How to make continuous feedback successful
Many companies today are moving away from annual performance reviews in favour of continuous feedback. When done well, continuous feedback can be the gold standard of performance management. According to research by Gallup, employees are 3.6 times more likely to strongly agree that they are motivated to do outstanding work when managers provide daily feedback (in comparison to annual feedback).
However, most often, it’s not done well. And in many companies’ cases, it’s done terribly. The only thing worse than being appraised just once a year is not being appraised at all. It typically leads to disengagement and a lack of purpose because people aren’t told often enough what they’re actually there to do and whether they’re doing it right or not. So rather than more feedback, there’s no feedback at all. If this sounds familiar, here’s what I recommend you do:
What can leaders do instead?
One solution is to create a system where regular feedback is recorded and expectations are set that it should also be high frequency (and volume). This also means that managers will need training on what ‘good’ feedback looks like, as too much negative feedback can lead to overwhelm. Continuous feedback works best when managers are taught to give high levels of positive feedback (pointing out what someone’s done well so they can repeat it) and growth feedback, such as ‘next time, try this...’.
Start with your own team
Even if your wider organisation isn’t ready to overhaul its performance approach, you can create these changes in your own team as part of your management style. Research shows that just 15 minutes per week can make a meaningful difference to performance and engagement.
3 resources to improve feedback systems:
Quick habits to boost employee engagement and strengthen relationships: Using 15 minute meetings as a key tool
The appraisal is dead, long live the catch-up: In praise of regular catch-ups (instead of appraisals)
The assumptions employees make when they don’t get feedback: and how to make sure they’re thinking what is intended
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