Give more!
Employee engagement is based on feedback. Everyone needs feedback, most of us welcome it, and yet, we rarely seem to get enough of it. Providing employee feedback usually falls to your direct manager. Managers play a vital role in companies and are often underappreciated, undervalued, and one of the most underdeveloped groups.
For the few managers that recognize this, they should empathize with their direct reports and work towards improving their own employee feedback process.
This post is for the majority of managers struggling to do better in their roles. Continuous feedback is important. Many managers simply ‘assume’ their employees know what they are thinking and only jump in if there is a problem. Providing feedback takes work. Let’s look at how managers can become better at providing feedback.
“Let’s at the very beginning.
A very good place to start.
When you read you begin with A B C.” 1
When you give feedback you start with you and me.
Feedback is Personal
That’s why “the very beginning [is] a very good place to start.” By ‘beginning,’ I’m referring to two things. The first is the beginning of the manager (you) – employee (me) relationship. Managers must establish an open, honest, and caring relationship with your employees – and please tell me you do care about them. Having that foundation will allow any feedback to be taken in the spirit in which it was intended: to help the employee learn, grow, and advance. Secondly, I’m referring to the beginning of each day. A simple, “hello,” to your employees lets them know that you see them and that you care about them.
Positive Feedback
We prefer to receive – and crave – positive feedback, i.e. recognition. We like to know that we are on-track and that our efforts were notable enough to be recognized. It helps reinforce our behavior and makes us want to do even better the next time. That’s why managers need to look for positive behavior and recognize it continually. A simple ‘thank you’ can go a long way.
Regular check-ins provide the opportunity to provide timely feedback. Knowing your employees will help you understand how they like to be recognized. Some will prefer individual, private recognition and others will enjoy being recognized in public settings. Managers should set the precedent for their employees and encourage their direct reports to actively recognize their coworkers.
Developmental Feedback
Developmental feedback can be the most valuable because it provides employees with the opportunity to learn, grow, and advance in their careers. It should be discussed in private. Again, regular check-ins and timely feedback are keys.
When difficult conversations must be held, focus on the behavior and not the individual. How the feedback is presented can have an impact on how the feedback is viewed by the receiver. Provide detailed information and suggestions on how to improve. Be sure to incorporate positive feedback as well. You may even be able to relate to the employee’s situation. Be human. If you’ve made the same mistake or had the same issue, let your employees know. Not only does it make you more relatable, it helps to frame the issue in a more favorable context. Finally, don’t compare employees to each other. Each person is an individual with unique talents and should be viewed that way.
Feedback Leads to Motivation
“Frederick Herzberg, [an American psychologist that was known for his Motivator-Hygiene theory,] …found six top drivers for personal motivation. Notice money isn’t on the list.
- Recognition
- The work itself
- Responsibility
- Advancement
- Growth
- Learning” 2
Of the six top drivers, recognition, growth, and learning are all based on feedback.
Employee Engagement
Employees need regular, detailed, positive and developmental feedback in order to learn, grow, and advance. Companies, via their managers, must invest in the development of their employees’ careers in order to be successful, i.e., give more!
What is your feedback on this post? What actions will you take as a result of reading about the importance of feedback?
1 Rodgers, Richard, and Oscar Hammerstein. “Do-Re-Mi (Maria And The Children) Lyrics.” Metro Lyrics – The Sound Of Music. Web. 10 Sept. 2014. <http://www.metrolyrics.com/doremi-maria-and-the-children-lyrics-the-sound-of-music.html>.
2 Conlow, Rick. “How to Motivate People-Guaranteed! | WCW Partners | SuperSTAR Leadership Blog.” WCW Partners SuperSTAR Leadership Blog. 9 Sept. 2014. Web. 10 Sept. 2014. <http://blog.wcwpartners.com/motivate-people-guaranteed/>.
P.S. First time here? Welcome to the Agent In Engagement site. Thanks for taking the time to stop by! I hope you’ll explore the rest of the site. Let me know what employee engagement topics interest you.
Other recent Agent in Engagement articles by Gregory F Simpson:
- Employee Engagement Briefing for Week of September 1 – 5, 2014
- When is Your Personal Fiscal Year?
- The Importance of Networking in the Workplace
- Give Employees Their “DOSE” of Chemical Injections to Influence Engagement!
- Employee Engagement and Social Media
- Key Learnings from The Alliance: Managing Talent in the Networked Age
- A Reference Guide for Employee Engagement Websites
Let’s Engage!
I’m Agent in Engagement Simpson…Gregory F Simpson.
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