Employee feedback is an incredibly powerful tool. When done right, it can develop your organization’s employees, increase trust and communication, and strengthen the bond between employees and their managers. Want to learn how to give feedback at work? You’re on the right track, as many people avoid giving it altogether for fear of being offended.
ContentTypes of Employee FeedbackBenefits of Feedback at WorkHow to Give Feedback at Work: Tips for Managers and Leaders
WomanEL will share with you tips that will make your employees work better. You will also learn what feedback is useful for.
Types of employee feedback
Feedback lives in a wide spectrum! It comes in many forms, from encouraging positivity through constructive feedback to insightful leadership through constructive feedback. By understanding the different types of employee feedback, managers can more effectively direct conversations with their teams.
- Positive Feedback: Providing positive feedback is critical to maintaining healthy relationships with team members. Positive feedback recognizes employees’ outstanding performance and their significant contributions to the team, demonstrating significant improvements in technical and soft skills. Positive feedback can also be used to celebrate employee achievements and milestones, such as anniversaries.
- Constructive Feedback. Unlike positive feedback, giving constructive feedback (sometimes called negative feedback) can be a bit more difficult. The approach should be more nuanced, thoughtful, and practical. Both managers and employees should remember that the goal of constructive feedback is to support professional development.
- Continuous/Regular Feedback. Sometimes, neither positive nor negative situations require feedback. Regular feedback can be a means of support and understanding, as well as strengthening the bond between employees and managers through praise and constructive criticism. Regular feedback involves consistent communication, creating dialogue, reflection, and opportunities for improvement. Regular feedback helps employees navigate expectations, gain clarity, and track their progress over time.
Benefits of feedback at work
Feedback from employees is very important for the success of the team. It helps to establish effective communication, Source: freepik.com
The person who receives constructive feedback benefits by becoming more competent. Feedback typically leads to improved decision-making and collaboration, as well as increased productivity and efficiency. And this benefits not only the person, but also the team as a whole, because they gain the advantage of being a stronger participant. These benefits, which spread from the individual to the team, can have enormous consequences.
During the study, experts found that a higher level of feedback is associated with 89% higher job performance, 63% higher engagement and 79% higher job satisfaction. People who receive more feedback are also 1.2 times more likely to stay with the organization.
Positive feedback, expressed in recognition of the contributions of individual employees, is one of the best ways to boost morale. It also helps team members feel part of the company.
By giving each other honest, thoughtful feedback, you create deeper, more fulfilling relationships. When team members help each other improve and hold each other accountable, they create a feedback loop in which everyone receives and provides helpful feedback. The more often this happens, the stronger the bonds between team members. And those who receive feedback feel like the people giving it are their partners or mentors who have a personal interest in their development. In this way, the workplace becomes a safe, secure space in which its members can grow stronger.
How to give feedback correctly at work: tips for managers and leaders
Here Here are some tips on how to give feedback constructively. Some of which are provided by psychologist Adam Grant:
- Use the situation-behavior-impact model. Describe the specific situation in which the behavior occurred. Try to keep this description short and concise. Avoid provocative statements. Describe the outcome of the behavior and how it affected others.
- Don’t end and start with compliments to soften the blow. While many of us like to start with a compliment and end on a high (positive) note, if you put a negative in the middle, it can get lost in what’s called a “feedback sandwich.” Why? One potential problem is that we often remember the first and last things we hear in a conversation. Your criticism won’t be remembered.
- Demonstrate deep empathy. Giving feedback that exposes a major gap in self-knowledge requires special sensitivity. Before approaching an employee, be prepared to give them the space they need to feel the shock of receiving your feedback. Remember, don’t take this as increasing resistance to your message.
- Explain why you’re giving the feedback. In one study, researchers made feedback 40% more effective by prefacing it with, “I’m giving you these comments because I have very high expectations. And I know you can deliver on them.”
- Level the playing field. People naturally feel threatened by negative feedback. To minimize this reaction, Grant advises making yourself vulnerable and human. You can say something like. “I learned a lot from feedback from managers and friends.” Or: “Now that we're working together, it would be great if we could help each other improve by giving feedback.”
- Ask if they want feedback. For example, “I’ve noticed a few things about your work recently. Would you like some feedback?” Grant says that if people take responsibility for getting feedback, they’ll be more open to it and less defensive.
- If you see a problem, offer feedback immediately or shortly afterward, depending on the situation. The sooner the better, because people may not remember the situations you describe.
- If possible, give negative feedback privately rather than publicly. Positive feedback given publicly is usually welcomed. And it’s a good way to reinforce desired behavior. However, some people are embarrassed and uncomfortable giving feedback in public. If you’re not sure, ask.
- Pay attention to your nonverbal cues and facial expressions when giving feedback. How you say it is just as important as what you say. Smile and don’t frown. Giving feedback can often be more important than the message itself.
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