1st of January: New Year, New Goals

New Year’s Day is always a moment of renewal and strategic reflection, not just for individuals but for businesses as well. Setting goals that are specific, measurable, and time-bound has been proven to have a significant impact on productivity.  

A Tilburg University study of small cassava-processing firms in Ghana showed that when workers set daily goals, without any financial incentives, output increased by 16%, hourly productivity by 8%, and overall performance by 13%. Similar studies confirm that companies with clear and ambitious goals achieve up to 15% better results than those without explicit targets. 

In practice, goals act as a mechanism of self-regulation and direction, aligning teams and improving resource allocation. The start of a new year is the ideal moment to define new priorities, set interim milestones, and ensure continuous feedback. As 2026 begins, the key challenge for every business is to decide which goals will lead to measurable improvement, whether in productivity, quality, or innovation.