Constructive criticism is essential for a healthy company culture. 75% of employees feel that feedback is valuable, while 65% want more of it. But knowing it’s important and actually understanding how to give constructive criticism are two different things.
Not knowing how to give constructive criticism could even affect your employee churn rate. Companies that provide regular feedback experience turnover rates that are 14.9% lower than those that don’t.
So, your employees want you to help them improve. This ties into how important learning and development is to employees of all generations.
Millions of us are going to have to learn and adapt to the new technological revolution. Feedback from colleagues, managers, and even mentors or coaches, will play a vital role in helping each of us pivot into new areas.
So let’s dig deep into how to give constructive criticism:
Why should you care about how to give constructive criticism?
92% of people believe feedback can help them improve their performance.
And with Gen Z, the biggest, most diverse generation ever now entering the workforce (and many of them having started their working lives during Covid), knowing how to give constructive criticism could be a huge positive for your employer brand. Especially when you consider that 63% of Gen Z-ers want more constructive feedback throughout the year.
Gen Z has the tech skills you need to keep your business on the cutting edge. But, they sometimes lack traditional workplace skills. Giving them, and also teaching them how to give constructive criticism, can help them navigate this new terrain to make them more successful in their roles.
Why? Constructive criticism helps someone improve their performance as well as their confidence. It can reassure them that they’re on the right track and redirect them if they’re heading in the wrong direction.
And let’s not forget the keyword here: constructive. It’s not about being mean or even just focusing on the negatives. It’s about pointing out what they’re doing right and what needs improvement so that they can perform at their best at work. Which of course means you get better results out of them.
All this helps you create an open culture where people feel comfortable discussing what’s working and what isn’t in your business.
As a result, they can iterate and improve much faster, and they’ll feel more comfortable taking risks. In turn, this could put you ahead of your competition.
How to give constructive criticism
So now that we know why constructive criticism in the workplace matters, how can you ensure the feedback you provide is effective?
Be upfront
You don’t want to sugarcoat things when approaching how to give constructive criticism. The conversation will wind up taking twice as long. At the same time though, you want to be polite in the way you offer it. While it’s technically the same if you say something is “terrible” or it “needs improvement,” one will make the recipient feel defensive, while the other is far less likely to offend them.
Word choice is important when providing feedback, whether you do it in written form or in person. You want to ensure whatever you say is clear and honest, without being insulting to the other person.
Beware of formulas that sound inauthentic
We’ve all been taught formulas like “feedback sandwiches” by now. Which means your employee is likely to see right through it if you’re not careful, and instead of dwelling on the positives like you want them to, focus on the negatives.
Or worse, think you’re only saying the positives to lessen the blow of what you really think. It’s no longer a recipe for success when it comes to how to give constructive criticism.
Say nice things too!
Too often, we hear “constructive criticism” and assume it’s all about the negatives. But the point of feedback formulas isn’t just to soften the blow for the recipient, it’s also to remind you to acknowledge the positives, too.
We can often forget to do this when we’re finding fault with something. Highlighting positives is as much of a skill—if not a harder one—than pointing out what’s wrong.
However, if you want the best from your team, you need to talk to them about the good and the bad. Both types of feedback should feel genuine, not forced.
Be sure to thank your employees for their hard work as much as you criticize them. It’ll make them feel more valued and engaged at work!
Remember: constructive criticism is a skill
People often assume that they can give feedback because they’ve sat in front of a TV and critiqued someone’s performance on America’s Got Talent. But doing it in the workplace is an entirely different ball game.
Giving effective feedback is a skill that requires active work. The words and phrases you use make a huge difference in how the recipient feels and the information they internalize.
When you actively work on how to give constructive criticism, you ensure that you can help and guide the recipient in the right direction, rather than just being mean (which, let’s face it, criticism can often feel like—especially online).
Create a culture of feedback
The more someone gets feedback, the less it feels like a big deal when they receive it.
Likewise, they should be able to offer feedback to your business about what’s working and what isn’t.
One way you can do this is by sending automated feedback surveys at particular times. Workrowd can help you do this. Simply set it and forget it; the software will send your surveys, collect and analyze the data, and make it available to you in easy-to-read dashboards. It’s a no-brainer.
Share tips in an ERG
Employee groups are a great way to connect employees. Why not use them as a way for employees to learn new skills, too?
Constrictive criticism is an art and a science that requires an understanding of language and psychology—especially the psychology of the people you work with, since some people will interpret things differently. Sharing good examples or asking questions about how to phrase things is important.
This can further reinforce your culture of giving feedback, too.
Want help managing your ERGs and getting the most from them? Book your free demo to find out how Workrowd can help.
Conclusion
Learning how to give constructive criticism is a key part of growing in any role. It’s even more important than ever as many of us adapt to new ways of working.
It’s crucial to remember that how to give constructive criticism is an evolving skill. There’ll always be new or better ways to deliver feedback that you haven’t considered before. How you deliver your comments also make a difference to the recipient’s reaction and emotions, and whether they learn from the feedback you share or feel defensive.
If you’re ready to gather more feedback to improve your employee experience, and support your team members to build their skills, Workrowd can help. Contact us today to learn how our all-in-one platform can help you reach and exceed your goals.
