What is OKR?
OKR (Objectives and Key Results) is a goal-setting framework used by many organisations to describe what they want to achieve and how progress might be measured. OKRs are often set at company, team and individual levels, and they can support the alignment of work across different parts of a business.
What is OKR in HR?
Applying OKRs within HR can help teams outline goals that reflect organisational needs, employee experience priorities and operational plans. HR-related OKRs may be used to observe trends over time, understand how initiatives are progressing and adjust plans when necessary.
Why organisations set HR OKRs
Organisations may choose to use OKRs in HR for several reasons. These can include:
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Clarifying objectives: Describing clear HR-related goals can help teams understand what they are working toward and how their work supports the organisation more broadly.
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Supporting focus: OKRs can help HR teams identify their key priorities across areas such as talent acquisition, learning and development, organisational development and employee experience.
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Observing progress: Because OKRs include both objectives and measurable indicators, they can help teams reflect on progress and understand where additional resources or adjustments may be useful.
Focus areas for HR OKRs
HR OKRs may relate to different aspects of people management, depending on the organisation. Common areas include:
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employee compensation and pay
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employee performance
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learning and development
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organisational culture
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employee retention
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hiring and recruitment
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performance management
These are broad domains, and the specific OKRs an organisation develops can vary based on its context and strategy.
How OKRs differ from KPIs
KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) are metrics that reflect performance in specific areas. In many organisations, KPIs can also function as Key Results within the OKR structure, since they may describe measurable outcomes connected to broader objectives.
Best practices when creating HR OKRs
Many organisations use OKRs across departments to help coordinate efforts toward shared goals. Some common considerations when developing HR OKRs include:
Aligning with company goals
It can be helpful for HR teams to consider how their objectives relate to broader organisational aims. Once high-level HR goals are outlined, sub-teams—such as recruitment, operations or learning and development—may create their own OKRs that support these goals.
Combining top-down and bottom-up input
Some organisations develop strategic or annual objectives at senior-leadership levels, after which teams or individuals may propose key results or initiatives that support those objectives. This combination of perspectives can help ensure that OKRs reflect both overall strategy and practical operational insights.
Creating effective OKRs
Many teams aim to create OKRs that are specific, time-framed and meaningful. Some organisations use the SMART framework (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-bound) when drafting key results, although approaches vary.
Considering strategic planning and review
OKRs often form part of an ongoing cycle of planning and reflection. Teams may outline focus areas, draft OKRs, meet to ensure alignment and review progress periodically to understand where support or adjustments may be helpful.
Limiting the number of key results
Some organisations find it useful to limit key results to a small number—often between two and five—to help maintain clarity and focus.
Using weighting when appropriate
Assigning a weight or relative importance to different key results can help teams understand how each one contributes to the overall objective.
Examples of HR OKRs
The following examples illustrate how HR-related OKRs might be structured. These are sample formats only; organisations adapt their own OKRs based on context, priorities and internal processes.
OKRs for compensation
Objective: Explore ways to enhance the organisation’s benefits programme.
Sample key results:
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Review several benefit programme options used in the market.
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Consider changes that may increase employee participation.
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Assess potential programme options in relation to the organisation’s budget.
OKRs for company culture
Objective: Support ongoing improvements to organisational culture.
Sample key results:
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Conduct a culture survey.
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Identify selected themes for potential enhancement based on feedback.
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Propose changes for leadership consideration.
OKRs for employee engagement
Objective: Develop a deeper understanding of employee engagement.
Sample key results:
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Carry out periodic engagement surveys.
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Review survey insights to identify common themes.
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Hold conversations with selected team members to explore experiences in more detail.
OKRs for performance management
Objective: Strengthen consistency in performance management processes.
Sample key results:
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Explore available performance-management systems.
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Work with relevant teams to support implementation.
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Gather feedback on employee and manager experiences with the selected approach.
OKRs for hiring and recruitment
Objective: Review the onboarding experience.
Sample key results:
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Gather feedback from recent new hires.
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Observe trends in early-stage performance or adjustment.
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Consider opportunities to improve the onboarding process.
OKRs for training and development
Objective: Expand learning opportunities for front-line employees.
Sample key results:
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Monitor feedback scores from training sessions.
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Support completion of required training modules.
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Explore additional external learning options.
OKRs for inclusion and diversity
Objective: Support a more inclusive workplace environment.
Sample key results:
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Conduct employee surveys related to inclusion.
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Encourage participation in inclusion-related learning opportunities.
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Explore ways teams can integrate inclusive practices into development planning.
OKRs for talent acquisition
Objective: Strengthen the organisation’s talent-attraction efforts.
Sample key results:
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Review market benchmarking data.
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Explore ways to enhance employer-brand visibility.
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Consider opportunities to improve acceptance rates for job offers.
Common OKR challenges
Organisations sometimes encounter obstacles when introducing or maintaining OKRs. These may include:
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creating objectives that are overly broad or ambitious
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using only top-down objectives without team-level input
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allocating insufficient resources to support goals
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drafting OKRs that lack clarity
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reviewing progress infrequently
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setting too many or too few objectives
Reflecting on these challenges can help organisations refine their OKR practices over time.
Conclusion
HR departments play a central role in supporting employees and helping organisations achieve their goals. When used effectively, OKRs can offer HR teams a structured way to organise priorities, improve transparency and support organisational alignment. Because they combine strategy, teamwork and data-driven reflection, OKRs can contribute to more informed decision-making and stronger operational outcomes.
