4 Strategies to Foster a Feedback Culture in the Workplace

Employee feedback provides business with the knowledge they need for quality decision-making about the matters that affect their staff and their business. Engaging with employees for feedback provides a wealth of benefits for all. Though how can you foster a workplace culture that encourages open and honest feedback from your staff. Achieving this form of information requires a good deal of activity on the part of management. The following strategies are a good baseline on which to build upon and see a culture grow from.

1. Simply Ask for Feedback

Be straightforward and upfront with your workers about what you hope to accomplish from a culture of feedback in your workplace and the kind of feedback you need from them. It can range from office or domestic suggestions right through to feedback on business practices or how the company could perform better. Also, outline the way your actions will be influenced by the feedback you receive from them. Explaining this is as important as it encourages people to offer their thoughts and to speak up about things they feel strongly about, knowing they will be heard and their ideas could produce results. Welcome what they tell you and if possible reward people who speak up, even if their ideas aren’t pursued.

2. Take a Range of Feedback

A culture of workplace feedback would be moot if there were certain topics that employees felt they could not provide feedback on – this includes your work as an Owner, Director or Manager. Ask your employees how you are doing as a leader. It allows you the opportunity to showcase your strengths and work on your weaknesses. This demonstrates your desire to be the kind of leader who improves with feedback, who has listened to and addressed workers concerns.

3. Consider Employee Surveys

Surveys are a simple, cost effective way to gain a lot of information. Conducting regular employee surveys can help you to recognise areas that need to change in all aspects of the business. Such an improving internal communications, the need for staff training, workplace improvements and more. Tools such as SurveyMonkey.com have templates for employee surveys which you can use out of the box or alter to your own needs. The data of which can be anonymous but provide valuable insights for you to use going forward. In an ideal world, employee surveys wouldn’t need to be anonymous. Unfortunately, most may feel uncomfortable giving feedback if it weren’t. The biggest benefit of anonymous surveys is that you can get employees to honestly express their concerns as they feel freer to speak their minds.

4. Hold Annual Reviews

For a culture of feedback to be successful, there needs to be a two way street in providing feedback and receiving it. This is where an annual review can be a great tool. If you have already started above strategies, then holding annual reviews should be well received in your new workplace culture. Reviews should be formal one-on-one meetings, with set standards measuring employee’s performance and giving constructive feedback. These may also double as an opportunity for an employee to give feedback to the company in a more formal and structured setting. Either way, the information that flows should be listened to carefully and taken on board as with all feedback in your workplace culture.

A robust feedback culture in the workplace will produce benefits for business of all shapes and sizes as it can boost employee motivation and streamline the business. The strategies presented here will be helpful in creating this culture in your workplace. Most of all it’s significant that you start small and focus on ensuring feedback is a standard and routine element of your everyday business operations.