Goal Setting Imperative To Most Workers, But Some Leave Managers In The Dark

Survey Uncovers Generational and Gender Differences Around Setting and Discussing Goals

News provided by

Dec 04, 2017, 07:11 ET

MENLO PARK, Calif., Dec. 4, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Having a goal is the first step to achieving it, or so the saying goes. Staffing firm Accountemps recently surveyed more than 1,000 workers across the country, and 93 percent said goal setting is important to their on-the-job performance. And while more than half of professionals (51 percent) discuss goal progress with their manager at least monthly, 11 percent never broach the topic.

View an infographic of the survey findings: roberthalf.com/blog/management-tips/value-of-goal-setting

Generational Differences
Younger employees place more emphasis on work-related performance goals, the research found. Almost seven in 10 millennials (69 percent) surveyed thought goal setting was very important, compared to 55 percent of baby boomers.

Workers were asked, "How important is goal setting to your work performance?" Their responses*:

	Total	Ages 18-34	Ages 35-54	Ages 55+
Very important	64%	69%	62%	55%
Somewhat important	29%	27%	29%	35%
Not very important	7%	3%	9%	9%
	100%	99%	100%	99%

*Some responses do not equal 100 percent due to rounding.

Preferences by Gender
More men (60 percent) than women (40 percent) discuss performance goals with their manager at least monthly. Additionally, 17 percent of female workers never bring up the subject, compared to just five percent of their male counterparts.

Workers were also asked, "How often do you discuss your progress toward meeting work-related performance goals with your manager?" Their responses:

	Total	Male	Female
Weekly	25%	31%	17%
Monthly	26%	29%	23%
Quarterly	18%	20%	16%
Semiannually	9%	7%	12%
Annually	11%	8%	15%
Never	11%	5%	17%
	100%	100%	100%

"Professionals who don't regularly talk about work objectives and performance with their supervisor are missing a prime opportunity to advance their career," said Michael Steinitz, executive director of Accountemps. "Partner with your manager to set goals, discuss progress and potential obstacles, and decide whether you need to make any course corrections."

Accountemps offers five tips for setting — and achieving — professional goals:

Retreat and refocus. Goal setting is not something you can accomplish during a coffee break or in a busy office. Remove yourself from distractions to really think about your current job and desired career path.
Get detailed. Identify a small number of goals to tackle at once. As you settle on objectives, make sure they are specific, quantifiable, realistic and timely. Always set a deadline to keep yourself on track.
Go long, then short. Start with the destination and then work backward. First determine your long-term goals, then establish a series of smaller tasks to help you reach them.
Enlist your manager's help. Employers want their employees to achieve professional success and job satisfaction. Partner with your boss to set goals that align with department and company objectives, and discuss career paths and next steps during your regular meetings.
Put them in writing. Record your goals somewhere so you can review them regularly and hold yourself accountable. This will help you stay on track and ensure the work you're doing is aligned with your objectives.

About the Research
The survey was developed by Accountemps and conducted by an independent research firm. It includes responses from more than 1,000 U.S. workers 18 years of age or older and employed in office environments.

About Accountemps
Accountemps, a Robert Half company, is the world's first and largest specialized staffing service for temporary accounting, finance and bookkeeping professionals. The staffing firm has 325 locations worldwide. More resources, including job search services and the company's blog, can be found at roberthalf.com/accountemps.

SOURCE Accountemps