The OKR model helps us react fast to changes

We want every resident to feel good and carefree in their Joo Kodit home and within the Joo community. Equally, we believe it’s important for us at Joo to be content and happy.

These fundamental goals remain constant, even as the world changes around us. They also support each other: when we are content, we provide first-class service to our residents every day. Helping our residents is also an important source of our own wellbeing.

Our seven-year-old company has grown rapidly. When I started working here three years ago, there were 13 of us. By the end of 2023, the number of employees had grown to 84. This increase in staff alone has created a need for a new way to reach our goals in line with our values.

Which change is most crucial right now?

In spring 2023, we began steering our work using the OKR model. OKR stands for Objectives and Key Results. It’s a method for planning and achieving change in line with our strategy. The model helps us define which change is most crucial for us at the moment. We’ve divided our year into three equal implementation cycles. Objectives and key results are defined for one cycle at a time, during which they are actively worked on and monitored.

A fundamental aspect of the OKR model is that development involves every member of Joo. Here, managers don’t dictate objectives; instead, they are created in collective dialogue. Everyone also has the opportunity to influence the ways in which we achieve our goals.

Striving towards shared goals

Throughout the year, I had the chance to participate in several OKR workshops across different teams, where we developed our objectives. Creating and advancing these objectives wasn’t always easy, but we always learned from the experience. The benefits of the OKR model are clear and already visible: All of us at Joo have found new motivation to push forward our shared goals. Everyone understands what’s most important in their own work right now. By measuring our progress on a weekly basis, we achieve our goals efficiently.

In 2023, we established an operational model for ourselves that holds particular value during these uncertain times: today’s Joo responds quickly to change.

This blog post was originally published in Joo Group's annual review 2023. Read more about our goals and results here.