Continuous Feedback Practices

Annual performance reviews - while being a necessary tool for many businesses - can be stress-inducing for staff and because they happen so infrequently, they may cause a bit of complacency among employees.

Real-time feedback provides management with timely and accurate insights and shows employees that development and recognition are valued by the business. Many companies are now augmenting annual reviews with continuous feedback to ensure transparency and consistency, which is great for employee engagement and in turn, productivity!

Continuous feedback comes in many forms, from individual meetings to group sessions. Here are some effective methods you can implement in addition to annual reviews.

??Regular Check-Ins

Up the frequency of your feedback by scheduling weekly or bi-weekly one-on-one meetings between managers and team members.

??Employee Surveys

Carry out periodic surveys to get a better sense of employee satisfaction, engagement and insights into the overall workplace environment.

??Daily Huddles

Brief daily meetings are a great way of ensuring everyone is on the same page. These can be as short as 15-30 minutes, virtual or in-person, and you can discuss priorities and address any challenges.

??Project Retrospectives

Don’t wait a year to discuss how a project went. Schedule structured sessions upon the completion of each project to discuss what went well and what could be improved.

??Recognition Programs

Employee recognition is a great continuous feedback tool. Celebrate your employees’ wins in a timely and specific manner. Where possible, make it public (through meetings or social channels) so everyone can join in on the celebrations. ??

To find out which methods of continuous feedback work best for your company, get your staff involved from the very start. Ask for their input on what works and what doesn’t, and together, identify where there is room for change in your feedback model. Consider starting your new feedback model with a pilot program in one department to see how effective it is and create participation incentives to make sure you get the most out of it.