Latest news with #KeyPerformanceIndicator
Daily Mail
29-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
How Labour is doing compared to its own economic targets
Charles White-Thomson is a senior fellow at the Adam Smith Institute and the former CEO of an online trading company. He explains how he has set up a system to measure the government against its own targets - and how it is doing. After last year's election, I argued Britain needs to start thinking like a business if it wants to get back on track. I supported the Prime Minister and Chancellor's commitment to put growth at the top of their priority list with measurable objectives and hard deadlines. Their support for clear targets made a good deal of sense. Most people instinctively understand the difference between a vague ambition and a time bound target pinned to someone's name. Ministers call it 'mission-led government.' Every pledge would be tracked, measured and judged in public. The private sector has a name for this form of analysis - the Key Performance Indicator. As a former CEO of an online trading company, this is something I'm more than familiar with. The KPI system, which ranks performance from red to green, is a good way to enhance focus and accountability. The traffic light system triggers debate, because there's so little room to hide - the 'devil really is in the detail.' Sadly, one year into their time in office, the government seems to have abandoned its commitment to this kind of transparency. And, a year later, reality looks rather different. Whilst many targets have been set - and some are genuinely ambitious, there are still too many five-year goals, too many get-outs, and too little accountability. Worse still, the much-touted Mission Boards, which were supposed to scrutinise delivery, have vanished into the ether. It says something about modern politics that even in the digital age, when almost any metric can be tracked in real time, the electorate still has to surf multiple websites to see if the promises made to them are being kept. Our 16 KPIs that track what's happening In a business, this wouldn't be tolerated. You don't get to shirk responsibility. You don't get to shrug and blame the economic weather when your targets flash red. You certainly don't get to hide the numbers. That's why, in the absence of an official scoreboard, the Adam Smith Institute and I have compiled our own. We've rolled up our sleeves and collected 16 of the government's key performance indicators from manifestos, speeches and policy documents. When the targets were set over five years, we've prorated them to see where they should stand after 12 months. Where relevant, we have started our analysis on day 1 of their government. And, to make things nice and simple, we did what any good board would do, colour-coded them. Green for success. Amber if they were close (or faced genuine mitigating factors). Red for failure. I should stress that this type of analysis is unemotional, focusing on the performance of the previous 12 months. This analysis of performance versus KPIs does not seek to justify or commend the decisions of this government - simply to hold them to account. How is Labour really doing? Of the 16 KPIs, 6 are green and 7 are red, with the rest being mixed or lacking adequate data. Worryingly the reds include many of the main economic drivers, which you can see above. Monthly growth has averaged just 0.09 per cent since July 2024, well below the rate needed to achieve the goal of 2.5 per cent annual growth by 2029. What's more, inflation , which the government pledged to stabilise at 2%, has also risen, with last month's inflation reaching 3.4 per cent. Of course, sluggish growth is hardly surprising when you factor in the government's decision to raise National insurance contributions and scrap the non-dom regime. Looking at the rest of the KPI portfolio, there are a few bright spots - particularly relating to spending. The government, to its credit, is on track to meet its proposals on delivering new NHS appointments, hiring more mental health staff and is likely to increase defence spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP. But, this raises wider questions about the government's overall strategy. What does this mean for our public finances when the government is meeting its spending commitments but not growing the economy as planned? Labour should think like a business In the end, the government's performance against these KPIs has been disappointing. Regardless of what one might think of their mission, they're far from making it a reality. And, they're struggling to deliver where it matters most - economic growth. Ministers now need to focus - really focus - on these KPIs. The PM, like any good CEO will need to hold his Ministers to account. Ministers who persistently fail to meet their targets will need to be replaced. When the KPI flashes red, they won't be able to hide behind the spin. The next twelve months will define this government's legacy. Delivering on these commitments won't just look good on a spreadsheet. It could also help restore public confidence and show that, after years of drift, there is finally a plan that works.
The Citizen
22-07-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
Here is how SMEs can prioritise their employees
'With the right approach, even the smallest business can attract, build and retain a team that performs like a powerhouse.' Many businesses often forget to prioritise their employees, overlooking the fact that they are the ones who put in the work and make ideas become a reality. If employees are not happy, it often shows in the business's performance. FNB is warning small and medium enterprises (SMEs) that not prioritising employee productivity could significantly hinder the success and growth of their business. 'The key to driving productivity is a clear, people-first strategy built on the four pillars of incentives, benefits, culture and education', says Palesa Mabasa, Business Development Head: SME Funding at FNB Business. She highlights that productivity is not about pushing people harder, but creating an environment where people want to show up, contribute and grow. Incentives for employees Mabasa highlights that incentives are one of the most effective levers for boosting performance. It does not have to be anything complicated; it can be a commission, performance bonuses, or creative perks like weekend getaways or vouchers for top performers. However, it remains important that these incentives are fair, transparent and directly tied to results. 'Even the best incentive programmes can backfire if they are seen as opaque or biased. That is why clear Key Performance Indicator (KPIs) and regular performance feedback are vital.' ALSO READ: Work and lifestyle goes hand in hand: Game-changing benefits to attract top talent in 2025 Employee benefits Mabasa notes that employee benefits play a crucial role in enhancing productivity and employee retention. 'While many SMEs assume benefits are too costly or complicated, she urges business owners to think differently. 'Simple offerings like funeral cover, pension contributions or medical savings options can go a long way towards making employees feel secure and valued.' Company culture Another factor that boosts employees' productivity is an open and inclusive culture, rooted in shared purpose and values. 