Employee feedback is the core of better performance, which shouldn’t come off as a surprise. 98% of employees gradually disengage from their work when they receive little or no feedback; however, many team-lead and manager figures in successful or start-up companies still don’t know how to approach their employees, be it a good or bad kind of feedback.
In this article, we’ll discuss the top employee feedback models for powerful performance at work, so by the time you’re done reading it, you’ll know everything you’ll need to implement it.
Now, buckle up, and let’s dive right in!
- What is an Employee Feedback Model?
- Choosing an Employee Feedback Model
- How to Implement Employee Feedback Models?
- Top Employee Feedback Models
- How to Evaluate Employee Feedback Models?
What is an Employee Feedback Model?
An employee feedback model is a structured approach used by organizations to provide feedback to their employees on their performance, behaviors, and outcomes. It is done to help employees understand their strengths, areas for improvement, and how they can contribute to the success of the organization and their own growth as professionals.
Feedback models can vary based on their approach, format, and frequency, but they are all meant to improve employee performance and development. By providing employees with regular and constructive feedback, they can gain a deeper understanding of their strengths and areas for improvement, which will increase employee engagement, job satisfaction, and employee retention.
Choosing an Employee Feedback Model
So what makes an employee feedback model powerful enough to make all the positive changes mentioned above? There are three aspects of a model you should consider first and foremost, to find the answer to that question:
The confidentiality of the feedback
Confidentiality and trust are critical components of effective employee feedback models. Ensuring the confidentiality and privacy of feedback is important to create a safe and non-threatening environment for employees to receive and act on feedback. Employees should feel confident that the feedback they are receiving or giving will not be used against them and that it will not be discussed with every other employee.
The impact on the employee and supervisor relationship
Building trust and respect between employees and supervisors is also an essential, if not the most essential part of a model. When employees trust their supervisors and feel respected, they are more likely to be open to feedback and willing to take action on it.
Besides, supervisors who demonstrate respect and trust in their employees are more likely to receive honest and constructive feedback in return. Given and received right, feedback only strengthens the bond between supervisors and employees since both sides realize it’s coming from a good place.
The influence on open and honest communication
82% of employees want to receive feedback, whether good or bad. So they expect their managers and peers to be open and honest with them about it. This can lead to better collaboration, problem-solving, and innovation within the organization.
How to Implement Employee Feedback Models?
The right implementation of an employee feedback model will take you a step closer to fostering a positive work environment and improving employee engagement. Every company and organization operates differently, so it’s okay if the implementation process is different too. However, there are three main steps all successful companies take:
Communicating the importance of feedback
This can be done through company-wide announcements or other forms of communication to ensure everyone is aware of the value feedback brings to the table both for the employee and the organization. It’s also important to share the benefits of the employee feedback models you’ve chosen to implement so your team knows how it works and what’s expected of them.
Providing training for managers and employees
To ensure that feedback is given and received effectively, training sessions can be conducted for both managers and employees. These training sessions can cover topics such as active listening, giving and receiving feedback constructively, and techniques for delivering feedback that is specific, actionable, and focused on behaviors that can be changed.
Encouraging a culture of continuous learning and improvement
You can do this by creating an environment where employees feel comfortable asking for feedback and where feedback is given and received on a regular basis. To achieve this, you should do regular check-ins, team meetings, etc.
Top Employee Feedback Models
There are several employee feedback models that organizations can adopt to improve their company culture and employee performance. We’ve chosen the ones that have been widely used and proven to be effective:
1. 360 Degree Feedback
One of the best employee feedback models is 360 Degree Feedback. It involves gathering feedback from multiple sources, including peers, managers, subordinates, and customers.
It provides a well-rounded view of an employee’s performance and development and is usually done by filling in a survey report. The best part is that the employee fills out the same survey about themself, and the total evaluation is done by considering all opinions.
Note that the survey questions are often specific to an organization and industry, so they might differ for each company.
Besides being a great employee feedback model, this is also an effective way to improve teamwork and leadership, promote peer-to-peer feedback, and focus on objective thinking.
2. Engagement Surveys as a Feedback Model
The use of engagement surveys can be considered the next-generation feedback model to boost your company culture. They are preferred and widely used by employees and organizations because, first of all, most of those surveys are anonymous. They help employers get the overall picture and notice a problem before it even occurs.
It’s also an effective way to generate ideas, and at the same time, inspire a sense of belonging and inclusion among the employees.
A more advanced, organized, and effortless way of running an engagement survey is using software platforms like Lucky Carrot.
With Lucky Carrot Employee Engagement Surveys, organizations can receive anonymous answers to company culture-related questions and get automatic scores measured by the system.
