OKRs: objectives, key results and initiatives
OKR stands for Objectives and Key Results. Objectives describe intended change; key results make progress assessable. Initiatives are actions and projects that may contribute to outcomes.
The framework organises priorities and follow-up. It does not guarantee growth or engagement and is not a complete evaluation of an individual.
What OKRs are not
They are not a checklist of every task or a requirement to disclose sensitive data publicly. Define suitable access and share priorities with those who need to work on them.
Aspirations and commitments
Distinguish aspirational targets from committed delivery. The historical Google guide describes a scoring convention for ambitious goals. Do not make 60%–70% a universal pass or treat 100% as proof a goal was easy.
OKRs, KPIs and performance evaluation
A KPI tracks an operating dimension; an OKR organises an intended improvement. The same metric may serve a key result when change, period and context are defined.
| Element | Hypothetical example |
|---|---|
| KPI | Average support response time. |
| Objective | Give customers more reliable responses. |
| Key result | Reduce response time from 12 to 8 hours during the quarter while maintaining agreed quality. |
| Initiative | Review triage and prepare learning on common requests. |
Goal outcomes can inform conversations but are insufficient for evaluation. Consider difficulty, contribution, quality, resources and external factors. An aspirational target should not automatically become a rating or reward.
Define, track and review
Choose few priorities and the results needed to assess each. Define starting value, target, source, period and owner for each key result. Quantity should support focus rather than meet a universal numerical rule.
- Prepare priorities with leadership and teams.
- Check dependencies and who controls each result.
- Separate outcomes from activities.
- Update values and discuss obstacles during check-ins.
- Record scope and assumption changes.
- Review outcomes and learning at cycle-end.
Quarterly cycles may be useful, but cadence depends on the business. Changes need reasons and records rather than simply hiding a difficulty.
Four hypothetical examples with three key results each
These examples illustrate the method. They are not documented OKRs from Google, Netflix, Airbnb or Tesla.
1. Improve digital product usage
KR1: increase activation among eligible users from 40% to 55%. KR2: reduce primary-task failures from 8% to 4%. KR3: reduce repeated help requests from 200 to 150 per month. Period: quarter.
2. Improve a video service experience
KR1: reduce playback-start failures from 3% to 1%. KR2: reduce median start time from 4 to 2 seconds. KR3: increase satisfaction from 3.8 to 4.2 on a 1–5 scale with defined population and coverage. Period: quarter.
3. Prepare accommodation service expansion
KR1: reach 100 active partners in each of three new cities. KR2: achieve 90% fulfilment of quality criteria among assessed partners. KR3: respond to 95% of support requests within the agreed time. Period: semester.
4. Improve industrial operation quality
KR1: reduce defects from 4% to 2% in checked units. KR2: reduce rework from 500 to 350 monthly hours. KR3: achieve 95% completion of planned safety checks with deviations addressed. Period: quarter.
Adjust values, sources and safeguards before use. A compliance percentage does not make failure on mandatory requirements acceptable.
Follow-up in GFoundry
The OKRs module combines objectives, key results and initiatives. Assign leaders and contributors, set periods and dates, relate objectives and update results with notes. Roadmap, dashboards and filters make progress consultable.
Check-ins support discussion of priorities. Information depends on source quality and updates. Read module documentation.
Gamification through criteria
Achievement Rewards recognises follow-up and outcomes through configured rules. Badges, points and coins are distinct; coins can be redeemed in Marketplace. Adding a reward does not guarantee improvement.
Investigate difficulties without labelling people
Limited progress may reflect dependencies, insufficient resources or changed priorities. Discuss context. Pulse tracks nine climate metrics; anonymous responses and collective data do not identify disengaged individuals. Compare plans.
Practical questions
Do OKRs replace KPIs?
No. Operational metrics can guide improvement while operating indicators remain useful.
Must every objective be public?
Share what alignment needs while respecting access and sensitive information.
Is there a universal success rate?
No. Define success according to commitment, ambition, context and cycle criteria.
How should missed goals be handled?
Analyse causes and resources, record learning and decide what to maintain or change.
Should every task be a key result?
No. Initiatives are actions; key results describe intended effects.
How many objectives should we choose?
Those the team can prioritise and follow. Avoid fragmentation and redundant targets.
Does formal evaluation become unnecessary?
No. Objectives, performance criteria and regular conversations can complement each other.
Does gamification prove engagement?
No. Assess useful usage, quality and outcomes beyond points or access frequency.
How can we start?
Bring an existing objective to a demo, test sources and owners and pilot a cycle with review.
Further reading
- Ambitious OKRs: targets, follow-up and recognition
- 140 practical OKR examples for 14 business areas
- Software development OKRs: five practical examples
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