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Maintenance workers face many challenges on the job, including, but not limited to, finding a steady position, dealing with unplanned and unscheduled maintenance, and being familiar with various aspects of care, budget issues, and time constraints.
SMART is a goal-setting methodology that tells you how to set goals for the highest chance of success.
This article discusses SMART goals and will provide 11 examples of SMART goals for maintenance workers.
What are SMART Goals?
Before providing examples of SMART goals for maintenance workers, you need to know what SMART goals are. SMART is an acronym that pertains to goal setting.
Each letter of the acronym is essential to your overall success in achieving any goal. SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-Bound. So, let’s quickly look at each of them in more detail.
If you want to learn much more about the SMART goal methodology, look at this in-depth Ultimate Guide to SMART Goals.
Why are SMART Goals Important for Maintenance Workers?
SMART goals are essential to overcoming challenges faced by today’s maintenance workers and technicians. What challenges do you face as a maintenance worker in your job?
One issue might be finding a good position in the first place. Unfortunately, finding a maintenance job that pays well and has benefits is easier said than done.
Moreover, knowledge and skillsets are essential as maintenance workers are expected to be Jacks of all trades, including but not limited to electrical work, plumbing, carpentry, and basic repairs. Depending on the maintenance position, more specialized knowledge may be required.
Then, unplanned and unscheduled maintenance are significant challenges. Moreover, coordinating maintenance efforts is yet another challenge. But, there are always budgetary and resource constraints that need to be considered.
Performing preventative maintenance vs. reactive maintenance is a challenge in productivity and efficiency. Time management is yet another challenge; maintenance workers seem to have more to do than they really have time for. Even physical safety can be a challenge.
Using the SMART methodology, you can create a solid plan of attack to overcome any of these obstacles. It enables you to set specific goals and determine ways to get there. They allow you to measure your progress realistically, based on a set time.
Let’s now look at SMART goal examples for maintenance workers to help you overcome the challenges laid out above.
11 Examples of SMART Goals for Maintenance Workers
These 11 examples of SMART goals for maintenance workers will give you an idea of how to set up goals and implement your plan of action.
1. Find Well-Paying Maintenance Job
“My goal is to find a maintenance position that will provide me with a salary of at least $40,000 a year. I will apply to at least three jobs every week to accomplish this goal. If the only position I find pays $30,000 per year, I will initially accept it. However, I will then continue to apply for at least one post per week, with an overall goal of hitting the $40,000 salary mark within three years of beginning my job search.”
S: This goal is specific, to find a job position that pays at least $40,000 within the first three years of starting in this field by applying to a set number of jobs every week.
M: This goal is measurable because you can track how many jobs you apply for and measure your progress by your current salary.
A: This goal is attainable, as there are many job search tools and many well-paying maintenance jobs.
R: This goal is relevant because, in any career, one of your main goals is to make a living wage.
T: This goal is time-bound, as you are looking to achieve a specific yearly salary within a set period.
2. Complete One Skill-Building Course Every 6 Months
“My goal is to take at least one skill-building course every six months. I will start by learning about basic repair and carpentry skills, then plumbing, electrical work, and more. My goal is to complete at least two courses per year and get at least an 85% score in all the courses I take.”
S: This goal is specific- to increase your skill set by taking various skill-building courses within a particular time.
M: This goal is measurable, as you can easily track how many skill-building courses you take. You can easily measure your success in individual courses by examining your score or grade at the end of each course.
A: This is an attainable and realistic goal, as there are many skill-building courses for busy people and working professionals in this industry.
R: This goal is relevant because having a wide breadth of skills is essential to secure a good position at elite institutions.
T: This goal is time-bound, as it refers to completing at least two such courses yearly.
3. Respond Promptly to Unplanned Maintenance
“My goal is to put systems in place that will immediately notify me of unscheduled and unplanned maintenance, so I can react promptly. In addition, I will put protocols in place for others to immediately inform me of required maintenance.
The overall goal is to decrease reaction time to unplanned maintenance by at least 50%. For example, instead of taking 30 minutes to begin unplanned maintenance, the aim is to take 15 minutes or less.”
S: This goal is specific, to put in place protocols that inform others how to immediately notify you of unplanned yet urgent maintenance, with the end goal being to cut reaction time in half.
M: This goal is measurable because you can easily track how long it takes others to notify you of unplanned maintenance. You can time how long it takes you to react.
A: This goal is attainable because through a simple protocol, rule-setting, and always having communication devices on hand, cutting down reaction time should not be overly complicated.
R: This goal is relevant because promptly reacting to urgent maintenance issues relates directly to company efficiency and productivity.
T: This goal is time-bound, as it aims to notify you of unplanned and urgent maintenance as soon as it arises and react to it as quickly as possible.
