Without feedback, the workplace struggles. Your employees will wonder if they’re doing a great job; some may even have nightmares that you will fire them because they haven’t heard from you.
That’s why having a feedback culture in your workplace is important. By giving regular feedback, you help your people know where they stand, how they can improve, and what to do next.
But how do you create a feedback culture?
It’s not easy. However, I know you can do this. We’ll take a look at 6 ways you can encourage feedback at work.
6 Ways To Develop A Feedback Culture In The Workplace
1. Promote Openness and Honesty:
You cannot have a positive experience with feedback if you’re not honest and open about the situations in the workplace. You have to be willing to speak up when you see not only the bad but the good.
Tell employees when you’ve witnessed something you want to see more of. Let them know that a specific behavior is not acceptable.
Do this without any judgment, negative talk, or condescending.
2. Make Giving and Receiving Feedback a Habit:
If you genuinely want a workplace where feedback is commonplace, you have to make it a habit. This was touched on briefly in the first point. You have to be willing to give and receive feedback regularly.
Put a note in your calendar to have regular meetings where you give feedback. This could be a regular one-on-one meeting.
To have feedback become common, it has to become a habit.
3. Make Feedback Non-Judgmental:
Feedback is often seen in a negative light because we only give negative feedback. This is why you need to create a judgment-free feedback zone. The feedback that is to be delivered isn’t a judgment; rather, it is something that you’ve noticed.
Encourage people to share their feedback without judging. This means you have to give feedback without judgment as well.
Watch the tone of your feedback. Be aware of precisely what you’re saying. Use encouraging and uplifting words when giving feedback.
4. Celebrate Team Accomplishments:
Did you see a team member do something remarkable? Did an employee stay late, accomplish a difficult task, or help another team member? Give them praise.
Provide positive feedback when you see good things being done. This way, you convey that feedback isn’t a negative. Instead, feedback is a positive that helps recognize those you lead.
5. Create Systematic Feedback Mechanisms:
If you want feedback to become a regular part of your organization, you must implement feedback mechanisms into your system. This could be regular surveys you send out to your team members, an email address employees can send their feedback, or another mechanism.
Don’t miss the ability to capture and address feedback. If you want your people to receive feedback, you have to be able to receive it as well.
6. Highlight Decisions Made From Feedback:
When a feedback culture begins, people are excited. Until they see no one is taking action on their ideas or feedback. Then, things go back to the way they always were.
You can prevent this.
If you’re launching a feedback culture, highlight the decisions made from feedback. You must let people know you’ve heard them, seen their ideas, and implemented them.
Now, you won’t be able to implement every idea or feedback item, but there will be items you can act upon. These are the actions and decisions you have to highlight. You show them they matter by letting people see what’s changed because of feedback.
