The year 2021 is coming to an end in two months. And in the corporate world, this can only mean one thing - annual performance reviews. In other words, in the weeks to come, managers will try their best to determine an individual's performance and receive insights on team morale. On the other hand, employees will be just as anxious to find out if they deserve a raise or not.
So, this is why, as November is just around the corner, we want to discuss the topic of feedback. Furthermore, we want to explain how getting regular feedback and not just once per year can make a huge difference for every party involved.
Now, there's no secret that feedback is an extremely powerful tool. It doesn't matter if we are talking about positive, negative, or neutral feedback. It is always useful to receive it. The reason? It helps leaders learn how their employees feel about the people in charge, their own tasks, or their position within the team. Furthermore, getting feedback is a great way to understand where the problems are and receive insights on how to fix them. This way, managers have an amazing opportunity to increase their team members' engagement. Hence, they can boost the overall team's performance.
But feedback is not a one-way road. You don't only ask for the employees' opinions and leave them hanging. You have to also be able to start a conversation based on these insights and act upon them. You have to return the courtesy and offer feedback as well. By doing so, you create a feedback loop, and that is one of the most powerful instruments a team leader can own.
Thus, imagine how valuable it would be to be able to jump in such a loop on a regular basis and not just once per year. Imagine how easy it would be to fix minor problems when they appear and not let them become big unsolvable issues. Imagine how easy it would be to give people purpose by simply reminding them every week that their opinion matters. Finally, imagine how easy it would be to increase employee engagement.
In conclusion, we ask you, the leader, not to take our word on the importance of feedback. We ask you to believe the studies proving how more than 60% of worldwide employees wish to be heard weekly, if not daily. And the best way to begin the process is by starting with a very simple question - 'How happy are you?'
