Creating employee goals (administrator)

Typically, employee goals are defined by employees themselves or by their managers. However, circumstances might require an administrator to perform this task on behalf of the employee or manager. For example, a goal that is required by an organization could be created directly in Active status.

Note: Administrators can also mass create goals for multiple employees.
  1. Select Administrator > Goals > Resource Goals.
  2. Select the employee to define a goal for.
  3. Click Create Goal.
  4. Specify this information:
    Goal
    Specify the name of the goal.
    Type
    Select a goal type for the goal. All goal types are selectable, including those that are used for bonus objectives.
    Category
    To align the goal with an organizational goal, specify the same goal category as the organizational goal, or leave this field blank.
    Note: To align the goal with multiple organizational goals of different categories, leave this field blank.
    Year
    A year is required if you have selected a goal type that has the Use Action Plan, Use External Results, or Approve Goals By Year options selected.

    The default is the current goal year, with the current goal year start and due date.

    Start date
    Specify the date on which the employee should begin goal activities. If the year is required because of the goal type settings, the start date must match the goal year start date and you cannot change it. If the year is not required, you can change the start date.
    Due date
    Specify the date by which the goal should be completed. If the year is required because of the goal type settings, the due date must match the goal year end date and you cannot change it. If the year is not required, you can change the due date.
    Weight
    Assign a weight to the goal. Goal weights can be used in appraisal calculations, in bonus objectives, and in calculations for goals scored with external results.

    If you select a category that has a weight range specified for the goal year, the weight must be within that range. If an aggregate limit is specified for the category and goal year, you will not be able to create the goal if the aggregate limit is exceeded.

    Note: The total weight of an employee's goals does not have to equal 100%. However, all goals that are all approved by year must equal 100%, and all bonus objective goals for an employee for a bonus objective period must also equal 100%. Goal weights can also be assigned by managers at a later date. All rated goals must be assigned weights before the manager can complete a performance appraisal.
    % Percent Complete
    Use this field to track the employee's progress. If you are creating a goal, you would typically leave this field blank.
    Completion Date
    Specify a completion date when the goal is completed.
    Public
    Select this check box if you want other employees to be able to see and copy the goal.
    Description
    Specify a detailed explanation of the goal.
    Expected Result
    Specify the outcome of the goal.
    Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Timebound
    Select the appropriate boxes to assess how the goal complies with SMART objective principles. SMART objectives are:
    • Specific: The goal is clear and concise, avoid generalities, and define exactly what it is to be completed and by when.
    • Measurable: You should be able to determine when the goal is completed and how well it was done.
    • Attainable: Goals and tasks are within the control and accountability of the employee.
    • Relevant: Goals are directly related to the overall strategic objectives of the organization.
    • Timebound: Goals have specific target dates or time frames for completion.

    After you save the goal, a rating of the goal's compliance with SMART objectives principles is displayed.

    Align With Organizational Goal
    If this is a goal that aligns with an organizational goal, select the organizational goal. The organizational goal must be Active, Finalized, with an end date equal or greater than the current date, or blank.
  5. Specify this information in the Results section:
    Note: This section is available only if the organization is configured to enable Goal External Results. If this goal does not use external results, the section is not available after the goal is created.
    Entered On This Goal
    If you select this option, you must also select the employee to specify the results. The default employment ID is the ID of the employee for whom you are creating the goal.

    If the goal is aligned to an organizational goal, and the organizational goal has the Entered On This Goal option selected, you cannot select this option.

    Number Of Decimals
    Specify a number of decimals for the results. The number must be between 0 and 6.
    Better Results Are
    This field is required when the goal type has the option for Use External Results selected. Select Higher if the rating for the goal gets higher with higher results. Select Lower if the rating for the goal gets higher with lower results.

    For example, if the goal is to reduce turnover rate to 5%, a lower turnover should result in higher ratings. If the goal is to improve customer satisfaction by 10%, a higher the customer satisfaction should result in higher ratings.

    This field cannot be changed after the goal is created.

    Annual Calculation Method
    This field is required when the goal type has the option for Use External Results selected. Select the calculation method for the results. For more information on calculation results, see External results calculation
    Frequency
    This field is required when the goal type has the option for Use External Results selected. Select the default frequency for specifying the results.

    When you save the goal, the months where results can be specified are selected on the calendar. You can change the selected months at any time.

  6. Click Save.
    The goal is created.
    • If Approved By Year is used, the goal status is Pending and Draft. Depending on who is designated as the initiator on the goal year, the owner is either the employee or the manager. If external results are also used, whoever is authorized to initiate Approved By Year goals for the goal year can specify result ranges, as well as the administrator.

      For actions that you can perform on pending goals, see Managing pending goals

    • If External Results but not Approved By Year is used, the goal status is Active. Only the administrator can specify result ranges.
    • For all other goal types, the status is Active. Only the manager, administrator, or goal leader can make changes on the Details tab, except for the % Complete and Completion Date fields, which are always accessible to the employee.
    • For rated goals, a rating scale is assigned to a resource goal according the rating scale logic described in Rating scale defaulting logic on employee goal

Actions you can perform on active goals