You’ve probably been told that you need to accept feedback from your employees in order to make providing feedback more effective. And this is absolutely true. No one wants to be criticized, and with an avenue to offer constructive feedback, your employees can feel more empowered in the workplace. But there is a right way to ask for feedback from your team. Here are a few ways you can make your employees more comfortable when asking for feedback so you can get excellent and actionable results.
Be Intentional with Phrasing
When you’re looking for feedback, you don’t want to hear generic answers. That means you need to ask the questions you want to be answered. Be specific about the kind of feedback you’re looking for when you pose the question to your team. On the flip side, however, don’t ask such leading questions that your team will feel compelled to give you on the answers they think you want to hear.
Take All Feedback Seriously
When feedback is provided, consider it carefully. When you dismiss anyone’s concerns as unimportant or even “stupid,” you risk alienating them for providing any additional feedback in the future. Let your employees know that there are no wrong answers when they give feedback to you on any issue in the office.
Thank Your Employees
A little gratitude goes a long way. Let your team know that you appreciate the things they’ve said. By thanking them for participating, you’re also more likely to encourage future participation when more or additional feedback is needed.
Ask for Clarification When Necessary
If you don’t fully understand what your employees have shared with you, don’t be afraid to go back to them and ask for clarification. When you try to assume what they meant or fill in the missing pieces on your own, you may completely miss the actual point they were trying to make. It’s okay to ask for more information.
Take Action
After you’ve received feedback and followed up, make sure you take action and apply their input into improvements you can make in your organization. If you choose not to use specific feedback, be clear as to the reasons why.
Be Patient
Throughout this process, you also want to be patient. Some of your employees may be hesitant to offer feedback for fear of retaliation. You can assure them this won’t be the case, but that doesn’t make them feel less intimidated. Be patient, and let them know that you are genuinely interested in what they have to say.
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