4. Do Regular Preventive Maintenance
“My goal is to engage in regular preventative maintenance at least once a week (or as often as needed) for the critical systems under my responsibilities.
By performing preventative instead of reactive maintenance, the aim is to cut down on unplanned and emergency maintenance needs by at least 75% every month, beginning this month.”
S: This goal is specific, to perform weekly preventative maintenance to prevent the occurrence of unplanned emergency maintenance needs by at least 75% per month.
M: This goal is measurable by comparing the amount of emergency maintenance required before and after you begin doing weekly preventative maintenance. You can compare how often you perform preventative maintenance vs. reactive maintenance.
A: This goal is attainable and realistic. Preventative maintenance is proven to be superior to reactive maintenance.
R: This goal is relevant, as preventative maintenance provides increased efficiency and productivity compared to reactive maintenance.
T: This goal is time-bound, as the aim is to decrease instances of emergency maintenance within the next month.
5. Stop Exceeding Budget
“To combat strict budget constraints and stop exceeding the budget by 15% or more, I will begin sourcing necessary maintenance materials and tools from sources that sell goods at low prices. I will use methods such as bulk buying and keeping an eye out for discounts.
The overall goal is to decrease maintenance equipment costs by up to 5% per month until the costs align with my monthly budget. The overall goal is to stop exceeding the maintenance budget within three months.”
S: This goal is specific to meet a maintenance budget – to decrease maintenance costs by 5% monthly or by 15% over three months, to meet a maintenance budget.
M: This goal is measurable with some simple math. You can calculate whether or not the costs have decreased by 5% per month or by 15% over those three months.
A: This goal is attainable because using methods like bulk buying and discount purchasing can undoubtedly save money.
R: This goal is relevant as it relates to the overall performance and budget of the company you are employed by.
T: This goal is time-bound, referring to decreasing maintenance equipment costs over a set period.
6. Improve Workplace Safety
“My goal is to improve the workplace safety of my team and our maintenance facilities. I will conduct regular safety inspections, provide training for members of my team on workplace safety protocols, develop a comprehensive risk assessment program to break bad habits, and work with vendors to ensure that all equipment is up-to-date and properly maintained.
I will also document all safety initiatives and ensure that my team follows the established protocols. The goal is to reduce workplace accidents by at least 25% in one year.”
S: This goal is specific- to reduce workplace accidents through regular safety inspections, training, risk assessment program, maintenance of equipment and documentation.
M: This goal is measurable, as you can track the number of workplace accidents and measure your progress in reducing the accident rate.
A: This goal is achievable- with regular safety inspections, training on safety protocols, risk assessment program and maintenance of equipment, you are likely to reduce the accident rate by 25%.
R: This goal is relevant, as workplace safety is an important part of any job, particularly in the maintenance industry.
T: This goal is time-bound with a goal of one year. You will have time to measure and adjust your methods as needed.
7. Increase Customer Satisfaction
“My goal is to increase customer satisfaction ratings by 30% within the next six months. I will accomplish this through improved communication with customers before and after my maintenance work, providing timely estimates for any maintenance work or projects requested, and offering quality workmanship.
I will also ensure that customer inquiries are answered promptly and that any complaints are handled efficiently should my maintenance work fall short. Doing so will also improve my v.”
S: This goal is specific- to increase customer satisfaction by 30% within six months through improved communication, complaint-handling, estimates, and workmanship.
M: This goal is measurable- you can track customer satisfaction ratings, number of inquiries responded to, feedback from customer reviews, and the number of complaints handled by you or your customer service team.
A: This goal is achievable- You can easily measure customer satisfaction rating through analytics on online reviews, by examining surveys, and by addressing old customer complaints that could help boost your reputation and improve trust in your business.
R: This goal is relevant because customer satisfaction plays a vital role in the success of any business. The more satisfied your customers are, the more likely they are to remain loyal and continue to use your maintenance services.
T: This goal is time-bound, as it states a specific timeframe to achieve the goal of 30% increased customer satisfaction ratings (on Google, Yelp, or other review sites). This gives you enough time to make the necessary adjustments and evaluate your success.
8. Increase Efficiency
“My goal is to increase efficiency in the maintenance team by 20% within six months. I will accomplish this by streamlining processes and maintenance procedures, improving communication among team members (especially when unexpected maintenance issues arise), identifying areas of improvement, and standardizing equipment and tools.
I will also evaluate the effectiveness of my methods regularly to ensure that we are meeting our goals and seeing improvements in efficiency and output.”
S: This goal is specific- to increase efficiency by 20% within six months through streamlining processes, improving communication, identifying areas of improvement and standardizing equipment.
M: This goal is measurable- you can track the time it takes to complete tasks, the number of errors made, how long it takes to respond to a maintenance issue, and the number of maintenance tasks completed to measure your goal.
