How to Give Effective Feedback

As we approach year-end, many managers may be realizing that the employee feedback provided to their team members over the last year may not have moved the needle quite as much as they had hoped. A key component of being an effective manager is providing feedback. This starts with understanding the impact of the way you interact with employees. In today’s blog we identify some tips on how to provide meaningful constructive feedback.

1. Focus on the behavior and the job skills required, not the employee: It is important to make sure that the feedback provided to an employee is based off of an observed behavior, not an individual’s personality or characteristics. Employees are more open to receiving feedback about the impact of their behavior on performance or productivity. Before providing feedback, make sure you understand the most important skills required for the job. Otherwise, feedback tends to be more subjective and even biased. Understanding the job's required skills helps you avoid personality judgments, which reflect your personal preferences or biases rather than the skills required to perform the job.

2. Be specific: Receiving indirect or broad feedback makes little to no impact on an employee’s performance, which will stunt the growth of that employee and the organization. Therefore, be specific about what they did well or can do better. Furthermore, be specific on which category of improvement they need to excel. Whether it is the employees’ attitude, work ethic, approach to work, skills, efficiency etc., make sure the feedback is related to the job. Always provide examples and do so in a timely fashion when events are still fresh in both parties’ minds.

3. Offer support after given feedback: Whether it is positive or constructive, feedback with no action plan, might as well have never been provided. Employees need this direction and an action plan with milestones on how to stay consistent or ultimately improve. However, coming up with this action plan may be hard for an employee because they may not know the exact approach to take or how to get started. Consider working on this action plan together, collaboratively. With Truvelop, after every performance assessment, our algorithm generates a recommended action plan with suggestions on how best to engage with employees to achieve the desired outcome.

4. Be consistent: Feedback is most effective when it is given continuously and reinforced consistently over a period of time. By only giving feedback once a year, or infrequently, it limits the opportunities for self-reflection, growth, and development. Conversely, if a top performer has been doing well, but you do not give positive feedback or recognition on a consistent basis, they may start to downgrade and lose those great work habits because they did not know their actions were making a difference. Keep feedback consistent and balanced between both positive and constructive to drive long-lasting improvements in performance.

Truvelop provides managers with the tools they need to adopt proactive versus reactive management strategies. With Truvelop’s Spark and Ignite features, managers can provide consistent, real-time feedback in the moment when it counts. Posting on Truvelop’s Recognition Wall allows managers to publicly praise employees company-wide to reinforce positive behaviors and work habits.

Contact Truvelop today to learn more! It is not too late to rethink your performance management strategy for 2021.