Eight reasons why you should implement OKRs in your hybrid and remote teams

Many companies were understandably sceptical when remote jobs were first introduced to the workforce. Imagine managing a team of individuals that are located across different environments and even time zones! Now that working from home has become increasingly common, it’s more important than ever that managers find an effective way to manage remote teams and remote employees find ways to stay on track.

One way to do this is by implementing Objectives and Key Results (OKRs). OKRs are an effective goal-setting tool for hybrid and remote teams because they are straightforward, measurable, and transparent. Continue reading to learn more about OKRs and how they can benefit your team.

What are OKRs?

Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) are a popular goal-setting method that can help hybrid and remote teams increase their focus on their goals. OKRs involve setting objectives, which should be achievable yet challenging, and key results, which measure the progress towards those objectives.

For example, you can set your team’s objective to increase customer satisfaction. Aligned with this objective, you would want to reach key results like shortening response time to customer enquiries by 10% each month.

Another example of OKRs is when launching a new product. For this objective, you can aim to achieve key results that include developing prototypes within the quarter or gathering feedback from your loyal customers.

Read more OKR examples in our comprehensive guide here.

Benefits of OKRs for Hybrid and Remote Teams

OKRs can benefit both hybrid and remote teams because they bring clarity, direction, and accountability.

Here are some of the top reasons why you should implement OKRs in your hybrid and remote teams:

1. Establish Clear Goals

OKRs provide a clear framework for setting goals, which is especially important for remote and hybrid teams who may not meet in person regularly. By creating specific objectives with measurable key results, everyone on the team can stay on track and know where they should focus their efforts.

2. Increase Transparency

With OKRs, it’s easy to see exactly what each team member is working on and measure their progress toward the objectives. This kind of transparency makes remote work more efficient and encourages collaboration between teams, even when those teams are spread across different locations.

3. Foster Communication

OKRs make it easier to communicate expectations, both internally and externally. They provide a clear baseline for the team’s achievements, which helps with goal setting and feedback. Having this kind of visibility also allows remote teams to stay connected and in sync, even if they can’t meet in person.

4. Improve Performance

OKRs are designed to motivate team members and help them stay focused on important tasks. By providing an achievable, measurable framework for success, teams can easily track their progress toward those goals. Plus, OKRs can help your organisation design a case management system for remote workers to see their performance based on key metrics.

5. Promote Personal Development

Sometimes, it is more difficult for remote workers to see their development progress. OKRs allow team members to take ownership of their work and strive for growth. It provides a way for remote team members to measure their progress and development, which can help motivate individuals to reach their objectives. This encourages remote workers to challenge themselves, set high standards for performance, and become better employees in the process.

6. Enable Adaptability

The great thing about OKRs is that they’re flexible and can be adjusted to fit the needs of your team. This makes them ideal for hybrid and remote teams, who may have different resources or face unique challenges in their work environment. You can also build OKRs with feedback from the team so everyone is on board and working together toward a common goal. OKRs can be set over different time periods; some set quarterly OKR cycles, and others prefer 6-month OKR cycles; it’s entirely up to the business, team or individual to decide.

7. Establish Trust

OKRs are an effective tool for building trust between team members within both in-person environments and remotely, as they ensure that everyone is on the same page and working toward the same objectives.

This helps foster better relationships among remote workers, builds trust between different teams, and encourages collaboration. By providing a structure for setting goals and tracking progress, teams can stay connected and cultivate an environment of accountability and respect.

8. Maximise Efficiency

Last but not least, OKRs make it easier for teams to stay productive, effective and efficient, especially when setting goals. This is especially important for remote and hybrid teams whose members may not be able to meet in person regularly. By setting realistic and achievable goals, OKRs help keep everyone on the same page and ensure that teams work efficiently and purposefully.

The Bottom Line

Implementing OKRs in your hybrid and remote teams can help ensure smooth operations, productivity, and success. And most importantly, OKRs are essential for workforce development in any organisation.

With OKRs, you can create achievable goals, stay on track and connected, and foster trust between team members. For remote teams especially, this is an invaluable tool for getting the most out of everyone’s workdays.

For a personalised overview of how Reclaro’s 1-3-5® OKR software would benefit your organisation, book a demo today or if you’d like to discuss your challenges around performance management, book a no-obligation 15-Minute discovery call.