Many people fear workplace feedback, but actually, it is one of the most valuable personal and professional development tools. Receiving and encouraging feedback at work fosters a culture of growth and motivation, which can contribute to developing a more talented and productive workforce.
Understanding the most effective methods of feedback in the workplace and how to apply them in order to improve performance will ensure that the feedback you provide makes a real difference and help employees understand why reflecting on their work and setting goals is essential.
Even if you are an HR and you are responsible for kickstarting a culture of feedback within your organization, your success is entirely dependent on managers and employees accepting, appreciating, and owning it. AS when employees feel comfortable sharing, asking for, and receiving performance analysis, you can expect significant changes in how your company operates.
Here are seven positive impacts of feedback on performance the whole organization should know about:
1- Personal Development Employee feedback may have the greatest impact on personal growth. Receiving feedback provides people with concrete and solid points of what they are already good at and what needs to be addressed, allowing them to develop effective plans for personal and professional development.
Without feedback, it would be very difficult to know where to begin with personal development, which is why it is critical to create a workplace culture in which feedback is regularly requested and delivered.
2- Motivation It can be hard to maintain confidence and stay motivated at work when you don't know whether you're doing well or not. Positive feedback at work is an excellent way to motivate employees to continue performing well in their roles and to encourage them to succeed by ensuring that their efforts are always recognized, appreciated, and rewarded. If your employees are motivated to succeed, they will perform better and more consistently, their work will be of higher and better quality, and the company will accordingly benefit from such an inspired and motivated spirit.
3- Creativity Workplace feedback should also be an aid in boosting creativity. Starting with the fact that being in a positive mindset promotes higher levels of creativity; therefore, if your workforce consistently receives positive feedback, creative ideas will start flowing, and employees will feel more motivated to explore and come up with imaginative solutions.
4- Morale Workplace morale can have a significant impact on productivity and the quality of work. On the one hand, positive employee feedback is important as it helps everyone feel appreciated and positive at work, especially in challenging or stressful situations. It helps your employees understand their strengths and what they have done well will help to create a more positive environment.
On the other hand, it is essential to follow up on the negative feedback with the necessary support to overcome any issues, as accordingly, employees will feel supported and will be aware that you are keen on helping them and providing them with all the needed tools.
5- Job Contentment By providing and encouraging feedback at work, all employees will have a clear understanding of what they are doing well, which increases their job satisfaction and contentment as they feel appreciated, knowing that their efforts and progress are recognized.
In a study conducted by the University of Oxford's Saïd Business School, researchers found that happy employees are 13% more productive than those who are dissatisfied or unsure whether they are on the right track or not.
6- Clarity A key issue with employee performance stems from a lack of clarity about what is expected of a role. If someone does not receive regular constructive and positive feedback at work on what they need to improve or what they excel at, they will enjoy their work less and will usually quit after a while
7- Professional Connections Workplace feedback, whether from a manager or another colleague, can be extremely beneficial in developing healthy and mutually beneficial professional relationships. Creating a culture in which feedback is welcomed and met with a commitment to learning means that your entire workforce will be motivated to grow and assist one another in doing so.
References: https://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2019-10-24-happy-workers-are-13-more-productive