Giving and receiving employee feedback happens regularly in the world of work on both a formal and informal basis but getting it right is a skill and something that many people struggle with.
What is employee feedback?
There are numerous definitions of employee feedback but I like this one from Quantum Workplace, “Employee feedback is the process of giving constructive information or advice to employees and/or leadership based on performance, behaviour, or skills in the workplace”. Feedback can take numerous forms, it might be from manager to employee (sometimes known as top down), it might be from employee to manager (sometimes known as bottom up), it can be peer to peer or even 360 degree whereby feedback is gathered from a number of people with whom the employee regularly works and interacts.
Why is feedback important?
Feedback is a great developmental tool for employees which if given and received in a positive way can be extremely powerful. As Patrick Thean has written in the Harvard Business Review, “Feedback is love”. You give feedback and receive feedback to help performance and productivity to improve, you give feedback to help someone become a better, more rounded and more self-aware person and you give feedback because you care about someone and you want them to realise their potential. As Thean puts it further, “I like to think of giving and receiving useful feedback as a bond-builder that creates relationships able to weather the storms a market change, recession, or other organizational road bumps may throw your way. If there is an issue, you want to resolve it before it turns into a bigger problem”. Being open to feedback is also fantastic as it helps to create an environment and a culture within a business which is positive and where constructive criticism is delivered and received on the understanding that it is supportive.
How to give feedback
Giving feedback is an area which has been the subject of plenty of academic research and through that research a number of feedback models have been created. Those models include the SBI Model (Situation Behaviour Impact), Hogan’s Feedback Equation which is about Observation, Impact and Question, the CEDAR model (Context Examples Diagnosis Action & Review) and the well-known (sh*t) Sandwich model which bookends the constructive criticism with positive feedback about employee performance. You may already have a preferred method of delivering feedback that works for you, if you don’t, or if you want to consider adapting your style then all of these models have something you can learn from. First of all, before even entering into the employee feedback conversation it’s important that you are clear about what the feedback is going to be and why you are going to give it. Also think about where you are going to give an employee some feedback, in an open plan office, in the middle of a team meeting, in a corridor or in a more private area? In order to give effective feedback you need to be clear and be specific, don’t skirt around a subject and don’t give vague feedback. Feedback should be about a behaviour and the impact that behaviour has had, don’t make feedback personal as that is often when feedback goes wrong and people feel that they are personally being attacked or criticised. It isn’t always possible but try to give feedback promptly, everyone can then recall the details of the behaviour and prompt feedback is more impactful. If you don’t give feedback in a timely manner, then the behaviour that needs addressing may perpetuate and lead to wider issues. Many people use a coaching style to give feedback and ask questions about the behaviour so that the person receiving the feedback can understand it’s impact. The conversation also then feels more like a learning experience rather than simply being told off for something that has gone wrong. It may not always be the case but if further support is needed to work on the feedback then it is important that the employee receiving the feedback knows what support is available and who to seek support from.
How to receive feedback
Being receptive to feedback is one of the key elements of the whole feedback process. The feedback delivery could be faultless but if the recipient is not open to the feedback in the first place then it is unlikely to be successful or productive. Some employees will actively seek feedback as they are keen to learn and develop and they welcome managers and peers providing feedback if any concerns or questions are raised about particular behaviour. Giving someone that kind of permission shows a real willingness to receive feedback well and often leads to more constructive meaningful conversations with some real learning taking place. When you are on the receiving end of a feedback conversation it is also vitally important to listen. That might sound obvious but feedback is being given for a purpose and someone values you enough to want to help you so afford them the professional courtesy of listening without interruption. Listening without speaking helps to improve your understanding, it means you don’t miss part of the message and on a very basic level it is polite. Thinking back to last week’s blog your body language is also really important whilst receiving feedback. If your body language is closed and negative that doesn’t come across well and although you may be listening are you really open to feedback if your body language and non-verbal communication is saying you’d much rather be anywhere else?
What happens next?
The true test of giving and receiving feedback happens after the point at which the feedback discussion takes place. It is important that both parties reflect and follow up on the feedback so that improvement and changes in behaviour are made. The giver should consider how the feedback conversation went and if their style could be improved or tweaked at all. The recipient should take time to reflect on the feedback and think carefully about the behaviour which triggered the conversation, how that could be changed and how they can use the feedback constructively. When all these elements come together employee feedback has the power to be a positive, transformative force in your business.
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Why not also check out our blog on a similar topic 360 degree feedback
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