Feedback can help employees and the organization constantly get better at what they do. Employee feedback is an integral part of the employee experience process and a mechanism that will increasingly help employees get better at their job and for the organization develop a better workplace culture.
According to Forbes, 73% of employees consider feedback important but only one-third receive it. Most managers don’t provide enough feedback and when they do they tend to make it negative or too vague and the importance of feedback is lost. As simple as it may sound, giving feedback is not easy. It is a systematically designed process, because of the complexities involved- Humans!
Employee Feedback Survey Questions
The Feedback that is received by the organization should be robust and foolproof because it is important for an organization to develop a set of surveys based on different attributes to formulate an employee feedback survey. These questions need to be systematic at the same time and should be easy to understand and respond to.
The survey should have a good balance of open-ended and closed-ended questions, for the respondent’s ease. Stuffing the survey with too many open-ended questions leaves a loose end and the responses cannot be measured based on human resource metrics. Following are the set of questions an organization must use to receive overall employee feedback from his/her manager or peers.
Employee Feedback Questions for Individual Reflection
1. What are the responsibilities you purview as important?
2. How can the organization help you with your career growth?
3. While handling a project, did you do anything outside your scope of work?
4. There is a scope for personal growth in this organization?
Feedback Questions for Leadership Reflection
5. I am reviewing my team’s career path constantly.
6. I have provided an atmosphere within the team, where they feel positive about giving me feedback.
7. I feel confident that my feedback is taken positively by my team members.
Employee Feedback Questions for Organizational Reflection
8. As an organization, are we doing well in keeping our strategies well-defined?
9. What are the three things we as an organization can do differently?
10. On a scale of 0-10, how likely are you to refer the organization to your family/friends for employment?
11. Could you please elaborate on the choice of your answer? [This question is a follow-up question]
Employee Feedback Questions for Employee Satisfaction Reflection
12. Do you have the flexibility to work remotely if required?
13. Do you feel your work contributes to the overall goals of your organization?
14. Do you feel you are able to maintain a healthy work-life balance?
15. Do you feel the review policies are fair in this organization?
Types of Employee Feedback Survey
1. 360-degree feedback: 360-degree feedback is a process in which an employee receives feedback from his/her superiors, manager, and peers to identify the strengths and weaknesses of an employee so that immediate corrective measures can be taken to improve employee performance.
The purpose of 360-degree feedback is to understand an employee’s performance and collect feedback and reviews, this mechanism of employee feedback allows a multi-pointer rating and serves as a benchmark for an employee’s development plan.t
However, in 360-degree feedback, it is essential that feedback remains anonymous. The purpose of this anonymity is to keep it strictly professional, so it doesn’t lead to any differences between the employee receiving the feedback and the manager or peer giving the feedback.
2. Continuous feedback mechanism: Continuous feedback is a process where an employee receives feedback on a timely basis. Imagine an organization where employees are willing to get feedback but managers are not willing to spend any time to giving the needed feedback. No point in guessing, the lowered levels of employee motivation that it would bring.
There are a number of benefits of continuous feedback- it promotes a healthy workplace culture, helps employees and organizations set better goals, and boosts employee morale, and this, in turn, leads to happy employees. However, continuous feedback is a complex process and should be done carefully.
The process should not be scary for employees, feedback doesn’t have to be negative, it needs to be constructive. No organization would want to promote a culture where employees don’t trust the leadership and vice versa. This is not a process where you will blame the employees for why they have not achieved their targets, this is a process to help employees improve themselves through constructive feedback.
3. Employee performance evaluation: Employee performance evaluation is a formal method of providing feedback on the employee’s performance based on their work and result based on their job responsibilities. It is used to measure the amount of value added by an employee in terms of organization growth, revenue generated, and overall return on investment (ROI)
Any organization that has learned the art of winning from within, understands the importance of feedback. They rely on a systematic performance evaluation process and grade employees annually based on the feedback received from their managers.
Ideally, employees are graded, with a promotion or increase in the increment received and similar methods. Performance evaluation also plays a vital role in providing periodic feedback to employees to make them more self-aware in regard to their own performance metrics.
Top 10 Positive Feedback Examples for Employee Performance
When people are offered consistent, actionable feedback, they can gain better insight into their successes and opportunities for improvement. Positive feedback is especially important because it increases morale, encourages good work, and helps provide a sense of purpose. In this article, we discuss the importance of positive feedback with 10 examples of positive feedback you can use for your next employee performance review. We’ll also discuss how to give positive feedback effectively for happier employees and a more productive work environment.
What is positive feedback?
Positive feedback is a form of evaluation that focuses on an employee's strengths, talents, and accomplishments. When you provide positive feedback, you are telling your team members what they're doing correctly and should continue to do. Negative feedback is the opposite, as it focuses on what they did wrong or what needs to improve.
Example 1: Employee is working overtime
To meet the client's needs, Sam has worked overtime. She does this with a positive attitude and understands it will benefit her team. Give her feedback that shows how much you appreciate her extra efforts.
