Feedback: Nurturing growth and success at work

The motivation behind seeking feedback

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Employees actively seek feedback, as they are looking to alleviate uncertainties about their performance and confirm if they are meeting expectations. Additionally, employees are motivated by a desire for self-enhancement – they seek feedback to maintain a positive self-view and to continuously improve their performance. 

Although, it is also true that, people worry about being perceived as anxious or insecure when seeking feedback, and about the potential of the feedback received decreasing their self-esteem. Employees often weigh the benefits and costs of seeking feedback, influencing their decision to either seek it out or avoid it.

It is therefore crucial that the quality of the feedback received is high; only when feedback is of high quality can it be trusted and used effectively to changebehavior and improve performance.

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The importance of quality feedback

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When high-quality feedback is received, employees see it as informative and useful, which encourages them to seek out more in the future. Effective feedback must be specific, actionable, promote a growth mindset and enable adherence to clear behavioral norms.

When employees receive such feedback regularly and clearly, it helps them understand their roles, objectives and the behaviors expected of them, directly stimulating their performance and the achievement of their objectives.

‍Whats more, feeling valued and supported by managers through their feedback reinforces job satisfaction by fostering a sense of career progression, respect from the hierarchy, and also motivates employees to contribute positively towards the organization.

Conversely, poor-quality feedback diminishes the motivation to seek further feedback. This applies across industries and pertains to the quality of feedback in terms of its specificity and the regularity with which it is provided. Although work performance improves with timely and regular constructive feedback, feedback that lacks constructiveness or is poorly timed can significantly impede performance.

It is vital for managers to prepare and deliberately give well-targeted feedback to effectively support and improve employee performance.

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The fundamentals of quality feedback

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Giving constructive feedback involves a careful balance of being clear, specific, and empathetic to ensure it's both effective and well-received. Here’s a guide to providing constructive feedback:

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Choose the right setting: Feedback should be given in a private, quiet space where the recipient feels at ease. This shows respect and helps prevent embarrassment or defensiveness.

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Be specific and objective: Focus on specific behaviors or events, rather than generalizing. Use objective language and avoid personal judgments. For example, instead of saying "You're always late," say "I've noticed you've been late three times this week."

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Describe the impact and consequences: Explain how the behavior affects the team, project or organization. For example, "When reports are handed in late, it delays progress for the whole team."

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Encourage a growth mindset: Emphasize that capabilities and performance can be improved. Praise the process, the effort, the method, not just the results. "You're not there yet"  Encourage the belief that effort and learning can lead to development.

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Offer solutions and support: Instead of simply pointing out problems, offer suggestions for improvement and provide support for these changes. Ask questions like, "How can I support you in making this change?" Involve the person in what the change can/should be, as they have a better understanding of their role.

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Use the DESC approach to feedback : Balance positive and negative feedback by being specific. Clearly describe the behavior or situation (D), express your feelings personally with "I" statements (E), specify the changes needed (S), and discuss the consequences and commitment required (C). It's important to be sincere and not to use positive comments just to soften criticism, by giving the same level of specificity.

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Listen and encourage dialogue: Feedback should be a two-way conversation. Listen to the employee's perspective and encourage them to share their thoughts and feelings.

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Set clear expectations for the future: Clarify what changes or improvements are expected, and by when. Setting SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) objectives can be helpful.

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Follow-up: Provide ongoing support and periodic check-ins to discuss progress and any additional support required.

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Remember, the purpose of constructive feedback is to guide and improve the recipient's performance or behavior in a positive way not to demoralize or criticize them personally. It is crucial for managers to convey that weaknesses can be improved, and to provide action steps for improvement. Respectful delivery of negative feedback is key to maintaining employee commitment and development.

Feedback culture

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Ensuring a culture that values continuous development via feedback-giving and feedback-seeking may be critical for an organization that aims to keep its employees satisfied and achieve the extra-role behaviors necessary for organizational success. . These behaviors include actively seeking feedback, sharing knowledge, mentoring, being proactive, adaptability, and fostering a positive attitude. All of which contribute significantly to a healthy working environment and the achievement of organizational objectives.

However, non-constructive feedback can hinder employees' belief in their career progression, discouraging them from seeking growth opportunities. Creating a feedback culture in the workplace requires careful consideration.

Creating a feedback culture in the workplace requires careful consideration. Simply encouraging feedback without adequate training can lead to negative results. It is crucial that managers and employees are trained to provide constructive and effective feedback. Emphasis must first be placed on a safe and supportive environment before encouraging frequent and immediate feedback. This approach ensures that feedback leads to the positive development and progression of employees.

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It is therefore important to :

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‍Ensure effective feedback training for managers and employees: before promoting a culture of frequent and immediate feedback, to avoid the potential negative impacts of inadequate feedback.

Foster positive relationships: building strong relationships with your employees improves the effectiveness of feedback and encourages a feedback-seeking culture.

Create a supportive feedback environment: establish an environment where feedback is regularly exchanged and valued (climate of trust, psychological security and reflexivity).

Feedback from both supervisors and peers is essential for a complete picture of an employee's performance. Supervisors provide an organizational perspective, while peers offer insights into day-to-day work and team dynamics. Effective feedback requires training both groups to give and receive feedback constructively and respectfully. This approach fosters a culture of continuous improvement and open communication, and reinforces collaboration, job satisfaction and productivity.

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Article references:

1. Carol Dweck (2014) “The power of believing that you can improve” , Ted Talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/carol_dweck_the_power_of_believing_that_you_can_improve?language=en  
2. Sommer, K. L., & Kulkarni, M. (2012). Does Constructive Performance Feedback Improve Citizenship Intentions and Job Satisfaction? The Roles of Perceived Opportunities for Advancement, Respect, and Mood. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 23(2). https://doi.org/10.1002/hrdq.21132 
3. Kuvaas, B., Buch, R., & Dysvik, A. (2017). Constructive Supervisor Feedback is not Sufficient: Immediacy and Frequency is Essential. Human Resource Management, 56(3), 519–531. https://doi.org/10.1002/hrm.21785‍
4. Whitaker, B. G., & Levy, P. (2012). Linking feedback quality and goal orientation to feedback seeking and job performance. Human Performance, 25(2), 159-178. https://doi.org/10.1080/08959285.2012.658927 
5. REAL PAL (2020), Feedback Digests, accessed 22.11.2023, <https://realpal.work/digests/category/Feedback 

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