Which type of feedback focuses on what an employee does well and could possibly boost performance?
For many of us, “employee feedback” sparks memories of uncomfortable annual conversations with unapproachable managers. In today’s world, however, employee feedback has evolved into ongoing listening strategies that build trust between managers and employees. Regular employee feedback results in significantly higher engagement, with a plethora of attendant benefits. Let’s take a look at why employee feedback matters, some real-life employee feedback examples, and how managers can respond and take action to build a culture of listening. Show
The importance of employee feedbackThe value of positive employee feedback is obvious. It reinforces the right behaviors, and it is directly linked to increased employee engagement and productivity. Negative employee feedback is equally important. When provided constructively, it reduces negative behaviors and helps employees understand their strengths and weaknesses. The right feedback, given at a critical juncture, can have a significant impact on behaviors, skills, and ultimately careers. With the gig economy growing and more employees working independently, building connections between employees and managers is more important than ever. Employee feedback is critical to building these connections. For managers, listening to employee feedback and taking action is just as important as giving feedback. While organizations vary widely and have different ways of providing employee feedback, the following examples offer some guidance that managers can use in providing constructive feedback. Positive employee feedback examplesWhether it’s a recognition of good work or acknowledgment of perseverance, there are many instances where managers can take the opportunity to provide positive feedback. Here are some examples: 1. Express appreciation for employee performance
When an employee succeeds, they should hear about it. Express your recognition of the right behaviors and celebrate positive results. If possible, be specific about skills, achievements, and business outcomes. Employee success often goes unrecognized as managers can be complacent and forget to call out positive performance. We recently found that 58 percent of employees said their manager relationship would improve with more recognition. Showing appreciation reinforces the right behaviors, makes employees feel valued and motivated, and is directly linked to increased employee engagement. Discover how to approach engagement to actually make a difference. 2. Note an employee’s good qualities
Let employees know what they are particularly good at, and what traits you appreciate. Tying good qualities to organizational values creates a line of sight to business results, and builds employee confidence. 3. Let employees know when they’re setting a great example
When an employee does something that others should emulate, let them know. Colleagues tend to listen to each other, and setting a good example is the fastest way to incorporate the right behaviors into your workforce. 4. Call out actions you would like to see become habits
Positive employee actions are more likely to become habits if you call them out. 92 percent of employees agree when they’re recognized for a specific action, they’re more likely to take that action again in the future. Employees may not realize their efforts are valued unless they are recognized. When an employee’s actions are particularly important to job success, you should take the time to demonstrate the impact of their actions and suggest that the employee repeat them in the future. 5. Support employees when difficulties arise, and congratulate them when they persevere
Even the most successful businesses experience difficult times. It’s important to recognize employee resilience and congratulate them for their efforts. Acknowledging issues allows employees to open up about concerns they might have, which builds trust. This can be hard if the issues are personal rather than work-related, but in either case, let employees know that the way they’ve weathered the storm has been noticed and appreciated Constructive employee feedback examplesWhen things don’t go as well as planned, constructive feedback helps redirect employees into adopting more successful actions and behaviors. Let’s review some examples: 6. Handle problematic behavior
Problematic behavior in the workplace must be addressed immediately to maintain a culture of respect, tolerance, and anti-discrimination. However, managers should not assume that offense was intended, as acceptable behavior for one individual may not be acceptable to another. Feedback should not be used to punish or blame the employee. Feedback should provide clear, specific guidelines as to what is acceptable and unacceptable in the workplace, and why. 7. Follow up when employees fail to meet their goals
When an employee fails to meet goals, feedback should be provided as soon as possible to understand the underlying issue and get performance back on track. Connecting individual goals to business objectives is key. Encourage input and have a two-way conversation to ensure a common understanding of the importance of meeting goals and the reasons for falling short. Focus on the actions and behaviors that will boost performance and lead to future success. 8. Address changes in performance
Good managers will stay on top of business results and individual goals, and check in with employees immediately if there is a change in performance. The goal is to uncover the reason behind the change and provide support to get performance back on track. Start with positive feedback to show that you recognize and appreciate previous efforts. This provides a launching pad for discussing changes in performance and what the employee and manager can do to turn things around and ensure success. 9. Touch base when there’s a disconnect
In today’s digital world, team disconnects happen all too frequently. Managers should avoid personal observations but focus on the impact of the problem. Make sure there’s a clear understanding of team responsibilities, and the importance of being on the same page. Solicit feedback to understand why the disconnect occurred, and suggest strategies to ensure it doesn’t happen again. 10. Have a productive discussion about errors
