Setting OKRs for Remote Teams: How to Maintain Focus and Alignment

With the COVID-19 pandemic, many companies switched to remote work, and even now, hybrid and fully remote models have remained the norm. As Alexis Ohanian, Co-founder of Reddit, puts it: “Remote work is the future of work.”

While some teams have adapted well, remote work comes with challenges: one of the biggest being a lack of visibility. Employees may not always know what their colleagues are working on, leading to miscommunication and confusion. That’s why managers need to remain regularly present and ensure clear communication to keep everyone aligned and improve productivity.

One of the best ways to keep remote teams on the same page is by setting OKRs (Objective and Key Results). They help eliminate confusion, improve alignment, and make tracking progress easier, even when working from different locations.

Why Setting OKRs Matter for Remote Teams

Managing a remote team comes with a unique set of challenges that traditional in-office teams don’t face. Without face-to-face interactions, it’s easy for teams to lose sight of company goals, experience communication breakdowns, and struggle with accountability. This can lead to misalignment, reduced productivity, and lack of focus.

OKRs for remote teams provide a structured way to overcome these hurdles. They help ensure that every team member understands the company’s objectives, stays engaged, and remains accountable for their contributions. When implemented correctly, OKRs can improve transparency, drive motivation, and create a culture of continuous improvement.

A study found that fully remote work is associated with about 10% lower productivity than fully in-person work.

Here are some common remote work challenges that OKRs help address:

• Lack of alignment: Without regular in-person interactions, teams can lose sight of company goals. However, according to a study by Harvard Business Review, businesses that implemented OKRs saw a 20% increase in team alignment during the transition to remote work. 
• Reduced focus: Distractions at home can impact productivity and efficiency.
• Communication gaps: Misunderstandings can arise due to fewer face-to-face interactions.
• Accountability issues: Without proper tracking, it’s difficult to measure progress effectively.

By setting Objective and Key Results for remote teams, businesses can create a structured approach to goal-setting that enhances transparency, focus, and alignment. 

Now that you know how important it is, let’s see how to implement OKRs.

How to Implement OKRs for Remote Teams in 5 Steps

Here is how to implement Objective and Key Results for remote teams in five steps:

1. Define High-Level Company OKRs

The first step in setting Objective and Key Results for remote teams is to define overarching company objectives. These objectives should align with the company’s mission and serve as a guiding force for every department and individual employee. High-level OKRs set the tone for the entire organization and provide a sense of direction.

For example:

These high-level Objective and Key Results should guide departmental and individual OKRs, ensuring that every part of the organization is contributing to the broader business goals.

2. Align Team and Individual OKR Frameworks

Once company-level OKRs are set, they need to be broken down into team and individual OKR frameworks. This ensures that every employee understands how their role contributes to the company’s success. Alignment is key, as it prevents silos and promotes cross-functional collaboration. 

For example, if the company’s objective is to expand global reach, here’s how different teams might align their OKRs:

• Marketing Team OKR Framework: Increase website traffic by 30%.
• Sales Team OKR: Close 50 new enterprise deals.
• Support Team OKR: Improve first-response resolution time by 25%.

When aligning OKRs, ensure that there is a clear connection between the individual, team, and company objectives. Employees should understand how their contributions impact the bigger picture.

3. Keep OKRs Measurable and Actionable

One of the most common mistakes in setting Objective and Key Results is making them too vague. To ensure effectiveness, follow the SMART criteria:

For example: 

• Increase cross-team collaboration by implementing two new communication tools by Q3.
• Improve onboarding experience by reducing training time from 4 weeks to 3 weeks.
• Grow customer retention rate by 20% in the next two quarters.

Clear and measurable OKRs allow remote teams to stay focused and motivated while ensuring transparency in performance tracking.

4. Use OKR Software for Tracking

Managing OKRs remotely requires the right tools. Relying on spreadsheets or manual tracking can lead to inefficiencies and misalignment. That’s where OKR software comes in. These tools provide a centralized platform for setting Objective and Key Results, tracking and updating them in real time.

Target Align: The Most Reliable OKR Software

Managing remote teams effectively requires clarity, alignment, and continuous tracking of goals. Target Align offers a powerful OKR software designed to keep remote teams focused and in sync, no matter where they work.

Why remote teams choose Target Align:

1. Free Trials: Experience the benefits of OKRs with zero upfront commitment.
2. Custom Training: Learn OKRs best practices with expert-led courses.
3. Integrated Tools: Seamlessly align, collaborate, and measure progress across distributed teams.

With Target Align, remote teams can set clear goals, track performance effortlessly, and stay connected to achieve their most critical milestones. Our platform and training solutions empower businesses to scale and succeed in today’s digital-first work environment.

5. Establish Regular Check-ins and Adjustments

Setting Objective and Key Results is just the first step; maintaining them requires regular check-ins and adjustments. Without frequent reviews, teams can lose sight of their objectives, and progress can stall.

OKRs best practices for review include:

• Holding weekly or bi-weekly check-ins to review progress and challenges.
• Using visual dashboards to track focus areas and goal alignment.
• Adjusting OKRs if business priorities shift, ensuring flexibility while maintaining long-term strategy.
• Conducting quarterly reviews to assess overall performance and setting OKRs for the next period.

Regular check-ins are essential for identifying roadblocks early and making necessary adjustments before it’s too late.

If you’re interested in learning more about OKRs, sign up for Target Align’s video course. For more resources, check out our OKR 101 material.

FAQs

1. How often should remote teams review OKRs?

Weekly or bi-weekly check-ins work best. OKRs should be reviewed at the end of each quarter for necessary adjustments.

2. Can OKRs work for small remote teams?

Even small teams benefit from a clear OKR framework that drives focus and alignment. The key is to ensure that OKRs remain simple and achievable.

3. What’s the difference between OKRs and KPIs?

OKRs define ambitious, growth-oriented goals, while KPIs measure ongoing performance and stability. Think of KPIs as the health metrics of your business, while OKRs drive innovation and improvements.

4. What is the ideal number of OKRs for a remote team?

A remote team should aim for 3-5 OKRs per quarter, with each OKR having 2-5 key results. Keeping OKRs focused prevents dilution of efforts.

5. How can leaders ensure accountability in remote OKR implementation?

Leaders should:

• Use OKR tracking software for visibility.
• Conduct regular check-ins to discuss progress.
• Encourage feedback and adapt OKRs when necessary.
• Recognize and reward achievements to maintain motivation.