USING BALANCED SCORECARDS TO ALIGN ORGANIZATIONAL STRATEGIES

Balanced Scorecards are often used to measure a company’s strategic performance.  This article takes that approach a step further by encouraging companies to align the scorecard with performance management to “cascade and align goals.” 

Written as a first person case study of Emory Healthcare (EHC), the article details the company’s implementation of an integrated system that pushed goals downward from the business unit level to the employee. The effect was a focused staff that maximized their organizational resources. The system has also ensured that expectations are clearly defined across the business, thus improving overall performance.

Also of interest is their use of employee engagement surveys to measure employee satisfaction and decrease turnover.  EHC’s objective was to achieve a rating of 3.8 out of 5 by using aligned goals throughout the organization. Specific actions were applied at each level and through a concerted effort the goal was achieved.  For the next planning cycle, the goal has been set for 3.9.

The authors feel that, despite the difficulty that using a balanced scorecard can be to unite the organization, it is a powerful tool that is well worth the effort once completed.

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