A few years ago, an appointment with the boss could only mean one thing: Something had gone very wrong and now there was a threat of consequences. If there was feedback, it was equated with negative criticism. Meanwhile, positive results were often taken for granted and were not worth mentioning. In the meantime, the importance of an appreciative feedback culture is becoming increasingly important. Feedback helps with self-assessment and improves performance. However, a good feedback culture does not develop in a company by itself, but is the result of a process that must be shaped by everyone involved.
Everyone has probably heard the term "feedback" before. It is a form of feedback that is given in both private and professional contexts and relates to a specific performance or behavior. There are two types of feedback: praise as confirmation and negative criticism, which is intended to lead to a change in behavior. Both forms contribute to personal development, but in different ways.
But what does it actually mean when a feedback culture is established in a company? Introducing a feedback culture means creating a working atmosphere that is characterized by openness, trust and effective communication. In such a corporate culture, it will eventually become a matter of course for employees to receive regular feedback on their work, but also on their behavior within the team or towards customers.
If a company has created a firm feedback culture, regular feedback is given between employees and managers regarding working methods, performance and their external impact. In such an atmosphere, it is possible to express criticism or contribute new ideas at any time without fear of consequences. The overarching goal of a functioning feedback culture is for employees to be able to communicate freely and without fear with colleagues and across hierarchical levels.
"Feedback culture" is often used as a buzzword in the modern corporate landscape. And rightly so, as it contributes to corporate success on many levels.
Feedback meetings allow employees to express their own wishes and expectations of their job and area of responsibility. A few years ago, this aspect had no relevance at all. It was about what a company expected from its employees and how well these expectations were being met. Employees' expectations were then automatically met with the monthly salary payment. In times of a shortage of skilled workers, however, companies need to find ways to retain their employees. An important component of this is a good feedback culture.
There is often a discrepancy between how you perceive yourself and how others perceive you. What you perceive as very good and successful may be perceived very differently by others. Regular feedback helps to recognize and address these differences.
Feedback gives employees clarity about how well they are performing their tasks. This understanding promotes self-confidence and eliminates uncertainty. Employees know in concrete terms that their work performance is seen and how it is assessed. This ultimately allows them to concentrate much better on their tasks. This enables employees to concentrate better on their tasks.
Through regular feedback, misunderstandings in communication can be quickly uncovered and clarified. A continuous exchange also prevents frustration from building up over a longer period of time. If issues are addressed directly, they can be cleared up just as quickly.
Feedback creates transparency and strengthens trust and understanding among employees. They know their role in the team and always have someone to talk to about things that they feel are not going well. In such an environment, employees experience more enjoyment at work, which has a positive effect on motivation and leads to better work results.
One of the most important characteristics of a good feedback culture is that it must not have a punitive or controlling function, but must be designed for further development. Feedback must take place across hierarchies and create a trusting framework.
These are the characteristics of a good feedback culture in companies:
Giving feedback in such a way that the right message is sent and received is an art in itself. You have to find the right words for every message and non-verbal signals also play an important role. The most challenging task is to communicate your perception of a person without offending them. Feedback should be geared towards future opportunities to learn from mistakes and should only be given when it is helpful.
Feedback should:
As the recipient of criticism, you initially find yourself in a passive role. This makes it all the more important to see negative feedback as an opportunity for personal development.
The following is important when accepting feedback:
In 2020, Haufe conducted a study and took stock of the feedback culture in companies. More than 250 companies were surveyed. 91% of the specialists and managers questioned were convinced that a feedback culture is very important and should be given high priority. However, there was still a lack of implementation. Only 55% of respondents stated that the current feedback culture is not yet good. Only 12% rated the status quo in this area as very good. So although there is awareness of the importance of a feedback culture, there is still considerable potential for optimization in terms of implementation.
The study also reveals the possible reasons why the findings have not yet been successfully implemented in practice. One of the main reasons is a lack of trust. This seems understandable, as hardly any of the employees will have the courage to express criticism to their superiors by the deadline. In order to establish a good feedback culture, relationship work is required in advance. Insufficient training and, ultimately, organizational hurdles also pose a challenge.
There is no doubt that it takes work just to create the organizational structures for continuous feedback. However, there are also decisive advantages for the company. Employee feedback helps to discover development opportunities - both at company level and at employee level. Feedback creates development opportunities.
By eliminating disruptive factors promptly, processes can be made smoother and more effective and disruptive factors can be eliminated. Constructive feedback creates a special sense of appreciation, which also increases employees' loyalty to the company. They identify with their employer and develop intrinsic motivation. Instead of doing things by the book, these employees think for themselves and show initiative. The company also becomes more attractive to potential new candidates, as word of an appreciative working environment spreads quickly.
Every company is structured differently and must therefore find its own ways to introduce a functioning feedback structure. An important basic prerequisite for the development of a feedback culture is transparency in communication. Feedback is not a one-way street, but is mutual. Only when employees have insight into important business processes and can understand decisions can they form an opinion about them. There should also be an open error culture in which mistakes are not punished but seen as a valuable learning experience.
The development of a feedback culture is not a project that is completed within a certain period of time, but a permanent, ongoing process. The first step is usually regularly scheduled feedback meetings. As a counterbalance, anonymous employee surveys can also provide an authentic picture of the mood. In order to create a basis of trust, managers should always set a good example. They should actively give feedback themselves, be open to criticism or, at best, ask for it and also own up to their own mistakes. In this way, they create a safe place for employees where they can receive opinions, but also give them.
Communication training, such as that offered by the Stage Academy, encourages both employees and managers to learn how active listening and constructive feedback work. Regular workshops are also a good idea here.
There are also technical possibilities to support the growth of a feedback culture. Platforms or employee apps create quick ways to give spontaneous feedback instead of waiting for the next appointment.
As previously mentioned, creating a feedback culture is not a one-off task, but a process. Feedback follows a cycle that should roughly consist of five steps.
Establishing an appreciative feedback culture is an important success factor in every company today. Whereas in the past feedback was mostly expressed in the form of negative criticism, today decision-makers have become aware of the value of continuous, appreciative and balanced feedback for self-development and performance improvement. An established feedback culture is characterized by openness, trust and effective communication. It enables regular feedback between employees and managers. In practical implementation, however, there are still a few hurdles to overcome. The first step is to create a basis of trust and an open error culture in order to establish a solid foundation for an open feedback culture.
If this is successful, companies benefit in the long term because they can quickly identify development potential, eliminate errors and build on strengths. This ultimately also increases employee loyalty and motivation, as employees gain self-confidence and come to work in the morning with a clear conscience that their performance and commitment have been recognized.