How to set great goals that drive performance in 2025

Let’s be honest—how many times have you groaned at the thought of goal-setting at work? For many managers and employees, it often feels like another tedious corporate task, a tick-box exercise that happens once a year and gets forgotten as quickly as it’s set.

We totally get it.

But here’s the thing: when done right, goal-setting can be great. It leads to better performance, stronger teamwork, and big wins for both individuals and the business as a whole. Goals give your team clarity, purpose, and direction—so let’s ditch the eye-rolls and see how you can turn goal-setting into a tool that actually drives results and motivates your team.

Step 1: Reflect on Last Year’s Goals

Before diving into new goals, take a moment to look back thoughtfully and assess last year’s progress.

• What was achieved?
• What went well?
• What didn’t go well?
• What felt exciting?
• What didn’t get completed? Is it still relevant, or does it need adjusting?

This reflection helps you see what worked and what didn’t, to ensure this year’s goals align better with your needs.

Step 2: Align Goals with Your Business Vision

Clear goals give your team purpose. Without them, employees can feel disconnected from the company’s objectives, unsure of their priorities, or unclear about what success looks like.

Start by understanding the overall business goals and break them down for your team:

1. Senior Management Team
2. Managers or Supervisors
3. Wider Teams

Make sure every team member understands how their work contributes to the bigger picture. When everyone is aligned, your team can work together towards the same goal.

Step 3: Consider Personal and Career Goals

It’s important to understand what motivates your team members individually.

• What areas would they like to get more involved in?
• Where do they feel their strengths could be better used?
• What are their career aspirations, and how can you tailor their goals to support both the individual and the team?

This ensures that the goals set aren’t just about company growth, but also about personal growth for your employees.

Step 4: Make Goals SMART

Setting clear, actionable goals is key. The SMART framework helps you create goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound. Let’s break it down with an example related to employee engagement.

• Specific: Clearly define the goal, including metrics. Example: Instead of saying, “Improve employee engagement,” set a specific goal like: “Increase employee Net Promoter Score (NPS) to 50 by the end of 2025.”
• Measurable: Identify how success will be tracked. Example: Track progress using an engagement survey in March and November 2025.
• Achievable: Ensure the goal is within reach given the individual’s role and resources. Example: The HR team can create and distribute surveys, analyse the results, and implement an action plan with support from management.
• Realistic: Set a challenging but not overwhelming goal. Example: Aiming for a Net Promoter Score of 50 is realistic, but 100% might be too ambitious.
• Timebound: Agree on deadlines to keep everyone on track. Example: “Launch the first engagement survey by the end of January 2025.”

By following the SMART framework, your team will have clear and focused goals, making it easier to track progress and celebrate success along the way.

Tips for Keeping Teams Engaged with Goals

• Collaborate on Goal-Setting: Make goal-setting a two-way process. Involve employees in defining their objectives to increase ownership.
• Set Expectations for Updates: Agree on how often progress will be reviewed, whether individually or as a team
• Regular Discussions: Frequent performance check-ins allow you to address challenges and adjust goals as needed.
• Share Goals Across Teams: Transparency encourages alignment and helps employees see how their work fits into the broader mission.
• Celebrate Success: Recognise achievements and share successes to motivate and inspire the team.

By setting clear goals, offering regular feedback, and encouraging open communication, your organisation can create a culture of high performance and engagement in 2025. Let’s make this the year goals are not just set, but achieved!