6 Winning Internal Comms OKRs To Smash Your 2025 Goals

There are two types of corporate comms pros: those who've been ambushed with an OKR request, and those who will be.

Today, you've joined the first group. Let me guess, your boss just messaged you ‘We need OKRs for the comms team by next week’, or, worse, just tagged you in the company OKR dashboard without offering context. And here you are now, Googling frantically, wondering how on earth you're meant to turn your perfectly good comms work into something involving objectives, key results, and mysterious grading systems.

Take a deep breath. You're not alone.

I’ve been exactly where you are – beginning at a new tech company, learning about new ways of work, hearing this OKR acronym once or twice. Then understanding that it’s a part of my job, stressing out, and not knowing where to start.

If you’re thinking that this daunting task isn’t going to be worth it, let me tell you something: after years of watching comms teams struggle to prove their worth (with the nerve-wracking ‘what’s the ROI of your comms?’ question), I’ve come to realize that OKRs can actually be, dare I say it – kind of useful for communication teams. Not in that corporate-buzzword way, but in a ‘hey, this actually helps us get stuff done’ way.

Yes, it’s the goal-setting framework that’s taken Silicon Valley by storm, with companies like Google, Adobe, and Natural Intelligence swearing by it. But we’re not doing it just because some tech giant says so, but because they help us focus on what actually matters.

Ready? Let’s go.

What are OKRs?

OKR stands for Objectives and Key Results, and should fit in a sentence such as: We will [Objective], as measured by [Key Results].

Let’s break it down:

Objectives: Your ambitious goals (the ‘What do we want to achieve?’)

Key Results: Your measuring stick (the ‘How will we know we’ve nailed it?’)

Your Objective is what you want to achieve. This is the dream, the big goal. It’s ambitious, simple and specific.

Your Key Results are how you measure success. These are the tangible, actionable steps that will lead you toward your goal. They are measurable, time-bound, and ultimately tell you if you’re on track.

The OKR Recipe

Start with an Objective: Define what you want to achieve.
Add 2-4 Measurable Results: Identify how you will measure success.
Check What’s Cooking Monthly: Regularly review progress.
Serve Quarterly: Assess and adjust your OKRs every quarter.

For example…

Objective: Transform our all-company emails from always-ignored into must-read content

Key Results:

Increase email open rates from 15% to 70%
Achieve ‘useful content’ rating of 7/10 from employee feedback
Reduce ‘I didn't know about that’ complaints by 60%

Ready-to-use communication OKRs for 2025

Right then, let's get into the good stuff: practical OKRs you can actually use. I've grouped these by common communication challenges, and yes, feel free to copy and adapt them. (That's what they're here for!)

1. Strategic communication planning

Objective: Transform internal communications from reactive to strategic

Key Results:

Increase planned content from 20% to 80% of total communications
Achieve 80% alignment between communication activities and company priorities
Reduce ad-hoc urgent requests by 50% through implementation of content calendar

2. Employee engagement & experience

Objective: Create an engaging employee experience that makes Monday mornings less dreadful

Key Results:

Increase employee engagement score from 70% to 80%
Boost content interaction rate (likes, comments, shares) by 40%
Achieve 85% positive sentiment in feedback surveys

3. Leadership communication

Objective: Make leadership communications more human

Key Results:

Generate 40% increase in employee-leadership dialogue on Workvivo
Increase leadership message engagement (opens, clicks, reactions) by 50%
Establish monthly informal leadership Q&As with 70% average attendance

4. Crisis communication readiness

Objective: Winter is coming. Build a crisis-ready communications function.

Key Results:

Establish crisis response time under 30 minutes (from the current 2 hours)
Achieve 100% completion rate for crisis communication training
Maintain updated stakeholder contact list with 100% accuracy

5. Measurement & analytics

Objective: Make data your friend

Key Results:

Increase data-driven decisions from 20% to 80% of communication choices
Achieve 90% accuracy in communication measurement
Reduce reporting time by 50% through automated analytics

6. Global & remote communication

Objective: Make remote workers feel closer to your HQ

Key Results:

Achieve equal engagement scores between office and remote workers
Increase remote worker participation in hybrid company events by 60%
Reduce communication timezone delays by 70%

Tips for using these OKRs...

