Operations OKR Examples

OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) are a collaborative management methodology that helps operations teams set and achieve goals. They’re helpful to all business units and individuals because they drive alignment, enhance focus, and inherently promote transparency.   

Learn more about what OKRs are and how to use them

Operations professionals serve the entire organization, promoting company-wide growth and development. The operations team’s biggest challenge is prioritizing the right tasks and initiatives to drive sustainable growth and development.

When improving every team and process falls under the job description, focus can be tough — this is where OKRs help. OKRs align operations teams to the greater goals of the organization and channel their energy towards that work. 

Operational optimization is a never-ending process, but continuous busy work isn’t the same as focusing on what’s driving impact. OKRs create better functioning operations teams by putting inefficiencies, dependencies, and organizational uncertainty under a microscope.

Operations teams need help in shifting focus from the day-to-day, business-as-usual activities to the strategic priorities of the organization. 

Key results give operations teams the metrics-focused measurements they desire, whether it’s retention, performance, productivity, or beyond. Objectives link team efforts to the overarching organizational strategy, ensuring teams aren’t operating in silos.

OKRs are the perspective shifter, keeping operations professionals focused on the processes and systems needing the most attention while not limiting the adaptation and flexibility required in the role. 

Operations teams tend to work better with bottom-up OKRs, as their specific areas of operational excellence better serve and inform the goals of the organization. Leaders can use OKRs to position the question of “why” as a guide for initiatives, while individuals have control of their execution.

By trusting the expertise of its team members, operational leaders get critical insights on the most pressing operations questions. For example:

• Can certain processes be made simpler/shorter?
• How are our turnaround times?
• Are our employees satisfied?
• Are there initiatives that can improve the product/service?

Department members will know what to contribute and how those contributions affect the desired outcomes. 

OKRs bring focus and transparency, as each initiative is connected to a common goal and each team member knows what the other is working on. 

Dependencies and duplicated work are reduced, detractors are eliminated, and operations teams can measure progress in real-time, all through OKRs. 

Operations OKRs have different focus areas depending on your organization’s strategic needs and unique opportunities/vulnerabilities. A few OKR focus areas for your operations team might be:

• Process
• Teamwork/culture
• Team efficiency
• Risk management
• Resource optimization
• Cross-functional collaboration

Check out all our operations OKR examples below.

Operations process OKR examples

Example 1

• Objective: Limit bureaucracy in the contract management process
• Key result 1: Review 10 sections in the standard contract for risks
• Key result 2: Reduce contract negotiation work time by 200% 
• Key result 3: Resubmit 10 long-term contracts with timeline improvements 

Example 2

• Objective: Maintain a world-class office
• Key result 1: Transfer all company and client records to the cloud
• Key result 2: Reduce spending on office supplies by 10%
• Key result 3: Implement an online conference room reservation system
• Key result 4: Choose and launch a new document sharing platform

Teamwork/culture OKR examples

• Objective: Develop an excellent company culture
• Key result 1:  Increase employee retention to 90%
• Key result 2: Implement a new onboarding process
• Key result 3: Conduct quarterly work satisfaction surveys across the company
• Key result 4: Reach 95% in average work satisfaction
• Key result 5: Organize monthly company outings

Team efficiency OKR examples

Example 1

• Objective: Maximize executive and office productivity
• Key result 1:  Streamline company approval processes
• Key result 2: Ensure executives arrive at all scheduled meetings and events on time
• Key result 3: Ensure executives reach inbox box zero at the end of every week
• Key result 4: Implement quarterly training for admin staff

Example 2

• Objective: Create the Learning Management System
• Key result 1: 85% of employees complete one hour of video courses
• Key result 2: Develop 10 basic training modules
• Key result 3: Employees create at least 30 internal Wiki articles
• Key result 4: Primary learning module completion at 90% 

Risk management OKR examples

• Objective: Create a new contractor risk management process
• Key result 1: Collect 5 scope of work documents from department leaders
• Key result 2: Formalize the process workflow with 5 key milestones
• Key result 3: Program risk occurrence frequency in our AI tracking system 

Resource optimization OKR examples

• Objective: Improve internal document management
• Key result 1: Choose and launch new document sharing platform
• Key result 2: Move 100% of existing documents from file servers to new system
• Key result 3: Have each team create a directory structure for documents and share it with the wider organization

Cross-functional communication OKR examples

• Objective: Improve meeting quality in the department
• Key result 1: Audit 12 departmental meetings in Q4
• Key result 2: Collect 100 anonymous survey responses
• Key result 3: Create a resource FAQ for at least 6 teams
• Key result 4: Host 2 leadership syncs informed by audit findings 

Quantive is your bridge between strategy and execution. Founded on the objectives and key results (OKR) methodology, our Strategy Execution Platform is where businesses plan successful strategy, focus and align teams to it, and stay on the leading edge of progress.

As your company looks to achieve the best possible results, you need a modern approach to run your business and change your business. The Modern Operating Model brings strategy, teams, and data together to help make decisions faster, optimize operations, and drive better business outcomes.

Whether you’re a large enterprise facing competitive disruption or a small business leading the innovative charge, Quantive helps get you where you want to go.

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