The trouble with targets.

PERSONNEL management; BENCHMARKING (Management); HUMAN capital; PERFORMANCE; KEY performance indicators (Management); INDUSTRIAL productivity; PSYCHOLOGICAL stress

The article presents the author's views on setting up of targets in organizations. He points out that most of the discussions of the Human Resources community focus around benchmarks, metrics, scorecards, and key performance indicators. He says that there is no doubt that a few well-chosen aims can boost the industrial productivity. However, he cautions that too much of goal-setting can even lead to stress. He remarks that problems also occur when targets are attached to individual performances.