How To Give Proper Feedback to Your Employees
Marielle Gauthier, ACC, Results Certified Coach, CPQC, ABC
Executive Coach | Retirement Coach | Leadership Development | Life Coach | Certified Positive Intelligence Coach | Virtual Workshop Facilitator |Communication Strategist at Redworks Communications and Coaching
With feedback having such a strong influence on employee attitudes and engagement managers have an opportunity to shift the tone of the workplace environment.
It can be extremely rewarding to work in a supervisor-level role, but it comes with a whole host of responsibilities. Not only do you need to make sure day-to-day tasks are getting done, but you might find yourself managing the dynamics and emotions of your team too. When it comes to giving feedback to your employees, you can wind up being a source of inspiration, or the reason behind a discouraged workforce. Not to worry though! There are a few things you can keep in mind to set yourself and your team up for success.
Self-awareness is Key
It comes as no surprise that self-awareness is a huge component of the feedback cycle. Self-improvement doesn’t exist without someone being aware of their behaviors and the effect they have on others and their work. The Predictive Index conducted a study with over 600 CEOs to gain valuable data and insights into employee engagement. The findings suggest that 76% of companies have tools in place that help employees stay accountable and gain self-awareness.
What is Constructive vs Non-constructive Feedback?
Sometimes it’s difficult to discern the difference between constructive criticism and just plain criticism. If an employee feels like they’re being attacked for actions related to them trying to do their job, it’s only a matter of time until that resentment starts to build.
When you give employees feedback, make sure you first acknowledge the importance of their job and how you want them to succeed.
When someone feels like you’re there to help, they are much more likely to be receptive to whatever you’re going to say next.
If you need to give someone constructive feedback and you’re not sure how to begin, use the following examples to get started:
- “I really appreciate everything you’ve been doing lately. Can we make sure we’re on the same page about…”
- “I know it can get crazy around here sometimes so can we go over everything one more time?”
Examples of things you SHOULDN’T say include things like:
- “You rushed this and that’s why it’s wrong.”
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- “Why can’t you just follow instructions?”
- “Now I have to fix this.”
Try to imagine how you’d give feedback to a close friend or loved one. You never know what people might be going through, and leading with compassion and understanding never hurts.
The Bottom Line
At the end of the day, employees are the backbone of any company. You need to have a strong foundation with your employees in order to build rapport and trust. When you take the time to consider how you deliver feedback to your employees, you should see a transition in their attitudes over time.
People want to do well for the people who care about them and support them, so become the support system your employees deserve and expect your feedback to really stick.
Develop more strategies with our Great Engagement: Engage and Mobilize Employees Training Program. Registration opens soon.
For more information and to register: https://lnkd.in/gaSm-2vn
Your organization may be eligible for funding through the Canada Job Grant program.