How to keep an OKR focus post-Viva Goals with Perform365 and Engage365 in Microsoft AppSource

In this guest blog post, 10-year Microsoft veteran Henrik S. Eriksen, who now serves as Senior VP of Corporate Strategy at Zensai managing the relationship with Microsoft, discusses the upcoming retirement of Viva Goals and how alternative solutions like Perform365 and Engage365 can help fill the void and keep an organization’s objectives and key results (OKR) management from being disrupted.

Microsoft has announced Viva Goals will retire by the end of 2025, meaning businesses reliant on this OKR solution will need to line up a replacement.

OKRs and goals are essential for giving employees direction and motivation, which are critical for long-term performance and engagement. Gallup reports disengagement costs businesses $8.8. trillion worldwide, which is why it’s best to prevent goal-tracking disruption ahead of time.

In its Viva Goals retirement FAQ, Microsoft encourages customers to begin exploring third-party OKR tools. The availability of excellent alternative OKR software solutions from Microsoft partners means there’s not a looming crisis. Existing customers should act but will find support for the full performance management process to ensure goals are aligned with engagement and performance.

Businesses must prepare for Viva Goals retirement

Leading up to its December 31 retirement, Viva Goals will remain operational, although it is no longer being updated. To highlight the importance of being prepared, let’s go into more detail on the business challenges of Viva Goals retirement.

The void left by Viva Goals

The retirement of Viva Goals will create workflow gaps for many businesses. Letting the retirement creep up on you could result in your OKRs being disrupted.

Organizations could lose significant volumes of goal data if not transferred to an equivalent service. Preventing this disruption is also vital in the short term for keeping employees engaged and on-task.

The larger concerns of disengagement and misalignment

If engagement and alignment were doing better, OKR disruption might be less of an issue. As things stand, Gallup’s Global Indicator puts worldwide engagement at just 23 percent. Meanwhile, the United States is only faring a bit better at 31 percent.

Between turnover costs and lost productivity, low engagement gets expensive fast. Add to that the loss of alignment from a lack of goal-tracking, and you can’t be sure top talent will hang around long enough for you to fix things.

What to look for in a goal-setting tool

There are plenty of viable ways to support workplace objective management. The best software for goal setting generally has a few things in common, but the features below are some of the essential elements for optimal OKR management:  

• SMART goal and OKR frameworks: SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound) goals turn massive projects into manageable chunks (i.e., sub-goals), while OKRs turn sets of individual projects into key results for top-level objectives.
  Screenshot of Add a New Goal options in Zensai Goals.
• Real-time progress tracking: Good goal-setting software builds quick and timely progress updates into your workflow. This prevents managers having to chase them, and lets HR observe real-time productivity fluctuations.
• Collaboration tools: Tools like communication channels, drag-and-drop note systems, and shared virtual workspaces help eliminate the barriers between planning and execution.
• Automated reminders: Your chosen software should include auto-reminder functionality, with the ability to set deadlines and frequencies to suit your needs.
• Integration with performance management: Besides enabling better timeline management, goal tracking doubles as one of the strongest performance metrics. Therefore, it's imperative your goal-setting software either integrates with your existing performance management tools or offers a built-in solution.

How Zensai Goals fills the goal tracking gap

With Viva Goals’ retirement date firmly set, organizations will need an alternative to avoid disrupting workflows and knocking project timelines askew. Here’s a breakdown of how Perform365 and Engage365 in Microsoft AppSource, also known as Zensai Goals, emerges as a superior choice with a comprehensive suite of features:

1. AI-generated OKRs and comprehensive goal setting

Zensai Goals leverages advanced AI to assist in crafting precise and impactful OKRs, streamlining the goal-setting process and ensuring alignment with organizational objectives. Beyond OKRs, it supports the establishment of SMART Goals, providing a versatile framework for both short-term tasks and long-term strategic initiatives. This approach ensures all levels of the organization are synchronized and working toward common goals.

2. Seamless integration with employee check-ins

A standout feature of Zensai Goals is its seamless integration with employee check-ins. Employees can update their progress on goals during regular check-ins, offering real-time insights into their achievements and challenges. Managers receive immediate updates, facilitating timely support and feedback. This continuous feedback loop fosters a culture of transparency and continuous improvement.

3. Customized dashboards and advanced analytics

Zensai Goals provides personalized dashboards tailored to individual roles within the organization. These dashboards deliver up-to-date performance metrics, enabling employees and managers to visualize progress, identify trends, and make data-driven decisions. The platform's advanced analytics offer deep insights into performance patterns, helping to identify areas for development and recognize high achievers.

Screenshot of dashboard settings in Zensai Goals.

4. Comprehensive 360-degree feedback mechanism

Understanding holistic feedback is crucial for employee development, Zensai Goals incorporates a robust 360-degree feedback system. This feature gathers input from peers, subordinates, and supervisors, providing a well-rounded view of an employee's performance. Such comprehensive feedback ensures performance evaluations are balanced, objective, and conducive to personal and professional growth.

Benefits of moving to Zensai Goals

As organizations transition from Viva Goals, Microsoft 365 and Zensai Goals work in tandem to deliver a seamless, data-driven approach to performance management.

Zensai Goals offers a fully integrated, AI-powered performance management system within the Microsoft 365 ecosystem. Designed for seamless adoption, it improves goal setting and performance tracking while using Microsoft’s security and collaboration tools.

Maximize your Microsoft 365 investment

Zensai Goals is fully integrated with Microsoft Teams, allowing employees to set, update, and track goals directly within their daily workflows, eliminating unnecessary app-switching and improving efficiency. Users, teams, and departments are already set up, as the user profiles are automatically synced from the existing Microsoft Entra ID.

Deep integration with SharePoint and OneDrive ensures effortless storage, transfer, and management of OKR data, enabling teams to collaborate seamlessly. Additionally, organizations benefit from the enterprise-grade security and compliance framework of Microsoft 365, ensuring data protection and regulatory adherence at every level.

What’s next?

Viva Goals is retiring, but your day-to-day goal-tracking needs aren’t going anywhere. We will continue to collaborate with Microsoft to deliver seamless OKR support during the transition to Zensai Goals. With our extensive integrations and Microsoft-first focus, you can easily move your users to our platform without disruption.

Until Viva Goals shuts down on December 31, its services will remain available, including API, PowerPoint and Excel support to assist with your data migration. To learn more about Perform365 and Engage365 – also known as Zensai Goals – check out Zensai’s blog.