10 Ways to Improve Your Feedback Skills in the Workplace

Feedback in the workplace is very important due to many reasons, such as increased motivation, a positive work environment, continuous learning, personal growth, etc. Whether positive or negative, employers should focus on giving feedback regularly to their employees. Feedback is an excellent tool for improved work performance and growth. Giving or taking feedback must be major priorities of managers. If you want to accomplish all goals, tell your employees how they are doing and where they can improve. When you provide exceptional feedback to your employees, their strengths are celebrated. You can make experiences truly transformative for employees with quality connections or conversations. Managers can really create a distinctive employee experience by giving or receiving feedback.

It is also essential to get feedback from your teammates as well before making any decision. For example, while hiring candidates, you should get in touch with your colleagues before recruiting any candidates. Ensure to get their feedback and make the right hiring decision. If you are working remotely, you may find it challenging to connect with your teammates for their reviews. For this, you must use video interview software. These tools allow different team members to leave their feedback about a particular candidate without any hassle. You can easily go through the reviews and know your teammates’ opinions.

If you want to improve your feedback skills, then this blog is for you. We are mentioning 10 ways to give effective feedback to employees.

1. Give one-on-one feedback

Giving critique or praising should be done on a one-on-one basis. Instead of calling a group meeting or preparing a social setting, managers must focus on providing feedback privately. However employees may enjoy the praise in front of other employees, but some may feel uncomfortable when praise isn’t directed at them. Moreover, you can convey your message more precisely through one-on-one feedback.

2. Be specific

You have to be careful while providing feedback to your employees. Use precise language to let them know what you are trying to say. Enlighten them where they can improve and guide them. If you are praising your employees, tell them what they have done. However, if you are giving any negative feedback to the employees, don’t be so rude to them. Politely explain the problem and how they can improve. Talk about exact instances, and motivate them to improve.

3. Be an open listener

It is a must for leaders to be good listeners. Be open to listening to your employees while giving feedback, and adjust your conversation accordingly. Being a good listener is one of the most important qualities of a leader. They must pay attention to employees’ needs while keeping true to the focus of your meeting. Always ask for the employees' views or opinions after delivering effective feedback.

4. Give both negative and positive feedback

As a leader, sharing positive and negative feedback with your employees is crucial. With positive feedback, you can foster a sense of trust. It will show your employees that you value their work and they are appreciated. Praising employees motivates them to continue great work in the future. Negative feedback is also essential to improve work performance. It helps them to grow. Combine negative feedback with employees’ strengths, and encourage your employees to grow. It will motivate them to do better work in the future.

5. Deliver frequent feedback

Feedback should not be given only when your team has achieved something; it should be a part of your company culture. Relevant and frequent feedback is beneficial for everyone who is included in the process. Establish an open atmosphere where discussion is encouraged to fix various issues. When you deliver feedback on a regular basis, it helps you to deal with problems faster. It will promote a positive and healthy work environment.

6. Ask questions

When discussing employees' performance, allow them to speak as well. Ask for their opinions, and let them feel you value their voice. You can speak such statements where they are forced to speak. Letting your employees speak is an excellent way to encourage open discussion in the workplace. Know about their thoughts on the work environment, and consider their points. If there is room for improvement in any area, work on that. Making changes according to your employees' feedback will make them feel valued.

7. Use performance data

Always make sure to back up your opinion with real performance data. Data provides a better source of praise or critique because everything is based on incidents rather than feelings. Information related to behavior always has a better impact on employees. You can take work samples, client feedback, or specific data performance to support your feedback. Guide a discussion with the data, and create actionable goals.

8. Be empathetic towards employees

Try to put yourself in the employee's place, and let that guide you on how to speak to them. Don’t give a lecture to them; instead try approaching feedback. Use polite language and discuss common goals. Moreover, if any employee has made a mistake, give them a chance to explain themselves. Allow them to tell how the mistake has happened and guide them to rectify it. Being rude to your employees will only demotivate them.

9. Establish fairness

As a leader, you must be fair to all your employees. Give constructive feedback to all employees who work under you in a similar way. Building an environment of fairness will help your employees to stay satisfied with their work. Praising or critiquing should be a part of the feedback. You must also document each feedback session. This balanced system of discussion will greatly help if any questions arise.

10. Conduct a follow-up discussion

Once you have taken a feedback session with your employees, you need to schedule a follow-up session to check the progress. If you have told your employees to take specific actionable steps, check whether they are working on it or not. It strengthens the importance of feedback in the workplace. Follow-up is always expected and anticipated. The outcome of the feedback session is always important.

Summing it up

For a distinctive employee experience, giving and taking frequent feedback is crucial. Regularly practice giving feedback and build a positive and motivating workplace environment. Make sure to give both positive and negative feedback. Link your feedback with real examples to convey your message more clearly. Follow these tips to improve your feedback skills and deliver your employees real & true feedback.