'If your team understands where the business is going, and they believe in that vision, they will offer your business that highly prized discretionary effort, that only comes from truly engaged employees. 'Strategy must be explained in a way that everyone understands their role in delivering on it.' She highlights that culture is not just about feel-good values on a poster; it's about daily behaviours that everyone buys into and, very importantly, the behaviours that are not acceptable. ALSO READ: How to create a healthy work environment for employees Importance of education Mabasa says the final piece of the productivity puzzle is employee education, particularly in areas such as financial literacy and tax matters. 'Many employees do not understand how a bonus affects their tax, or why certain deductions appear on their payslips. Without that understanding, even generous benefits can cause confusion or frustration.' She recommends SMEs to focus on delivering financial education to staff, as this will reduce misunderstandings around payslips and benefits. Employee education can also foster a more financially responsible and resilient workforce, one that is not only financially confident but also driven to perform. 'With the right approach, even the smallest business can attract, build and retain a team that performs like a powerhouse.' NOW READ: Remote work vs return to office: The battle for workplace culture, pay and productivity
Business Recorder
15-07-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
‘Apni Chhat Apna Ghar' programme: Over 51,000 families get loans
LAHORE: Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif presided over an important meeting regarding 'Apni Chhat Apna Ghar' programme in which progress being made with regard to ongoing programme was reviewed. So far, the dream of more than 51,000 families has become a reality through this programme. The Chief Minister directed to further accelerate the pace of ongoing development work regarding 'Apni Chhat Apna Ghar' programme. A detailed briefing was given on the current status of the project. It was informed in the briefing that loans have been provided to 51,911 poor families from the platform of 'Apni Chhat Apna Ghar' programme. A substantial amount worth Rs65 billion has been distributed under the 'Apni Chhat Apna Ghar' programme. So far, 45,178 houses are under construction while 6,160 houses have been completed. The CM outlined, 'Key Performance Indicator (KPI) of every decision is focused on the development, protection and convenience of the people.' She highlighted, 'It is the vision of Quaid PML-N Nawaz Sharif and my pledge as well to provide shelter to the poor and homeless people of Punjab.' She vowed, 'The day a poor gets a house, the state becomes successful in its noble mission. The era of doing traditional politics has been done away with and the time of rendering public service has started during the tenure of PML-N government.' She emphasized, 'Apni Chhat, Apna Ghar is not just a project of constructing bricks and walls, but the beginning of a new life for the impecunious strata of society. It has happened for the first time in the history of Pakistan to provide shelter to the poverty-stricken people across Punjab.' She added, 'Practical steps are being taken to provide shelter to the poor and homeless families on such a massive scale. I am striving day and night to ensure that no citizen of Punjab remains shelterless.' Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Wire
11-07-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
KB Home Once Again Named One of America's Best Midsize Companies by TIME Magazine
LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--KB Home (NYSE: KBH), one of the largest and most recognized homebuilders in the U.S., has been named to TIME's 2025 list of America's Best Midsize Companies— the only national homebuilder to appear on this list every year since its inception. This recognition is presented by TIME and Statista, a leading provider of market and consumer data, and can be viewed on the TIME website. 'We're honored to once again be named one of America's Best Midsize Companies by TIME,' said Jeffrey Mezger, KB Home's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. 'KB Home is the only homebuilder to make the list every year since its inception, and this recognition underscores our enduring commitment to delivering industry-leading customer satisfaction, creating a culture of excellence and driving innovation in sustainability that positively impacts our stakeholders and delivers long-term value.' The recognized companies were identified based on three dimensions and using more than 15 different criteria. TIME considered all companies that operate in the U.S. and generated between $100 million and $10 billion in revenue in 2023 or 2024. The three evaluation criteria were: Employee Satisfaction: Standardized work-related Key Performance Indicator (KPI) data based on survey data of a large sample of employees from U.S. companies Revenue Growth: Revenue growth data of all relevant companies from internal growth and company databases Sustainability Transparency: Environmental, social and governance data among standardized KPIs from internal database and targeted data research For more information on KB Home, call 888-KB-HOMES or visit About KB Home KB Home is one of the largest and most trusted homebuilders in the United States. We operate in 49 markets, have built nearly 700,000 quality homes in our more than 65-year history, and are honored to be the #1 customer-ranked national homebuilder based on third-party buyer surveys. What sets KB Home apart is building strong, personal relationships with every customer and creating an exceptional experience that offers our homebuyers the ability to personalize their home based on what they value at a price they can afford. As the industry leader in sustainability, KB Home has achieved one of the highest residential energy-efficiency ratings and delivered more ENERGY STAR ® certified homes than any other builder, helping to lower the total cost of homeownership. For more information, visit
The Star
06-07-2025
- The Star
1,005 employers detained for migrant offences this year
KUALA LUMPUR: The Immigration Department has detained 1,005 employers for allegedly hiring or harbouring undocumented migrants between Jan 1 and July 3 this year. Immigration director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban ( pic ) said the arrests involved employers from various sectors, including restaurants, factories and retail shops, with most of them being locals found sheltering foreign nationals without valid documents. 'As of July, we've achieved 70% of our Key Performance Indicator (KPI) and I'm confident we'll exceed our target by year-end,' he told reporters at the IMI KL Run and Customer Engagement Day held here yesterday, Bernama reported. Also present was Kuala Lumpur Immigration director Wan Mohammed Saupee Wan Yusoff. During the same period, the department conducted 6,913 nationwide operations, screening 97,322 foreign nationals and arresting 26,320 individuals for suspected immigration offences. Zakaria said enforcement would continue to be intensified, with no compromise on undocumented migrants. Over 200 hotspots are being monitored. He added that public outreach events like the IMI KL Run programme, which drew over 800 participants, would be continued to strengthen public engagement. The programme had two categories, namely five kilometres and 10km, around the Kuala Lumpur Immigration Office.
