extensive contents into knowledge capsules, making these contents easy to learn, follow, understand and execute.

“(…) Always having in mind that GFoundry would be the chosen tool to communicate with the market and develop this concept of a tribe, concept of a community.”

Guilherme Ramos Pereira, Executive Director at DSPA

The platform’s features regarding community involvement was one of the aspects most valued by the association when choosing a technological partner.

What makes the DSPA application so different and innovative?

The social interaction between professionals in the area allows the creation of game dynamics and objectives that encourage people to return to the platform and learn more. In addition, through the gamification engine, people can be challenged to test their knowledge, compete with other professionals, having a significant impact on the retention levels of the knowledge provided.

Finally, making the most of GFoundry technology in the dissemination of training content, DSPA provides a method of certification in Data Science, allowing that when a person finishes a certain set of training, they can share the certificate automatically on LinkedIn.

For DSPA, the success of this Playbook will be to have thousands of professionals, technical and non-technical, using the platform.

Through the motto “Certification in 4 Steps: Know, Choose, Learn and Certify”, DSPA allows all people interested in the field to access the platform (through LinkedIn), and choose the career they want to have in Data Science (Data Engineer, Data Analyst, Machine Learning Engineer and Data Scientist).