Soliciting employee feedback can be tedious but revelatory—especially if you have neglected taking advantage of employee feedback until now. Listening to your employees’ opinions on important topics such as workloads, management structures and job security comes with numerous benefits.
By understanding how employees feel about certain key issues in your workplace that directly impact motivation and performance, you have a clear starting point to begin improving perception.
If employees are left to their duties, with no opportunities for voicing their opinions or improving conditions, they can quickly turn pessimistic. And this negatively affects job performance. Employees with a positive connection to their job, their colleagues and their employers are more motivated, more productive and happier.
By soliciting feedback, you gain an insider’s perspective and the knowledge necessary to transform your group of disgruntled employees into a cadre of valuable, excited employees. Employee feedback can help you achieve these benefits, and more:
• An improved company reputation that attracts the best employees
• Reduced number of grievances
• Fewer absences
• Lower employee turnover
• Better relationships between co-workers
• Boosted productivity
But receiving honest, constructive employee feedback is not simply asking employees how they feel—it is much more than that. Follow these five steps to ensure you get the most effective feedback possible:
1. Be approachable and thank employees for their insights.
2. Keep asking—pursue feedback and remain constant in your pursuit.
3. Eat with your employees to encourage conversation.
4. Stay genuine—employees will only offer insight if they trust you.
5. Follow up with employees to ensure you are hearing their needs.
By maximising your employees’ potential, you can gain invaluable benefits to your business.