A: This goal is achievable- with streamlining processes, improving communication among team members, and standardizing equipment, it is realistic to increase efficiency by 20%.
R: This goal is relevant because increasing efficiency can help a maintenance team become more productive and cost-effective. Instead of focusing on unscheduled downtime or redoing jobs over and over, you can focus on expanding your business, implementing new skills and repair strategies, or focus on other aspects of your career as a maintenance worker.
T: This goal is time-bound, as it sets a specific timeframe of six months to reach the target of 20%. This gives you enough time to evaluate your progress and make necessary adjustments, such as standardizing equipment and tools, to reach your goal.
9. Reduce Unscheduled Downtime
“My goal is to reduce unscheduled downtime by half in the next quarter. I will accomplish this by conducting regular maintenance checks, proactively addressing potential issues before they become major problems, and training team members on proper equipment usage and safety procedures.
I will also implement a system to track all maintenance tasks and ensure that all upkeep is completed according to schedule.”
S: This goal is specific- to reduce unscheduled downtime by 50% within the next quarter through regular maintenance checks, proactive issue addressing, and proper equipment use and maintenance.
M: This goal is measurable- you can track the number of repairs done ahead of time before a major problem arises, the amount of scheduled versus unscheduled maintenance performed, and the number of unscheduled downtimes that occur within a period of time.
A: This goal is achievable- with regular maintenance checks and proactive addressing, it is realistic to reduce unscheduled downtime by half in just one quarter.
R: This goal is relevant because reducing unscheduled downtime can improve efficiency and productivity, as well as customer satisfaction. It can also help reduce stress and burden in your role as a maintenance worker.
T: This goal is time-bound, as it sets a specific timeframe of one quarter to reach the target of 50%. This gives you enough time to evaluate your progress and make necessary adjustments to reach your goal.
10. Increase Equipment Lifespan
“My goal is to increase the lifespan of our equipment and measure this through examining warranty data within the next 2 years.
I will accomplish this by implementing preventative maintenance procedures, using preventive maintenance software to track equipment performance and usage, and assigning trained team members to perform maintenance tasks.
I will also monitor equipment performance regularly and compare it against warranty data in order to measure our progress towards meeting our goal.”
S: This goal is specific- to increase equipment lifespan through preventative maintenance procedures, using preventive maintenance software, and assigning trained team members.
M: This goal is measurable- you can track the performance of your equipment over time and compare it to the warranty data in order to measure how well you are meeting your goal (i.e., if your equipment is lasting as long as it possibly can before warranties are needed).
A: This goal is achievable- with preventative maintenance and monitoring, it is realistic to increase the lifespan of your equipment.
R: This goal is relevant because increasing the lifespan of your equipment will help save time and money in the long run.
T: This goal is time-bound, as it gives you two years to fully measure your progress, replace faulty equipment, and measure how well your equipment is performing.
11. Gain Better Troubleshooting Skills
“My goal is to improve our troubleshooting skills by attending a seminar on the topic within the next 6 months. I will accomplish this by having team members attend the seminar and encouraging them to practice their new skills in the workplace.
I will also review any feedback or insights gained from the seminar and use it to further enhance our troubleshooting abilities.”
S: This goal is specific- to improve troubleshooting skills through attending a seminar within 6 months and applying the learnings in the workplace.
M: This goal is measurable- you can track the number of team members who attend the seminar, the new skills they gain, and the feedback or insights they provide after the seminar.
A: This goal is achievable- it is realistic to become more proficient in troubleshooting by attending a seminar and applying what you learn in the workplace.
R: This goal is relevant because improving your team's troubleshooting skills can help reduce downtime, add an additional customer base, and improve your expertise and reputation in the maintenance industry.
T: This goal is time-bound, as it provides a specific timeline (6 months) for the team to attend the seminar and practice their new skills. After those 6 months, you can also set a timeline for those skills to be implemented by the team in the workplace.
Final Thoughts on SMART Goals for Maintenance Workers
Each of the five letters in the SMART acronym is crucial to your success. The above are just examples, but setting and achieving goals becomes much easier if you follow this methodology.
Be specific with your goals and how you plan to get there. Make sure that metrics are in place for accurate progress measurement. Finally, ensure that you set realistic goals achievable by a specific deadline. If you have trouble setting goals, SMART is the way to go.
And if you want more SMART goal ideas and examples, be sure to check out these blog posts:
- 7 SMART Goals Examples for Time Management & Productivity
- 35 SMART Goals Examples for All Areas of Your Life
- 13 SMART Goals Examples for Improving Your Communication Skills
Finally, if you want to take your goal-setting efforts to the next level, check out this FREE printable worksheet and a step-by-step process that will help you set effective SMART goals.