Mistakes happen, and, while no one likes to talk about them, without constructive feedback they are likely to happen again. Employee feedback should not be about finger pointing. Instead, have a productive discussion about how the error happened, the impact, and how to address it. Most importantly, you want to ensure your employee learns from the mistake so that it is not repeated in the future. Learn why real-time feedback is one of the keys to driving employee engagement. How to provide feedback to employeesWhether positive or negative, there are many ways of providing constructive employee feedback. The list below outlines best practices for employee feedback that apply to colleague and manager feedback as well. Make it timely, specific, and relevantProviding employee feedback on a project that happened six months ago will have little impact on either the employee or the project. Instead, give feedback right away. Top-performing employees who feel their efforts are unrecognized may disengage and look for other opportunities. Employees who are not performing well will continue to struggle until feedback points them in the right direction. Specific and relevant feedback gives employees a clear understanding of the skills and behaviors that lead to success. Employees want to understand exactly what it is they are doing right — or wrong — and what changes they should make. A great way to do this is to keep the focus of the employee feedback on business outcomes; for example, “Because you did such a great job on this project, the client has increased their budget for our services.” Make it a two-way processEliciting thoughts and reactions from employees allows a manager to understand how the feedback has been received, and the impact it will have moving forward. Asking questions like, “What are your thoughts?” and ”How do you feel you performed?” will lead to valuable insights and build trust. Similarly, feedback between peers is important. Colleagues are often the best positioned to see others’ behaviors, performance, and skills. Providing positive feedback to colleagues builds stronger relationships and leads to top-performing teams. Handle positive and negative feedback differentlyPositive employee feedback is a joy to provide, and there are many ways to recognize and reward a job well done. A monetary bonus, team event, or simply providing social recognition are all great methods. Managers should find out what teams and individuals value most highly to ensure their rewards and recognition strategies are getting the highest motivational impact. Negative feedback is more difficult to provide and should be addressed sensitively. Never provide negative feedback in public. Choose a private setting and do it face-to-face so you can have an honest, constructive conversation. Don’t pile on the criticism; instead, be very specific about the issue(s) and offer examples of how to improve. It often helps to write down what you are planning to say before the meeting, but practice it ahead of time to avoid reading off a piece of paper. Provided honestly and sensitively, negative feedback will not make an employee feel punished, but instead will lead to improved skills and behaviors. Go beyond annual reviewsAnnual reviews are an opportunity to look back over the previous year and assess accomplishments, skills, and areas for development. But packing everything into a single annual review can be overwhelming and hard to process. Giving and receiving employee feedback throughout the year offers real-time data on employee performance. Managers should provide feedback regularly, and open up channels to encourage employees to do the same. Listening to employee feedbackFor managers, listening to employee feedback is just as important as giving feedback. Providing a platform to share thoughts and ideas is critical to building and maintaining employee engagement. It’s also a great mechanism for managers to better understand their workforce and potentially avoid costly errors and ineffective processes. Leverage the following listening tools:
Find out whether it’s time to toss your annual engagement survey. In addition to scheduled employee feedback mechanisms, managers should incorporate impromptu opportunities for employees to provide their input. Engage in active listening and be prepared to hear both the good and the bad. When employees feel that they can provide feedback without negative consequences, they will be much more likely to speak openly and honestly. Following up on employee input is equally important. Thank employees for their feedback and let them know what actions are being taken. Change can often take a long time to implement in an organization, but initiating and communicating a plan will let employees know that their feedback has been heard and valued.
Establish a culture of listening and reap the rewardsKeeping a feedback channel open allows employees to flag issues when they arise and the chance to express satisfaction when things go well. It also allows you to address concerns raised by feedback in real time. Achievers’ Listen is a solution that gives managers and HR professionals insights into their workforce through active listening and helps them turn feedback into action. What are the 4 types of feedback?There are four types of constructive feedback:. Negative feedback – corrective comments about past behaviour. ... . Positive feedback – affirming comments about past behaviour. ... . Negative feed-forward – corrective comments about future performance. ... . Positive feed-forward – affirming comments about future behaviour.. What type of feedback focuses on what an employee does well?Peer review feedback is a form of evaluative feedback that benefits both the person being reviewed and the reviewer. Unlike typical methods, this type of feedback focuses on strengths as well as areas for improvement. It may seem challenging at first, but it gets easier with practice!
What are the 3 types of feedback?What is feedback?. Appreciation: recognising and rewarding someone for great work. ... . Coaching: helping someone expand their knowledge, skills and capabilities. ... . Evaluation: assessing someone against a set of standards, aligning expectations and informing decision-making.. What is a constructive feedback?Constructive feedback is the type of feedback aimed at achieving a positive outcome by providing someone with comments, advice, or suggestions that are useful for their work or their future. The outcome can be faster processes, improving behaviors, identifying weaknesses, or providing new perspectives.
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