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How to Stay Positive and Productive in a Workplace that Embraces Active Feedback

A frequent feedback culture is essential for a workplace norm that focuses on frequent feedback at all levels in the workplace i.e., among employees themselves, employees and managers, and between managers and executives.

In a workplace that embraces active feedback, teams have the freedom to give feedback to any other person in the organization, regardless of rank.

The “feedback culture” concept rose from the need of company executives to get feedback from their employees regarding the running of their companies.

In previous years, companies did not pay much attention to their worker’s opinions and perspectives. But today’s employee-embracing and active feedback cycle culture have taken over, giving firms that have adopted it a competitive edge over those that haven’t.

Statistics show that frequent feedback in an organization helps keep teams happy and positive, with morale soaring through the roof.

When teams are allowed to voice their opinions in an organization, they stay happy and focused.

The Critical Role of An Active Feedback Cycle

As stated earlier, the feedback culture is these days common in organizations thanks to its numerous advantages.

Here are some benefits you can enjoy from the practice.

1.  Better employee engagement

When teams are allowed to give frequent feedback on the running of the activities, they become more engaged in a project.

Employees who are more engaged in their companies are more loyal. Statistics also show that engaged teams are 25% more effective in their work than those who are not.

That is to say, having a bunch of engaged workers boosts the overall effectiveness of the project.

2.  A positive workplace

A positive workplace affects the performance of employees. When teams are encouraged to give frequent feedback, they gain a more positive view of their organization, which then boosts their work performance.

Organizations that do not encourage feedback tend to have a more negative vibe, which results in less productivity.

3.  Decreases Turnover

Turnover is the process in which staff moves from one company to another in search of better opportunities. However, estimates show that an organization loses at least a third of an employee’s salary when they leave.

These costs come from time consumed, energy, and resources used up in finding a replacement expert. It is, therefore, costly for an organization with a high turnover rate.

These companies tend to be less productive. Plus, the loss highly skilled staff, whose exit strips the firm or project of its competitive edge and further leads it to deterioration.

Encouraging feedback, however, ensures teams give honest feedback when they feel stuck in a rut or when they want improvements to the quality of their work— which then reduces turnover rates.

4.  Improves communication

With frequent feedback within the organization’s various ranks, we experience better communication since all stakeholders are able to communicate what they would like changed or what they feel is in order.

When teams are encouraged to give feedback, staffs are no longer afraid to address their management.

Dealing with Criticism

While criticism may feel like a blow in the workplace, it is prudent to take criticism positively and use it to improve yourself for the growth of the organization. There are several ways to handle criticism in the workplace:

1.  Listen

When receiving critical feedback from employees or the management, it is human instinct to get defensive and to feel offended. However, a smarter decision is to listen.

Listening to the criticizer will help you identify what they are critical about and what they are trying to point out.

By listening objectively, you will decipher the individual’s feelings, gain their perspective, and respond better.

2.  Remain professional

It is easy to assume that any criticism is a personal attack from a fellow employee or manager. However, you should view all criticism as stepping stones to improve processes and performance.

Some individuals do not possess workplace communication techniques, so their criticism may come out as an attack because of aggressive delivery. In this case, remain professional, accept their words positively and use them to change what is necessary.

3.  It’s never that personal

It’s all work. And all criticism is criticism, whether negative or positive. Most arguments at work are never personal. You should take all negative criticism as a building block to perfect the pointed-out areas.

4.  View critics positively

When many get criticized for their work, they may get defensive or get offended.

While some would retaliate, others would suffer in silence, feeling ashamed that they got highlighted for their negative aspects.

Such individuals are less productive in their jobs and may affect the company’s overall performance.

To prevent this, all workers should learn to take criticism positively.

And because it is not possible to subdue any employee’s voice, it is wiser to train them on better ways to deliver feedback, both positive and negative.

 How to Avoid Criticism and Negativity in the workplace

It is essential to establish a workplace structure that best suits the company’s objectives and values, to have an organization with minimum criticism and negativity. Such employees can be acquired using the ASA method:

Attraction: Staffs are more attracted to a firm based on how adaptable or similar the company’s beliefs and cultures are related to their own.

Selection: Companies are encouraged to utilize recruitment tools that acquire workers who suit their needs. There is less probability of criticism if the staffs are okay with the ongoing of the organization.

Attrition: This principle dictates that workers who are not comfortable at the job will eventually leave. The more the staff who are not fit for the job, the higher the turnover. Therefore, you need to make the right choice when hiring employees to keep this number low.

Conclusion

It is necessary to get negative feedback in every business or organization since it is useful in tracking progress and planning future growth.

What matters is how the feedback is received. If it is taken positively, then there is an assurance of growth, but those that fail to take it confidently should prepare for unpredictable outcomes.

Teams should be encouraged to give frequent feedback to enable the smooth running of the organization. Firms are also encouraged to hire suitable employees to ensure that criticism is minimal and only constructive.