65% Of Employees Want More Feedback (So Why Don't They Get It?)
One of the many reasons I like Twitter is for the unexpected bits of information it gives you about developments in your own field.That was how I felt a couple of days ago when I came across some tweets discussing how 65% of employees would like more feedback than they currently get.Since I sometimes write about feedback (and lack thereof) as an all-too-common management issue, I was interested to see a hard number assigned to a soft subject.I did some searching and was quickly able to trace the 65% figure to research done by Office Vibe, an employee engagement firm.As feedback is a core element of management communication, and communication is a core element of successful management, the question naturally becomes: Why do 65% of employees feel shortchanged in this regard? Why is something so fundamental so often lacking?I'll give you what I believe are three main reasons - two of which are real and one of which is dubious (but commonly used as an excuse!).
There's not enough time for it - Dollars to doughnuts if you ask most managers why they don't provide more feedback their answer would be four words: "There's not enough time." And managers are busy, to be sure. They're constantly multi-tasking, as I well recall: dealing with their employees, their own management, perhaps customers... throw in a few individual projects and weekly crises... and it can feel like there aren't enough hours in the day. But sorry, that's still not a valid excuse. Feedback, especially the kind employees most want -- personal, candid and informal -- hardly takes any time. A thoughtful five-minute conversation is usually more than adequate. So there is time; you just have to prioritize and carve it out.
Giving meaningful candid feedback can be stressful and unpleasant - True enough. Providing honest feedback, particularly when it's of the corrective variety, can be stressful. But it's also necessary, a vital part of effective management. If employees were always perfect in every respect, management would be a breeze. But of course they're not and it's not. Which is why management is paid what it is. The role is challenging; you're dealing regularly with people's feelings and futures. But that's what the job is -- and providing regular feedback, both positive and negative, is a vital part of it.
Weaknesses in our management selection and training processes - This is the explanation you'll hear least, but I believe gets closest to the heart of the matter. Management isn't an easy job and you need a diverse skill set to do it well. Which includes strong communication, listening and feedback skills. Unfortunately, managers who don't have these abilities will always be a bit of a trout swimming upstream; it's hard to make headway when you're constantly fighting the current. Employee engagement figures give a glimpse of the challenges; they show in round numbers that 70% of U.S. employees aren't fully engaged, at enormous costs in productivity. But as long as we continue to choose managers largely on the basis of authority and technical skills, and less on the basis of their ability to build rapport with their troops and communicate effectively with them... and as long as we continue to jettison training programs as being too costly and hard to show ROI on... well, I suspect we'll continue to see weak engagement numbers and a "feedback gap" like we have today.Good managers invariably are good feedback-givers. They're natural communicators.If a manager really doesn't like communicating with his or her own people, there's a pretty fair chance he or she would be better off, and enjoy it more, in another line of work.
Employees Want Feedback — But No One Is Giving It
Did you know that more than 75 percent of employees believe feedback is important? This makes sense: Workers want to know how well they’re performing and how they can do their jobs better.The problem is, employees aren’t getting the feedback they crave: 65 percent of workers say they’d like to receive more feedback than they currently get.This needs to change — but merely scheduling an annual or biannual performance review doesn’t provide the kind of constant feedback workers rely on to perform their best.That’s why it’s smarter to focus on giving feedback continuously. Think of it like a fitness program: People who track their progress from week to week are more likely to reach their goals than those who only track their progress once every few months.Organizations looking to get the most from their employees must develop and implement methods of continuous employee performance management in which workers are regularly updated on their performance.
1. Stay in Constant Contact
Research shows that most employees want to receive feedback on a monthly or quarterly basis. Very few think annual feedback is useful.Managers need to make sure they’re constantly checking in with their workers. Even if an employee is performing well and doesn’t need to make any major changes, they should still be recognized for their achievements. Doing so boosts engagement.It’s worth pointing out that not all managers have quick, direct access to their employees. Surveys show that more and more people are now working outside the office. If this describes your team, you should look into using a management tool that lets you provide regular feedback to remote employees. They need just as much attention as their in-office counterparts.
2. Be a Coach
According to a study of managers at a major energy organization, leaders who focus on coaching their employees tend to find their workers to be much more productive.Yes, part of your responsibility as a boss involves making sure people are on task, but your job isn’t just to supervise your employees. You also need to make sure your workers feel like they have the chance to develop their skills and progress in the company.Holding regular coaching sessions gives high-performing employees what they crave: the opportunity to become even more valuable to the organization. Employees who may be struggling also benefit from coaching because they know they’re in the hands of a manager who will give them the guidance they need to thrive.
3. Accept Feedback
Giving feedback is important, but so is receiving it. Research shows most people aren’t as self-aware at work as they might think. Managers are not exempt from this. While you probably have someone above you in the company whose job involves letting you know how you’re performing, your employees might also have worthwhile insights.There are many ways in which you can get feedback from your team. For instance, consider ending the week with a short survey. Keep it anonymous to help you get honest responses, and focus on a specific aspect of your performance or management style. Doing so gives you the same kind of regular feedback your employees crave.Your workers will be even more engaged when they know they have the chance to speak up when they have ideas that will help you and the entire team work better.
4. Offer Suggestions, Not Criticism
People naturally have a negative reaction to anything that seems like a threat. It’s simply ingrained in human nature. If negative feedback makes an employee feel like their job is at risk, odds are good they’ll shut down and perform even worse, not better.That’s another reason regular feedback should be part of your management style. Potentially negative comments are less intimidating when an employee is used to hearing them.Just make sure your employees know you want them to succeed. There are going to be times when a team member is struggling. It’s your responsibility to point this out; you’re not doing an employee any favors by ignoring an issue they need to fix.However, you’re also not helping if you don’t give the employee an actionable way to make changes. When an employee has to receive negative feedback, make sure you help them address the issue through extra training or other forms of assistance.—You’ll notice major changes in your team’s performance when you start giving the kind of regular feedback employees need. Trends show that workers want to hear from you much more often than they probably do.
Employees want even more feedback in the new work environment, study says
Dive Insight:It's no secret that employees are eager to get more time and feedback from managers. An October 2019 study from Betteworks found that HR professionals whose organizations used continuous performance management programs were 50% more satisfied with the process. As employees increasingly seek individualized development opportunities, frequent manager feedback can be part of the solution.Any changes to the performance management process may require training for front-line managers to understand and uphold new standards. Direct, useful feedback is not always easy to deliver, sources say; it requires a healthy culture of honesty and continuous improvement. "To truly engage employees in a way that won't overload them, a culture of constructive, helpful, and enabling feedback is necessary," Niamh Graham, vice president of global HR at Workhuman, previously told HR Dive. "This starts at the top of the organization."Due to the coronavirus pandemic, many employees and managers are now experiencing these conversations remotely. Managing remote employees can involve many changes, including rethinking hours, timing and structure of team meetings, and communication methods and frequency. All signs point to a need for managers to be more assertive and proactive in outreach and instruction for direct reports.
Employees and employers agree that continuous coaching is necessary, especially in the new work environment, according to the results of a recent Reflektive survey. The amount of HR and business leaders who expect managers to offer daily feedback has increased 170% since 2018, Reflektive said. The survey of 445 HR and business leaders and 622 employees also revealed an 89% increase in employees who want formal performance conversations on at least a monthly basis. But a quarter of employee respondents said they don't know how to ask for feedback, while 85% of managers said they believe employees are clear on feedback request processes. Ensuring that employees are empowered to initiate feedback conversations is crucial in helping them grow and develop, the organization concluded.
