According to Gallup, the boost from meaningful feedback increased engagement by four times more than having the “right number” of days in the office. However, only 16% said the last conversation with their manager was extremely meaningful.
Meaningful Employee Feedback Matters
By this, I’m not talking about an annual performance review. I’m referring to continuous feedback (praise and improvements) from peer to peer, direct report to a leader and vice versa. Creating positive change and work cultures is possible through meaningful feedback conversations.
Employee Feedback includes Praise and Criticism
When you avoid giving feedback to an individual, it impacts team morale and engagement. The team must suffer as the leader is uncomfortable giving employee feedback. Conversely, if you refrain from praising, you risk great people walking out the door as they do not know their work is valued.
What is your relationship with feedback?
Giving feedback doesn't come naturally to all of us, and receiving it can make us uncomfortable. This skill is learned through reflecting, practising, and continuous improvement loops.
Reflect on the following and write down your thoughts - then ask yourself: what’s come up for me?
What kind of employee feedback am I most comfortable giving - praise or criticism?
What’s the most potent praise I’ve ever received?
What’s the most helpful criticism I’ve ever received?
What gets in the way of me requesting feedback?
What gets in the way of me giving feedback?