What Is Objectives and Key Results (OKRs)? | HR Glossary | BambooHR
A goal-setting framework linking ambitious objectives to measurable key results.
Objectives and Key Results, or OKRs, is a goal-setting method that pairs a qualitative objective — what you want to achieve — with a small set of measurable key results that show progress towards it. It is designed to create focus, alignment and transparency across an organisation.
Objectives are typically ambitious and time-bound, often set quarterly, while key results are specific and quantifiable. Cascading OKRs from company to team to individual level helps everyone see how their work contributes to wider priorities.
Unlike traditional annual objectives, OKRs are usually reviewed frequently and are often deliberately stretching, so partial achievement is expected. Keeping them separate from pay decisions encourages honesty about progress rather than sandbagging.
