Is it really important to give feedback?

This may seem like a very simple topic to some, but I know it has been the subject of studies within companies, with many training programs developed to address it.

Why is it so important? Can people simply wait patiently for a response, or ignore it when they don’t get one? Clearly, it doesn’t work that way. Especially in today’s fast-paced business environment, we are all keen on receiving feedback as quickly as possible. Do we depend on it? I’d say yes.

In most cases, we are part of an operational chain. If one link in the chain moves slower than the rest, the entire process is delayed. This often leads to impatience, frustration, and a tendency to push others forward or back in an attempt to speed things up.

Have you ever found yourself, after sending an email, anxiously waiting for a response? Perhaps you follow up within an hour or two with a WhatsApp message to confirm whether the recipient received or read it. And if that doesn’t work, maybe you resort to a direct call.

But what would be the ideal way to manage communication and response times in a professional setting?

In my opinion, expecting a reply within a day (depending on the urgency) is reasonable. Allowing someone overnight to respond also makes sense in many cases. However, if the recipient doesn’t respond within 24 hours and ignores follow-up messages, this behavior warrants questioning.

So, what can we do? I believe empathy is key—putting ourselves in the shoes of the person waiting for a response. Every email is sent with some level of expectation, and acknowledging the sender’s effort and time can ease tension and foster understanding.

What are your thoughts on this? Do you have any personal experiences or short stories to share? Your input could help raise awareness and improve communication practices.