Please find the information below:
KRA refers to Key Result Area, which means the area that can be monitored for performance results and can be seen as personal objectives on the way to achieving a longer-term goal.
Key Result Analysis is the process by which KRA job descriptions are produced and is the essential first step in establishing a range of results-driven management systems.
KRA job descriptions are dynamically and constantly subject to change. Their content must continuously reflect changes in departmental, divisional, and corporate aims and structure.
Launching A KRA Project
If you decide to introduce a Key Result Areas' system, there are a number of elements that you need to include in your project action plan.
- **Decision:** Do not embark on a KRA Project if an existing system is working effectively. However, give it serious consideration if you don't have an existing system or the benefits offered by a new KRA system are clearly better than at present.
- If a KRA Project is to succeed, managers must see it in a very positive light. Accordingly, it is better to launch a KRA Project with a less controversial application like 'Management Training' than, say, 'Job Evaluation'. Confidence will grow as managers progressively see the benefits of the system. Deal with any questions and concerns at the time that they are raised.
- Appoint and train a team of Project Coordinators. They can be members of your own team or nominees from the various departments/divisions within the organization. Their role is to oversee the preparation and agreement of all the KRA job descriptions within a defined constituency - department, division, sales force, etc. It also includes helping managers in the completion of job descriptions and arranging agreement with line managers.
- The Project should be launched with a series of departmental briefing meetings. The departmental manager introduces the Project Coordinator, who outlines the purpose of the Project; describes his/her role; presents the Project timetable; circulates and explains the paperwork; resolves misunderstandings and deals with any questions.
Above all, the results of the Project must be portrayed as a benefit to everyone concerned.
- Have a clear system in place for processing job descriptions at every stage.
- Hold regular update meetings with your team of Coordinators.
- Never (but never!) just send out bits of paper to managers within the scope of the Project. Always transact any communication through your coordinating team.
- Keep all those within the scope of the Project up-to-date on Project progress, changes, questions asked, and answers, etc.
Organizations are urged to undertake a Key Result Analysis Project for all those management jobs defined by the question. At first, it might seem daunting but:
- With coaching, managers can complete their own job descriptions.
- One job description can apply to a group of managers in the same category.
- Once completed, job descriptions are subject to individual amendment only when business environmental and organizational changes occur.
The Benefits of Completing a KRA Project
The benefits of completing a KRA project are far-reaching. It provides the source data to introduce or update a range of management systems:
- **Recruitment & Selection:** KRA job description provides the information to produce 'people' specifications for the recruitment and selection process.
- **Objective-setting, Action-planning & Review:** Individual objectives and action plans can be agreed with each manager within the context of his/her KRA. They are based on the objectives that have been set at corporate, divisional, and departmental levels.
- **Management Training & Development:** Through performance review and appraisal, individual training needs can be determined by identifying the shortfall between expected performance against objectives and actual performance. T&D can be planned accordingly.
- **Organizational Structuring:** The information from KRA ensures that the management structure is appropriate to the needs of the organization. The case for establishing new departmental functions can only be justified by comparing existing human resources to emerging organizational needs. The undesirable 'dotted line' relationships can also be avoided. It enables the organization to 'hunt lean'.
- **Succession Planning:** Managers can be targeted towards more senior jobs, resulting in a viable management succession plan for the whole organization.
- **Job Evaluation:** KRA job descriptions provide the information to implement a system for evaluating manager's remuneration. A comparison approach can be immediately adopted from the data produced. Alternatively, the job descriptions can be suitably extended to facilitate one of the more commentary-based job evaluation systems.
You can read some definitions on:
http://www.goaltrak.com/files/kra_org09.pdf
Regards,