What is employee feedback?

Employee feedback is communication between a manager and employee that can be positive, constructive, or for corrective purposes. Feedback is used to build relationships, retain talent and help clarify expectations.

Feedback also engages employees and helps them feel part of the company’s vision and goals. Employees who feel part of the company often become more productive and invested in its success.

Nine types of feedback and when to use them

Understanding the various types of feedback can help managers choose the approach that best fits the situation and their goals for employee development. Feedback often falls into one of these types: 

1. Positive feedback

Positive feedback offers praise to the employees and lets them know how they are contributing to the organization in a meaningful way. It can recognize an accomplishment or a personal trait that has garnered success.

These acknowledgements encourage employees to continue working in the same capacity. It also creates a supportive environment where employees can build confidence and grow their skills. 

Some examples of positive feedback are:

• Great job on completing the project ahead of schedule! Your willingness to meet the client’s needs is highly valued.
• Thank you for always stepping up to help your colleagues. Your willingness to jump in is invaluable to the team.

2. Formal feedback

Formal feedback, or a performance review, is typically conducted on an annual basis during a scheduled time. It provides detailed input about an employee’s progress, successes and areas of improvement. It is usually formal and conducted on a set schedule.

Before the feedback session, managers or the HR department can determine the metrics for evaluation, including individual skills, career goals, performance strengths and areas for improvement.

Ideally, employees will leave the meeting with a clear understanding of their performance and an established set of achievable goals for the coming year.

3. Coaching feedback

Coaching feedback is designed to help employees establish their career roadmap and grow their professional development. The goal of these sessions is to allow the employee to lead the discussion and, as a manager, listen, then guide them in career planning and options for professional development. 

Some feedback that may be offered in these sessions could include:

• I see potential for you to develop your leadership skills further. Taking on a mentorship role for newer team members could help you grow in this area.
• Improving your time-management skills could help you handle multiple projects more effectively, qualifying you for a more senior role. Let’s explore some online courses that might work for you.

These meetings can take place quarterly or annually, depending on the goals of the company. They may encourage employees to plan future years within the organization and take control of their professional progress.

4. Constructive feedback

Constructive feedback is a diplomatic approach to providing an employee with areas of improvement and discussing ways to increase performance. It is important that the information is communicated in a supportive and encouraging way to achieve a cooperative response.

Some examples of offering constructive feedback are:

• Your recent sales numbers have been below target. Let’s work together to identify areas for improvement and develop a plan to help you achieve your targets.
• I’ve noticed that you’ve been struggling with meeting project deadlines. Let’s discuss ways to improve time management and prioritize tasks more effectively.

5. Appreciation feedback

Appreciation feedback expresses gratitude for an employee’s direct contribution to a project, task or team. 

Simple acknowledgements can include:

• Thanks for your help with the project yesterday. I appreciate your attention to detail.
• Your initiative in proposing new ideas during our team meeting yesterday created a lot of valuable discussions. Thank you for stepping up.

Appreciation feedback is often spontaneous in response to a recent job or event. It can be especially valued when it comes from higher levels in the organization, such as a senior VP or CEO.

6. Corrective feedback

Corrective feedback can be an uncomfortable part of a manager’s job, yet it is important to address it early on. Leading the discussion in a straightforward but encouraging way can create a more positive experience for all involved. Some examples are:

• Thank you for submitting your report on time. I did notice several errors, so let’s review them together and discuss strategies to prevent similar mistakes in the future.
• Arriving late to team meetings has been impacting the group. Let’s work together to find a solution to ensure you arrive on time consistently.

A manager can discuss corrective feedback with an employee as close to the incident as possible to ensure everyone is familiar with the details.

7. 360-degree feedback

360-degree feedback uses constructive feedback from multiple sources, such as colleagues, managers, subordinates and, sometimes, external contacts, to create a complete picture of the individual’s strengths and weaknesses. This tool combines the insights from a collective group to help facilitate the employee’s future development and goals.

Some examples of 360-degree feedback are:

• Your colleagues have shared your excellent collaboration skills and ability to work well with the team.
• Your peers appreciate your positive attitude and willingness to listen to their ideas.

This approach is often more detailed and requires involvement and management from the HR department to organize and execute.

8. Forward feedback

Forward feedback is a shift in how messaging is delivered to the employee. It focuses on solutions instead of past performance and helps employees think about opportunities instead of weaknesses.

Instead of saying, “Your sales results have dropped 30% this quarter,” a more forward-looking approach would be, “Let’s talk about ways you can boost your close rate and secure more sales contracts next quarter.”

These discussions can happen between management and the employee at any time and are typically held in person.

9. Feedback sandwich method

The feedback sandwich method allows managers to give negative feedback to their employees diplomatically. The technique is done by sandwiching the negative feedback with positive assessments.

For example, the manager will start by praising an aspect of the job the employee did well and then discuss areas for improvement. This method ensures the employee receives positive and corrective feedback without becoming discouraged.

How to choose the appropriate feedback

Each type of feedback has its own unique application within an organization. Understanding when to apply each type can help managers maintain a positive company culture while guiding employees to continually improve their performance, keep a positive attitude and contribute meaningfully to the company’s goals.

The right feedback type varies by situation. A severe performance issue may require careful coaching or a performance improvement plan (PIP), which can be discussed with the HR department. Positive feedback may be the best option to reinforce everyday accomplishments.

Honing diverse feedback types can empower you to boost performance, engagement and retention. Delivered thoughtfully and timed appropriately, feedback may strengthen relationships, clarify expectations and align employees with company goals.