Start small: Pick 2-3 objectives maximum for your first quarter
Customize numbers: Adjust the percentages, make them realistic.
Check measurability: Ensure you can actually track these metrics before committing
Get buy-in: Share with stakeholders and adjust based on feedback

Need help tracking these? Pop over to the ‘Tracking OKRs’ section below.

Click the image below to download it!

OKR FAQs

Why is it so hard to get OKRs right?

The challenge with OKRs often lies in setting the right ones. especially for internal communication. It’s all about finding that sweet spot, something challenging but achievable. Think of it like making the perfect cup of coffee. Too weak? You’re just drinking hot, sandy milk. Too strong? Well, you’re up all night… and no one wants that.

Another challenge is tracking your OKRs. It is just as important as setting them. Use tools like spreadsheets, docs, or dashboards to track progress and share updates. Keep your team in the loop, and stay accountable.

BTW - What’s the difference between OKRs and KPIs?

OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) are about setting ambitious, overarching goals.

KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) are about tracking the ongoing performance of specific activities.

OKRs set the direction, while KPIs measure your day-to-day progress. In a way, OKRs are the ‘what’, and KPIs are the ‘how’.

What if you don’t get a 100% grade?

Failure is part of the process. If you don’t hit your OKRs at 100%, that’s okay, don’t panic. Reflect, learn, and improve. If you miss the mark, use it as a stepping stone for next quarter. Remember, it’s about progress, not perfection.

What if my team doesn’t fully understand OKRs?

No worries! Run a workshop to explain the basics of OKRs. Break them down into bite-sized chunks, and show them how to track progress. Once your team understands the ‘why,’ the ‘how’ becomes a lot easier.

Steps to create proper OKRs (without losing your mind)

1. Identify your big goals: Start by thinking about what you want to achieve in internal communications. Do you want to increase engagement? Improve transparency? Boost leadership visibility? Write down your aspirations.

2. Align with company objectives: Ensure your OKRs align with the overall business goals. If your company is focusing on growth, your comms OKRs might focus on fostering a more connected workforce.

3. Be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound): This is key. Your OKRs should be clear, and you should know exactly when you’ve succeeded.

4. Keep it simple: Pick two or three easy-to-understand OKRs. Keep it short, active, positive, and precise.

5. Track progress regularly: Once you set them, track them! Check in with your team, review progress, and adjust if needed.

Comms OKR best practices

What you should do

So, you’ve got your OKRs set. Now, here’s how to make them sing:

Involve your team from the start: Your team is key to success. Co-create OKRs with input from multiple departments to ensure they’re aligned with broader company goals.
Be clear and specific: Avoid vague language. What does success really look like? Use numbers to define success, and make sure your key results are measurable.
Review progress regularly: OKRs are a journey, not a destination. Have monthly check-ins to track progress and pivot if necessary.
Celebrate the wins: Every step forward counts! Share progress with your team and celebrate milestones.
Iterate and improve: If you don’t hit an OKR, that’s fine! Learn from it, tweak it, and set a more achievable target next time.

What you shouldn’t do

Don’t set 27 objectives: Keep it simple and achievable. Focus on 3-5 key objectives for the quarter.
Don’t ignore the results: It’s not enough to set the OKRs—track the progress consistently.
Don’t be afraid to fail: OKRs are about progress, not perfection. Missing an OKR is part of the process.
Don't forget to involve your team
Don't measure what's easy instead of what's important

Go forth and nail your 2025 OKRs!

Creating effective comms OKRs can feel like a challenging task, but you’ve got this. You have the tools, the knowledge, and the insights to craft winning comms OKRs for 2025. Start small, be specific, and don’t be afraid to adjust course if something’s not quite working.

Take these templates, make them your own, and show 2025 what you’re made of.

Off you go – those OKRs won’t write themselves!