For managers, giving effective feedback to teams can be awkward or intimidating at times – but it doesn’t have to be. When done right, it can have an immensely positive impact on your workplace.
Constructive feedback is a powerhouse for reinforcing good behaviour, addressing areas for improvement, and boosting overall work performance and engagement.
Giving feedback is a tricky thing to get right however, so it’s best to be armed with an action plan before you begin rounding up employees for their one-on-ones. As construction recruitment specialists, we’ve heard our share of stories from candidates about poorly delivered feedback on work sites!
If you’re wondering how to give feedback to staff without creating unwanted ripple effects, here are four tips for giving effective feedback to your teams.
1. Work on Building Trust
Trust is the glue in any working relationship, and it’s especially vital at feedback time. Your team needs to see you as a reliable source of advice, believing that you’ve got their best interests at heart. So, before giving feedback, it helps to build a solid working relationship based on respect and positivity.
When it is time for feedback, keep it private and discreet. Not only is this more respectful, but it also fosters more trust and makes your team members more willing to actively listen.
2. Focus on Actions and Behaviours, Not Personalities
When offering feedback, focus on behaviours that individuals have the power to change. It’s essential to steer clear of personal critiques such as labelling someone with “You are X” to ensure that the feedback is effective. Likewise, shift from simply evaluating past behaviour and instead aim to address the question of “what can they do differently (or continue doing) in the future?”
When you discover issues, address them promptly instead of saving them up for a single conversation. This ensures that your feedback is timely and relevant, while also preventing it from being interpreted as a personal criticism.
3. Give Feedback Regularly
While not every action or situation necessitates feedback, establishing a routine for providing feedback is highly useful in the long term.
Regularly offering positive feedback to your teams serves as a preventive measure, ensuring the occasional piece of critical or corrective feedback doesn’t turn into a daunting experience.
Establishing a routine feedback practice also allows team members to get more comfortable with the process, and potentially more open to receiving constructive feedback as a result.
4. Don’t Forget to Highlight the Positive
Everyone appreciated being recognised for their hard work. While constructive feedback is necessary for continuous improvement, it’s just as important to give praise where it’s due.
As feedback is ultimately about guiding behaviours, consider how positive feedback can encourage your team members to maintain good performance and improve further. Positive feedback should be specific, too. It could be about how a team member has shown leadership qualities, handled a client or overcome a technical challenge on-site.
Summary
Giving effective constructive feedback isn’t always easy, but it’s an incredibly useful skill to master as a manager. Remember to keep feedback specific, acknowledge individual efforts, and en-sure it is actionable.
This collaborative effort establishes a sense of partnership between managers and team members, which goes a long way towards maintaining a positive workplace.
For more advice on how to give feedback to staff or other aspects of managing your teams on site, or to get tailored construction recruitment support, contact the team at OneStaff today.