We use various key metrics crucial for employee engagement, such as Happiness Metric, Recognition Metric, Relationship With Peers Metric, Wellness Metric, Personal Growth Metric, and much more, to draw the clearest picture for every company. Our thorough, yet fun surveys give organizations a chance to foresee a problem and solve it just as fast.
Find out more about the Lucky Carrot and its positive impact on your organization by clicking the button below!
3. SBI Feedback Model
This is a popular approach to giving feedback in the workplace and stands for situation-behavior-impact. The model focuses on giving feedback based on facts, describes specific situations and behaviors observed without guessing motives, and describes the impact of the said behavior.
This approach helps individuals understand the effects of their actions and builds a better understanding of the feedback recipient.
4. STAR Feedback Model
Similar to the SBI method, STAR feedback model works based on certain situations. The acronym stands for situation-task-action-result and involves breaking feedback into the four categories mentioned above, so the employee is given a specific situation or task they have been involved in, how the employee handled that situation, and what the outcome was. It helps the employees understand exactly what they did right or wrong and how that impacted them and the company.
5. The Pendleton Feedback Model
The Pendleton feedback model is a type of feedback method that is designed to be more collaborative and participatory than traditional feedback models. It was developed by Dr. John Pendleton in the 1980s, and it is also sometimes referred to as the Pendleton Rules or Pendleton’s Seven Rules.
The model is based on the idea that feedback should be a two-way conversation between the giver and the receiver. It involves seven steps that both parties must follow in order to achieve a productive feedback conversation:
- Self-assessment: The person receiving feedback should begin by assessing their own performance and identifying areas where they feel they need improvement.
- Feedback from the giver: The feedback giver should provide their own observations and feedback on the person’s performance, being specific and giving examples where possible.
- Clarification: The person receiving feedback should clarify any points they do not understand or agree with.
- Agreement: Both parties should agree on what needs to be improved and set goals for how to achieve it.
- Action planning: Both parties should agree on specific steps to take in order to improve performance.
- Implementation: The person receiving feedback should take action on the agreed-upon steps.
- Reassessment: The person receiving feedback should reassess their performance, and both parties should evaluate whether the agreed-upon steps have been effective and whether further action is needed.
6. SSC Feedback Model
The Stop-Start-Continue (SSC) Feedback Model model involves identifying specific actions or behaviors that should be stopped, started, or continued to improve performance.
Here’s how the SSC model works:
- Stop: This refers to behaviors or actions that are negative or ineffective and should be stopped. It’s important to be specific and provide examples. For example, “Stop interrupting your colleagues during meetings.”
- Start: This refers to behaviors or actions that are positive and should be adopted or initiated. Again, be specific and provide examples. For instance, “Start asking your colleagues for their input during meetings.”
- Continue: This refers to behaviors or actions that are effective and should be continued. Be sure to highlight what is working well and the impact it is having. For instance, “Continue to meet your deadlines and deliver high-quality work.”
This model can be useful in various contexts, such as performance reviews, project evaluations, or team meetings. It’s a straightforward way to give constructive feedback and encourage continuous improvement.
How to Evaluate Employee Feedback Models?
Employee feedback models should be evaluated regularly to ensure they are effective and achieve their intended goals. Here are some steps for evaluating and modifying employee feedback models:
- Determine its effectiveness: The first step in evaluating an employee feedback model is to determine its effectiveness. This can be done by analyzing feedback data, conducting surveys, and gathering input from employees and managers.
- Identify areas for improvement: Based on the feedback and data collected, identify areas where the current feedback model can be improved. This may involve changing the frequency or format of feedback sessions, revising the questions used in surveys, or modifying the training provided to employees and managers.
- Develop a plan for modification: Once areas for improvement have been identified, develop a plan for modifying the employee feedback model. This may involve setting new goals or objectives, revising the feedback model’s structure or process, or introducing new tools or technologies to support the feedback process.
- Communicate changes and provide training: Communicate any changes to the employee feedback model to all relevant stakeholders and provide training to ensure that managers and employees are aware of the modifications and know how to use the new feedback model effectively.
- Monitor and evaluate the modified feedback model: Once the modified employee feedback model has been implemented, monitor its effectiveness and evaluate its impact on employee performance, engagement, and satisfaction. Use this information to make further adjustments to the model if needed.
Conclusion
Summing up, employee feedback is essential for enhancing employee performance, engagement, and satisfaction. A good employee feedback model can improve company culture and foster a growth mindset.
When choosing a powerful feedback model, consider the confidentiality and privacy of the feedback, the impact on the employee and supervisor relationship, and the influence on open and honest communication.
And when it comes to implementing a feedback model, it’s important to communicate the positive influence of feedback, provide training for managers and employees so the whole process can go as smoothly as possible, and encourage a culture of continuous learning and improvement.
