Northwest Staffing Blog

Giving feedback isn’t the favorite task of most bosses and managers. However, as a staffing agency serving employers throughout Snohomish and Skagit counties, we know it is essential to building strong relationships, overcoming under-performance, and motivating employees to operate at peak performance.

Here’s how to offer feedback and criticism in a way that’s positive and productive:

#1: Give your employees feedback year-round, not only when things are going wrong.
By doing so, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to both compliment them and offer constructive criticism, when necessary. Don’t wait until performance is below expectations to start giving feedback.

#2: Be specific when offering praise.
If your senior manager did a great job making sure a certain project was completed on time, cite the project and their specific actions that led to the positive outcome.

#3: Don’t give feedback through notes or emails.
Even though it may seem easier, miscommunication can occur in notes or emails. Instead, schedule a time to sit down and speak with your employee to provide feedback. You’ll ensure your comments are crystal clear and you’ll give your employee an opportunity to ask questions and provide some feedback of their own.

#4: Don’t give negative feedback in public.
If you have an employee who is under-performing or who made a mistake, don’t announce it to everyone. You’ll only breed contempt that way. Schedule a private, closed door meeting with them to discuss the issue.

#5: Offer suggestions for improvement.
If you have some negative feedback for an employee, don’t just criticize their performance. Offer tangible steps they can take for improvement. Also, be sure to follow up with them a few weeks later to see how things are coming.

#6: Schedule regular performance reviews.
Whether you do it every year or every six months, be sure to schedule regular performance reviews. Create an agenda beforehand and give it to your employees so they know what you’ll be discussing and can prepare for the review.

If you have any questions about offering feedback, or about how to conduct effective performance reviews, contact Northwest Staffing. As employee relations experts, we can help you develop a performance review process that encourages positive results and helps you build a winning team. Contact us today to learn more.