While key performance indicators (KPIs) have been around for a long time and are vital for tracking corporate, operational, and employee performance, some organizations still struggle to use them effectively up to these days. 

According to The KPI Institute’s State of Strategy Management Practice Global Report – 2023, 25% of the 346 respondents from private, government, and non-profit organizations expressed that aligning KPIs and targets across the organization continues to be their primary challenge. Moreover, 24% struggle with KPI selection, reflecting a 4% increase compared to results from 2022. When assessing their organizations’ proficiency in documenting KPIs, 47% of respondents rate their capabilities as high or better, but it is still important to note that 26% rate their documentation capabilities as low or lowest. Hence, 16% of them encounter difficulties in documenting KPIs.

To offer insights into the practical application of KPIs, The KPI Institute introduced a series of free infographics called KPI of the Month. Each infographic focuses on a particular KPI that provides explanations of terminology and addresses key challenges related to its use. The monthly infographics include profile, calculation, balanced scorecard focus, data profile, targets, and practical recommendations.

In case you missed the KPI of the Month from the first quarter of 2024, we’ve compiled the highlights to keep you informed and up-to-date:

KPI of January: $ Free cash flow (FCF) – This indicator “measures the amount of cash a company generates from its operations, after covering operating expenses and capital expenditures.” It aims to offer insights into a company’s financial well-being and ensure efficient cash management. One of its benefits is that it offers a focused evaluation of liquidity and solvency through exclusive attention to cash flow. To learn more about $ FCF, download the poster on the TKI Marketplace.

KPI of February: # Greenhouse gas emissions – This indicator’s purpose is to evaluate environmental pressures from greenhouse gas emissions. Specifically, it “measures the quantity of greenhouse gas emissions of country, industry,  or company expressed in metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MtCO2e).” The greenhouse gas emissions have become a pressing issue that even the United Nations set ambitious net-zero goals, aiming for a 45% reduction in global greenhouse gas emissions by 2023 and achieving net-zero emissions worldwide by 2050. Learn how to utilize this indicator to align with your strategy for reducing emissions. Get the free infographic via TKI Marketplace.

KPI of March: % Critical positions filled – This indicator “measures the percentage of critical job positions that have been filled out of all available positions identified as critical within an organization.” The objective being measured by this indicator is the improvement of workforce planning for key positions. The % Critical positions filled helps organizations assess their capability to attract and retain suitable talent for critical job positions. But to utilize this KPI, identifying the critical positions within the organizations is important. To find out more about how you can apply this indicator in practice, grab a copy of the free poster from the TKI Marketplace. 

To amplify your KPI toolkit with a wealth of documented KPIs from various industries and functional areas, visit smartKPIs.com— the leading online platform for performance measurement knowledge integration and the world’s largest database featuring over 21,000 documented KPIs. 

The transformative shifts occurring today compel employees to recalibrate their thinking, embrace cutting-edge technologies, adapt behaviors, and operate in new environments. While these changes hold the promise of progress, they simultaneously introduce disruptions. 

Effective change management is a critical factor for organizational success in this dynamic scenario. Change management relies on strategic leadership, as highlighted in the Certified Agile Strategy Execution course offered by The KPI Institute (TKI). This program emphasizes the importance of shaping a strategic vision and guiding employees through essential actions for its realization. It involves anticipating change, maintaining flexibility, and empowering others to drive strategic change when needed. 

However, TKI’s State of Strategy Management Practice Global Report – 2023 reveals a stark reality in the business environment: 34% of professionals identify poor management of changes as a significant contributor to strategic failure. Meanwhile, on the employees’ side, the challenge of change fatigue emerges during transformation changes.

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This excerpt is from the cover story of Performance Magazine Issue No. 29, 2024 – Strategy Management Edition titled “Empowering employees for a new strategic vision and adaptability through change management.” To find out the factors that hinder employees’ performance and engagement when experiencing continuous change and how to cultivate a positive and adaptive organizational culture, download the free digital copy of the Performance Magazine on the TKI Marketplace. An additional printed copy is available and can be purchased via Amazon.