Key result areas
Performance needs to be specific, measurable, agreed, realistic and timely (SMART). Performance should align to higher government objectives and be outcome oriented beyond simply outputs or activities. Figure 3 outlines how the SMART tool can be applied to a specific performance goal within a performance plan.
Figure 1: Applying the SMART tool to specific performance goals.
| Key result area |
Performance expectation |
Measures |
Targets |
Performance |
| Strategic planning and implementation |
Develop and implement the strategic plan successfully |
Plan approved
5 projects and 6 programs delivered |
By CEO by Feb ’20
100% completion, with $5m budget and meeting success criteria |
By Jan ’20
100% completion, +0.5% over budget and meeting success criteria |
Performance expectations
Expectations must be clear and precise to everyone responsible for meeting them. An example of how to apply the four key result areas against performance expectations is shown below in Figure 4.
Figure 4: Applying the key results areas against performance expectations
| Key result area |
Performance expectations |
| Strategic planning and implementation (includes operational deliverables) |
- Develop and implement the strategic plan for my portfolio/organisation
- Identify and set priorities, ensure that employees and other stakeholders are working towards common goals
- Establish agreement around intended outcomes and skills
- Assess and adjust team/organisation’s response to change
- Measure and evaluate goals aligned with strategic plan(s)
|
| Stakeholder management |
- Establish and maintain collaborative and constructive relationships with stakeholders
- Harness positive influences and minimise negative influences to achieve successful outcomes
- Manage expectations, articulate value of engagement and negotiate for successful completion of work
- Establish and evaluate stakeholder communication and engagement plan
|
| People management and capability development |
- Determine and assess skills and abilities of team/organisation for effective work allocation
- Establish expectations and manage performance of team/organisation through constant dialogue to achieve intended outcomes
- Build positive relationships with employees based on trust and respect to motivate them
|
Resource management and compliance
|
- Develop organisational capacity through effective and efficient use of resources such as financial information, physical/technological infrastructure etc.
- Ensure management of portfolio expenditure within allocated budget
- Optimise use of resources through identifying and minimising waste (idle times, defects in quality/service/delivery etc., ineffective workflows, excess allocation are some indicators)
|
Performance measures
The four key result areas assist with measuring performance. Figure 5 outlines an example of key result areas and performance measures that can be incorporated in a plan.
Figure 5: Incorporating key results areas into a performance plan
| Key result area |
Performance measures
|
| Strategic planning and implementation (includes operational deliverables) |
-
Innovation measureables such as increased number of quality of new ideas, rate of success achieved from implementation of new ideas
-
Plan approved by <responsible person> by <date>% participation in program
- % of agencies/groups implementation recommendations
- % projects delivered on time, within budget and meeting success criteria
|
Stakeholder management
|
- Customer satisfaction score
- Net promoter score
- Customer/stakeholder feedback
- % reduction in response time to queries
- % of customer complaints exceeding service level agreement
- % of citizen participation
|
People management and capability development
|
- Employee engagement index (annual/pulse), values index
- High performer retention/attrition, overall voluntary attrition
- 100% completion of performance, and development plans in time
- OHS measures such as sick leave without pay, OHS incidents etc.
- Training compliance
- Gender pay equity, employee/asset ratio
- % improvement in time to hire, addressing skill gaps
|
Resource management and compliance
|
- %reduction in operational costs
- Upgrade technology/equipment
- % improvement in energy efficiency
- % improvement in asset utilisation
- % reduction in process time
- % improvement in data quality
- % increase in submission of best practices
- % compliance with legislation requirements
|
