Personal OKRs & Team OKRs: Differences, Examples, Pros & Cons

Generally, Objective and Key Results (OKRs) are a performance tool useful for all businesses – regardless of size. It has been used several times to determine how far the company has come to meet its goals. However, many don’t realize that OKR is two-faced – individual- and company-based. Now, while it exists in both forms, that doesn’t mean it makes total sense. Personal or Individual OKRs have limited values compared to Team or Company OKRs. This article aims to shed light on Personal OKRs and Team OKRs – their pros, cons, differences, and examples.  

What are Personal OKRs, Pros & Cons of Personal OKRs?

Personal OKRs focus solely on individual members of a company’s team. It sets out objectives for each team member and reviews key results at the end of a productive period. It is a complex method of reviewing individual productivity and adds almost no value to a business. 

Not to be confused, Personal OKRs don’t evaluate personal performance. 

Pros

• It focuses on individual performance management so that a company’s HR can give such a person an opportunity to add or reduce responsibilities. 
• It gives employees full autonomy, allowing them to develop strategies to improve daily productivity. 

Cons

• The purpose of Personal OKR is to help each team member know their responsibilities. Unfortunately, the employee could get frustrated in the process, rendering such a person less productive. 
• Personal OKR is too much pressure and eliminates even the slightest motivation to work. It is supposed to help in personal development, but there are challenges. 
• Due to full autonomy, employees may set easy tasks rather than projecting toward meeting the company’s goals. In the process, their effort may bring only little value to the business. 
• Employees may become so obsessed with meeting personal goals that they forget to utilize or improve their original skill sets. 

What are Team OKRs, Pros & Cons of Team OKRs?

On the other hand, Team OKRs focus on the entire team. It helps every member set common team goals that will benefit the company. In this case, it is not about the team member but the team itself. They collaborate and create strategies together that will improve productivity and performance. 

Pros

• It is a method of helping a company meet its desired results as the team focuses solely on improving its input with clearly defined objectives. 
• Team OKRs are quantifiable. It helps a team know its direction through regular reviews scheduled as necessary. 
• Company OKRs methodology has everyone sharing the same objective. It doesn’t put pressure on employees; instead, it helps them realize what they must do to meet their target. 

Cons

• Team OKRs often experience alignment issues. Sometimes, the team might find it difficult to have every member carry out their responsibilities unhindered to meet the target. 
• Some companies set several OKRs, which may be challenging for the team. Employees may find it difficult to focus on a particular goal. 

Huminos is an integrated platform, however, that will help businesses and individuals deal with the problems they face with OKRs. It is a comprehensive software working on 3 major principles: 

I. aspiring growth by ensuring team alignment.

II. inspiring team and personal growth through communication, coaching, and camaraderie.

III. measuring regularly while observing team or individual performance closely.

Difference between Personal OKRs & Team OKRs

OKR is a unique framework consisting of objectives, key results, and parameters to track an organization’s progress. And while Personal OKRs and Team OKRs exist, it is important to differentiate them. 

Personal OKRs adopt a model that focuses on helping employees decide what they must do to improve themselves. It doesn’t fully enhance personal development or career growth or align with the company’s goals. 

Team OKRs adopt a model that involves every team employee working to meet the company’s goals. The entire orientation is to work collaboratively to meet the business’s target. 

Examples of Personal OKRs & Team OKRs

An example of Personal OKR is: 

Objective – Build an eCommerce site for Golf equipment

Key Result: Learn about golf equipment 

Key Result: Find out the best techniques for playing golf 

Key Result: Take golf lessons 

An example of Team OKR is: 

Objective – Build an eCommerce website for Golf equipment

Key Result: Research the golf market and see what is in demand 

Key Result: Discover ways to improve MVP 

Key Result: Build a website with a good interface and features 

Conclusion

Learning about OKR adoption in the workplace is important. It will help a business decide what model to use to stick to its mission. This article explains the difference between the two known models – individual and team OKR. And while it argues for a better preference for Team OKR, some businesses still decide to use both for the best performance.