Positive Feedback at Work: How to Give Positive Feedback

Positive feedback, as defined in the world of business and team-building, is an evaluation of a person’s work that emphasizes positive attributes. Its opposite is negative feedback, which emphasizes negative attributes. A third option is neutral feedback, which emphasizes neither positive nor negative items but rather seeks to describe a person’s performance in neutral terms.

Sincere positive feedback can prompt a slew of positive behaviors in a workplace.

1. 1. A sense of recognition: Giving positive feedback is a great vehicle for employee recognition. A simple acknowledgment of great work and extra effort can go a long way toward making colleagues feel seen and valued. This recognition can reinforce good behaviors.
2. 2. Keeping communication channels open: When you check in with regular feedback, you hone your own communication skills and keep channels open between you and the people reporting to you. You may find that as you give positive feedback about an employee's strengths, it prompts further discussion and understanding.
3. 3. A path to long-term employee engagement and employee retention: When employees feel seen and recognized, their overall buy-in often increases as a result. This in turn can lead to renewed commitment to colleagues and the company at large.
4. 4. A gentle way to shape company culture: By offering positive feedback, you establish a template for good work in your office. You reward team members while simultaneously showing the rest of your team what you consider to be laudatory behavior.
5. 5. Allows space to mix in negative feedback: Positive feedback can open a person's emotional receptors and further increase their willingness to receive your opinions. This makes a person more receptive to also hearing whatever negative feedback you might need to offer.

Consider some tips for giving positive feedback in the most effective way possible.

1. 1. Offer positive feedback in a timely manner. If you see laudable behavior, avoid waiting too long to offer positive feedback. Do it quickly before the moment fades from memory. The same advice applies to critical feedback. It is best to offer constructive criticism shortly after a correctable moment occurs. Delaying it can allow bad feelings to fester.
2. 2. Offer positive feedback in person and negative feedback in private. Praise others in a forum where other colleagues can see and hear that praise. Celebrate their excellence in team meetings or at a party, but of course, make exceptions if the person being praised is notably shy or bashful. By contrast, save harsh critiques for private moments to avoid embarrassing or shaming a person in front of their peers.
3. 3. Be specific whenever possible. Focus your positive feedback on specifics and steer away from vague generalities. Instead of telling a person, “I like your positive spirit," say "I liked the positive spirit you exhibited when the client rolled off a laundry list of complaints."
4. 4. Mix formal feedback with informal feedback. Find set times to give employee feedback—such as during an annual performance review. Combine this with routine informal feedback where you stop a team member in the hallway to acknowledge their great work or shoot them a quick message to thank them for going the extra mile.
5. 5. Be sincere. Employees receiving feedback can often tell when the other person really means what they say. Observe your colleagues in an everyday work environment and look for actions you can legitimately praise. Scanning for traits to be grateful for will improve your own leadership skills.
6. 6. Use the feedback sandwich with discretion. Some managers swear by the "feedback sandwich" for performance management. They start by delivering positive feedback, then shift to areas of improvement, and then conclude with another round of positive feedback. A feedback sandwich can help employees see the full scope of their performance; however, use these feedback sandwiches judiciously and look for other moments to give purely positive feedback to avoid discouraging your employees.

Explore some scenarios in which positive feedback may be appropriate.

1. 1. After a particularly productive week: Let your employees know how much you appreciate the hard work they put in last week to start the upcoming week off on an energetic note.
2. 2. After a problem is resolved: Acknowledging strong problem-solving skills can go a long way in empowering colleagues to resolve problems on their own.
3. 3. When a colleague takes on new responsibilities: Let your coworker or employee know when they are excelling in their new role. This can help them feel empowered to take on unfamiliar tasks with confidence and curiosity.

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