The positive feedback you can give: "Thank you for putting in the extra effort during this busy time at work. I understand that staying late isn't easy, but the team truly appreciates it. You are a valuable member of our team, and your positive attitude has helped us all continue to feel motivated."
Example 2: Employee is contributing to meetings
During meetings, Tom has shared many new ideas and insights that are helpful for the team. Let him know how this is benefiting your team.
The positive feedback you can give: "Thank you for being prepared for our meetings, Tom! By coming to each meeting with well-researched and thought-out ideas, you're helping us move forward in our process. I look forward to our next meeting."
Example 3: Employee is submitting high-quality work
Ava finished all of her work on time and paid attention to the details. Make it clear she is meeting your company's expectations.
The positive feedback you can give: "Ava, your work looks great! It's clear that you care about your work and take the time to do it correctly. I especially liked that you asked the client about their design preferences before creating their website, and I'm excited to see what you do next."
Example 4: Employee needs a boost in morale
You can tell that Nathan has been lacking confidence lately. Tell him what he is good at and that you're here to make his work experience a positive one.
The positive feedback you can give: "Hey Nathan! You've been doing a great job lately. You're so talented at staying flexible on any project, which helps everyone on the team. You have grown so much in your role since starting here. Thank you for your hard work, and let me know if there is anything I can do to make working here better."
Example 5: Employee has new responsibilities
Devon recently got a promotion and is handling his new responsibilities well. Give feedback that lets him know he was the right choice for the position.
The positive feedback you can give: "Promoting you to lead graphic designer was the best choice for our company. I am glad to see you are challenging yourself and are open to more responsibilities. Management especially thought your strong attention to detail made you the right candidate for this role. All of your hard work has paid off and will continue to in the future."
Example 6: Employee finished a difficult assignment
Raquel has been struggling to finish a task she has never done before. Throughout this challenging process, she has maintained a positive attitude and continued to try her best. Let her know that you were confident she could handle the challenge and this will help her career growth.
The positive feedback you can give: "I'm really happy with your determination to finish this project. I know it wasn't easy, but I knew you could do it. Your helpful attitude makes it clear that you can continue to take on new challenges and grow with the company. Thank you for your extra effort."
Example 7: Employee helps their coworker
Jessie has been helping the new intern, Rico, with his training. He has been responsive to all of Rico's questions, helping him feel comfortable in his new role. You want to tell Jessie that he is helping both Rico and the entire team by being such a great leader.
The positive feedback you can give: "All the training you have done with Rico has been very helpful. You're giving him a great start to his internship. I have taken notice of your leadership skills and will keep this in mind for future projects."
Example 8: Employee does additional tasks outside of their role
After all her work is done, Morgan arranges events for her coworkers to attend. Everyone enjoys going to these events, which boosts company morale. Show Morgan how this extra work is appreciated and not overlooked.
The positive feedback you can give: "Hey Morgan, I noticed you've taken it upon yourself to organize team-building activities. You do a great job at this, and everyone has so much fun at your events. Please let me know if you need any help with any future events."
Example 9: Employee handles conflict well
You witnessed Lois resolve a conflict between two of her peers, Matt and Brandon, during a team meeting. Conflict resolution skills are extremely valuable in team working environments; let her know you appreciate her stepping in to help her two colleagues find a solution.
The positive feedback you can give: “Lois, you did a fantastic job managing the conflict that came up during this morning’s meeting. Conflict is inevitable, especially when we’re on deadline and people are stressed, but you knew how to make both sides feel heard. If it wasn’t for your kind and quick response, I think we’d still be dealing with it.”
Example 10: Employee exceeds their goals
You set an ambitious goal for Sean, but by the end of the quarter, he had exceeded it by 25 percent. Let him know his hard work didn’t go unnoticed.
The positive feedback you can give: “Sometimes I get so focused on the numbers that I don’t stop to celebrate the individual work that was put in to achieve it. Sean, for the past three months I’ve been able to rely on you hitting your goal out of the water. You set a great example for everyone on the team. Keep it up!”
Other Employee Feedback Questions
Why is positive feedback usually better than criticism?
Positive feedback is usually preferable because it makes others feel good about themselves, which leads to a more motivated and determined team. It also makes it clear what they are doing right and should continue to do. While criticism can be useful, make sure to provide it in a way that will help your team members and not hurt their feelings.
What should I do when writing positive feedback?
When writing positive feedback, you should make sure you're being specific about a team member's skills or contributions. Explain the impact they've had on your company, and make sure to express your gratitude.
When should I give employees positive feedback?
Give employees positive feedback when something they do helps the company, their coworkers, and their career growth.
It's important to provide positive feedback when an employee does any of the following:
1. Works overtime
2. Contributes to meetings
3. Has new responsibilities
4. Helps a coworker
5. Takes on additional tasks outside of their role
6. Has finished a challenging project
