Engagement, motivation and quality of life are fundamental elements for the development of any organization, today. Hence, then, the importance of knowing how feedback impacts on employees' daily lives.
It is a close relationship: the more guidance and feedback employees have, the better they know how to act and react in the work environment, this drives them to grow and also add value to the company.
This important work must be done, above all, with planning. After all, we are dealing with people, and any criticism (even the most constructive) requires tact and dedication in order for the person to get the best out of your message.
We will see in this post how feedback impacts on the daily lives of employees and what are the best (and worst) practices in this regard. Before proceeding with the reading, see what we will cover in the topics below:
- What is the feedback culture ?;
- What are the advantages of investing more in feedbacks ?;
- How to work on the implementation of feedback ?;
- What not to do in a feedback?
Let's start!
What is the feedback culture?
Simply and briefly, it is about giving feedback to employees. At any time and also in a planned manner.
For example: after a task, the manager can meet with those who performed that work and point out what were the positive points and those that must be improved for it to develop.
In more depth, the culture of feedback can be part of a performance appraisal. With it, the professional finds out what his strengths are, in the work environment, and everything that is slowing down his growth in the company. In addition, of course, to establish transparent and direct contact with employees, making them better understand their importance in the entire flow.
In all of this, we can include the assessment of behavioral and technical aspects – issues that also add to the HR sector, since it starts to understand which points can be addressed in future training.
You can understand, then, how the feedback impacts on the daily lives of employees in the face of positive or just constructive criticism, right?
What are the advantages of investing more in feedbacks?
Whether through HR work, exclusively, or in strong partnership with the management of each sector, feedback can bring a series of positive points to all involved. See some of them, below!
Improvement in the organizational climate
The organizational climate is strengthened because professionals will understand their impact on the previous and subsequent stages of the workflow. As a result, they can have more security, attention and concentration to perform a job continuously better.
Not to mention that feedbacks open the door to new ideas as well as opinions and doubts. Aspects that build a more collaborative environment and for which everyone feels responsible for the results.
Promotion in company communication
Internal conflicts are reduced when there is no doubt about everyone's role in the company and what their responsibilities are. Especially, with regard to the noises and disagreements about the performance of tasks and the limits of each employee within the team.
And this is gradually designed with constant feedbacks, which favor this flexibility to guarantee a team in constant growth.
More motivation and engagement
Imagine the employee's excitement after being praised for a good job. Feedback also has an impact on employees' daily lives in an attractive way, if they receive constructive criticism, after all, they will learn how to do a better job.
This all influences the motivation and engagement of employees. When there is too much pressure and too little guidance, these pillars are easily overturned. The same is true when feedback exists, but it is crude and little aggregating. No wonder, this is one of the major causes for the turnover index high.
Good results
Motivation, dedication, knowledge (technical and behavioral) and a collaborative atmosphere. Do you see how these elements together help to transform your company from the inside out?
As a result, profitability increases and this can serve as a stimulus to improve, even, the progress of those talents who have obtained the best performances according to the latest feedbacks. This is undoubtedly something that keeps everyone focused on growing together with the organization.
It is also important to highlight how feedback impacts on employees' daily lives from other immediate effects of their practice, such as:
- value of persistence and effort;
- valuing the personal and professional development of each employee;
- development of new skills;
- growth of your brand's reputation;
- improvement of quality of life in the workplace.
These are circumstances and situations that accumulate and, best of all, already in the short term from the first feedback. Since it is done with planning, of course – which we will see shortly.
How to work on the implementation of feedback?
To understand how it can be part of the company, let's start by identifying the main functions of feedback, which are:
- instructional, whose focus is to clarify doubts and teach the best practices for carrying out the work, balancing expectations for a good day-to-day conduct;
- motivational, which focuses on engagement and motivation through goals and their completion.
Of course, regardless of the feedback that is applied, the process must be done with care, attention and discipline so that it is something of value to everyone.
For this, we have put together some interesting tips to implement it!
Demonstrate the value of practice
Meet with the professionals. Show them the benefits and how the feedback impacts the employees' daily lives, with that, the resistance will be less, and there will be more security in having the work evaluated in this way. The more comfortable they feel from the beginning, the better the fruits will be harvested from it.
Create a culture of empathy and development in feedback
It is worth reinforcing: feedbacks must be empathetic, constructive and never demoralizing or done without there being a development lesson behind criticism.
We will still see how not to provide feedback, but remember that this practice requires tact, care and total personalization to approach and also set the tone of the message for each employee according to their profile.
It is also important to praise. This is an impactful – and efficient – way to break down employee barriers and get them to engage with feedback. As long as they are sincere compliments, of course, since that is the whole purpose of the feedback culture.
Set up a calendar to offer feedbacks
Although feedback can be provided at any time, have a specific timetable for this. It guarantees more professionalism to the practice and helps everyone to prepare to receive it.
Feedback must come from the employee. He can suggest ideas and point out obstacles that have interfered with his performance, as well as offering feedback on the manager's work. This is a common practice.
Try to address specific issues
The best way to find out how feedback impacts your employees' daily lives is to be sure of what you will address. If you use a generalist discourse, the professional will not know exactly how to improve, and you will not have a clear benchmark.
So, evaluate your professionals well. Don't waste your time discussing irrelevant subjects that could be of use to anyone. Focus on the true individual and collective improvement that each employee has to offer.
Make sure your feedback has been absorbed
At the end of the evaluation, ask if the employee has any questions, if he disagrees with the points covered and leave the doors open for him to discuss the points, if you prefer.
It is important that he has understood the aspects. From there, the next job will be to follow the metrics according to what was proposed and combined in the conversation with the employee.
What not to do in a feedback?
Now that we know how feedback impacts on employees' daily lives, what their benefits are and how to implement it, let's understand what not to do in this type of situation. Something that can help to build an improved organizational climate from the beginning. Here are the tips:
- negative issues, don't just explore them – even if they are a majority – because they discourage. Always try to offer a solution so that this problem is seen as a challenge to be solved;
- do not focus on the question of “why” something was or was not done, but explore the “how”;
- don't force something. As feedback is absorbed in a unique way, by each person, it is important to use the practice as a dialogue in which both sides understand each other;
- praise the employee, don't limit yourself to just that. Praise adds the false feeling that nothing needs to be improved;
- do not use emotional aspects for feedback. Use reason and logic to approach matters, keeping them exclusively in the work context.
Did you see how there are many questions to be considered before understanding how feedback impacts on employees' daily lives? Now, if you are looking for more tips that, directly or indirectly, can improve the work environment in your company, accept our invitation and like the HR Consultant UK page on Facebook and also follow us on Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn to stay inside, first hand, of all our news.