Where possible, we generally recommend that employees set their own goals, or at least be involved in the goal-setting process. Research shows that participation in setting your own goals results in a higher rate of acceptance, due to the individual feeling a sense of control over the goal-setting process.
However, we recognise that there are times when it is necessary to create multiple goals at once. For example:
Where you have a group of employees that share the same KPIs or performance outcomes - such as Sales functions with shared quarterly sales targets, or in operational teams like call centres who have standard metrics such as Average Handling Time.
For company or function-wide priorities where alignment in work effort is required, such as a large product launch or a strategic company imperative.
Introducing goals to an organisation that is new to goal setting, where you might wish to provide 1–2 examples of clear, well-written goals that help employees get started.
When not to use bulk goal creation
We caution against the use of bulk goal creation when it has the possibility of undermining employees’ motivation, autonomy, or clarity:
Bulk goals should not be seen as a total replacement for collaborative goal setting. Managers and employees should still discuss the goals: bulk-created goals should complement, not replace, those conversations.
Avoid “pushing down” every individual goal from the top. Heavy, top‑down cascades can make goals feel like a compliance exercise, reduce ownership, and make it harder to adapt when things change. When employees are involved in setting their own goals, they are more accepting of the goals and take more ownership over them. Employees who help set their own goals also tend to set higher goals and perform better, largely because of the conversations and clarity that happen during co‑creation. Locke, EA, Latham, GP (1988)
Where possible, try and avoid bulk‑created development goals. Development goals are most powerful when they reflect the individual’s needs, interests and career direction. They should typically be set by the employee with support from their manager, and not mass‑assigned by the organisation or HR unless there is a specific, well‑communicated campaign or initiative that explains the “why” behind the shared development focus (see below for some examples).
What should we consider when using bulk-created goals?
We recommend trying to balance alignment (where everyone knows what matters) with autonomy (where people have a say in what they’re working on and how). To help with this, here are some practical practices you can apply.
Use bulk creation mainly for performance goals; keep development goals co‑created
Use bulk goals mainly to set direction, then let teams and individuals write their own supporting goals.
Where possible, use bulk goals to set shared delivery outcomes (e.g., launch milestones, customer outcomes, key operational targets).
Ask managers and employees to create 2 - 3 development goals per person, based on the skills and behaviours that will help them succeed now and in the future.
Communicate the rationale, and encourage personalisation
When you roll out bulk-created goals, clearly explain why these goals matter - both for the organisation's strategy, and for employees' own outcomes. This transparency helps people see assigned goals as genuine opportunities rather than business mandates. Make it clear that bulk goals are starting points that should be adapted where possible:
The organisation should:
Ideally, frame the goals as being adaptable, and communicate that personalisation is encouraged; or
Acknowledge that while some goals may need to remain consistent (such as sales targets), there's usually room to adjust the approach, actions, or timeline, and to discuss what support or additional development goals might help the employee to succeed.
Managers should:
Schedule time to discuss the goals together with their employees. Start by ensuring that they understand what the goal is aiming to achieve, and why it matters.
Ask questions like "Does this reflect your real priorities?" and "How could we adjust this to make it more relevant to your role?"
Explore what support, resources, or complementary development goals might be needed for success.
Make edits or refinements where possible so goals feel personally meaningful and actionable.
Even small adjustments (like choosing which learning activities to pursue or deciding how to apply new skills) can make a significant difference in motivation and follow-through.
Reserve bulk development goal creation for targeted campaigns or strategic capability building
As we mentioned above, we’d generally recommend that development goals be set by the employee with support from their manager, unless there is a specific, well‑communicated campaign or initiative that explains the “why” behind the shared development focus. For example, this could include:
Where a new technology solution is being rolled out, and you want to encourage employees to learn how to use it effectively to support their roles.
An organisational priority or focus, for example, launching a new company value, a new internal methodology, or an area of growth and exploration for the organisation.
To increase buy-in and employee motivation, we’d suggest setting a broad goal and encouraging the employees to create their own actions to make the goal specific to them.
Example: Your organisation has identified a strategic need to build AI literacy across one of your business units as the industry rapidly adopts AI-powered tools. To help with this, you assign all employees in the business unit a shared development goal for the upcoming development cycle: "Develop practical AI skills relevant to my role by completing at least two learning activities, and applying one AI tool to improve work processes."
Rather than giving everyone the same learning activities, you ask employees to define their own development actions based on their unique roles and learning preferences, recognising that different roles would require different approaches to exploring AI.
To support employees, you curate several resources, including access to online learning courses, monthly workshops for hands-on experimentation with AI tools, and a shared communication channel where employees can exchange insights and ask questions.
You also provide a simple guide highlighting approved AI applications across different business functions to help employees identify relevant opportunities for their roles.