CAT Goals for Employers

Use CAT Goals to Improve Performance

How to Use This Document

If you notice an employee struggling and determine it’s a performance-related issue, use this document to set goals and plan for supported improvement.

Remember to:

• Not assume that a performance issue is related to a disability.  
• Speak to your employee about what is happening for them.  
• Differentiate between disability and performance-related issues. 
• Make CLEAR goals that involve taking ACTION by a certain TIME.

CAT Goals

When speaking to an employee about a performance-related issue, help them plan a way to improve. A useful tool to do that is by making CAT goals.

Each letter in the word CAT stands for one important factor in goal setting. CAT goals are CLEAR and involve taking an ACTION by a certain TIME.

Outlining the plan in this way sets clear expectations for everyone involved. It also helps the employee to know when and how to complete their goal. 

Questions to Develop CAT Goals

Consider using the following questions to help formulate each part of the CAT goal.

To develop each part of the CAT goal, consider the following questions to guide you.

Clear

When the goal is clear, employees know which actions to take and when.

• What do you want the employee to do?
• Why do you want the employee to do it?
• What will the employee need to achieve it?

Action

If you make an action plan, you can include clear details about what employees will do to put the actions on a timeline.

• What will the employee do? (take some kind of action) 
• The employee will be responsible for what they do.
• The employee will be able to take credit for what they do.

Timeline

A timeline is important because it makes it clear when employees should start, when they should do each action and when they should finish.

• When will the employee start?
• When will the employee be finished?
• What actions will the employee take at certain points along the way?

When the goal is clear, employees know which actions to take and when. 

If you make an action plan, you can include clear details about what employees will do to put the actions on a timeline. 

A timeline is important because it makes it clear when employees should start, when they should do each action and when they should finish. Be clear about the goals. Make sure your employee has the tools they need to take action. Create a timeline for when you expect them to have reached their goals and when you will check in with them.