Good communication within a team and between manager and employee is the foundation of any business. During the pandemic, when many projects are carried out remotely by dispersed teams, it becomes even more important.
The ability to conduct a dialogue that includes not only expectations toward the employee but also an effective discussion summarizing individual project stages combined with feedback is, as it turns out, still a considerable challenge for many managers.
Regular, constructive conversations with one's supervisor, based on mutual respect and the regular exchange of so-called feedback, are one of the most important elements of employee development. Properly conducted, they can play a huge role in building engagement and developing the skills of individual specialists. A feedback culture at the foundation of many companies is still an area requiring training for a large group of leaders. According to the Labour Market Monitor survey, as many as 36% of employees receive no feedback from their supervisor about their work. At the same time, respondents openly admit that it is feedback that motivates them to keep going (indicated by as many as 73% of respondents) and influences the quality of the tasks they perform (69%)[1].
– Communication and feedback play a key role in building an effective team. A quick response from a supervisor makes it possible, for example, to efficiently eliminate a potential error at the beginning of work, which affects the completion time and success of the entire project – says Stephane Tikhomiroff, general director of Perfetti Van Melle Polska. - Above all, however, positive assessment and recognition of employees' strengths and their successes is a key motivating factor. This is especially important in such demanding moments as those we are currently facing during the pandemic – he adds.
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What do employees expect from their bosses?
What information do employees most often receive from their supervisors? According to most respondents in the Labour Market Monitor survey (55%), it is praise and thanks or criticism of the work they have done. Only 38% of respondents say that during a conversation with their manager they receive a detailed analysis of individual aspects of their work, i.e. quality of task performance, timeliness or results. An even smaller percentage (35%) hear tips and advice during feedback about what could have been done better in a given project.
What are employees' expectations regarding feedback?
Employees' expectations are an important indication for managers. It is worth remembering that a feedback culture should, on the one hand, be based on positive communication, and on the other, be geared toward development and increasing the effectiveness of individual processes. When giving feedback, remember to emphasize strengths and weaknesses equally. Describing the situation, indicating the use of specific solutions, supporting feedback with concrete examples, or showing how a given action affects the further process of project implementation are just some of the elements necessary during a conversation with an employee. It is also worth ensuring that such summary meetings are regular. Only regular evaluation will allow the guidance to be applied in practice and will translate into the team's daily work.
[1]http://fnope.org.pl/dokumenty/2019/04/monitor-rynku-pracy-35-edycja-raport.pdf
Summary
Feedback from supervisors is a key element motivating employees — the results of the Labour Market Monitor show that 36% of employees receive no feedback, and 73% of respondents indicate it as the main motivating factor. Experts emphasize that effective feedback should be regular, based on examples and a balance between praise and development guidance. Most often, however, employees hear praise or criticism (55%), and less often specific advice (35%). Building a feedback culture is a process that requires managers to pay greater attention and maintain regularity in communication with their team.
