4 ways to foster a continuous feedback culture

1. 4 Ways to Foster a
Continuous Feedback
Culture
Mariya Postelynak
Feedback shouldn’t be just a once-a-year activity. The most engaged
companies make feedback a continuous endeavor from monthly surveys to
biweekly one-on-ones. However, giving feedback is much easier said than
done.

2. Chances are, you’ve probably committed at least one feedback faux pas.
Some employers talk about how they would’ve done things better. Others
only highlight what a team member does wrong while skimping on
recognition. In the end, these feedback tactics create antagonism rather
than inspire change.
By establishing a feedback culture where everyone in your workplace feels
comfortable giving and receiving feedback regularly, addressing problems
becomes a collaborative effort.
What is a feedback culture?
Feedback culture is a fluid, two-way exchange between employees as well
as employees and management. The end goal is a safe space where
employees feel comfortable voicing their concerns and suggestions, and
employers are able to express feedback constructively.
A healthy feedback culture is one where feedback is the norm rather than a
signal that something is wrong. That means when improvements are
needed, asking for change won’t come off as awkward or out of the blue for
either staff or employers. Instead, you’ll be able to enhance business
processes while empowering employees to excel in their roles.
Below are four ways to create a continuous feedback culture in your
workplace, remote or in-person.
1. Create an onboarding feedback framework.
A strong feedback culture starts from day one. Your new employee’s first
six months are the best time to build healthy habits and set the standard for
continuous feedback. This also means breaking any bad feedback habits
your new hire may have picked up in the past.
To kick things off, send an onboarding pulse survey to your new hire in the
first 90 days when they’re most engaged. Pulse surveys are quick, short,

3. and focused surveys centered around a single question. They’re great for
checking in with your new hire without added pressure.
Ask clear, simple questions like:
• Do you have all the tools and resources to perform your job well?
• What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced in the onboarding process?
Next, sit down with your new hire to discuss results from previous
employee surveys. Take the opportunity to share how your team has acted
on the feedback that was given. This demonstrates to the employee that
feedback is not only welcomed but valued at your workplace.
2. Offer multiple ways to share feedback.
A crucial part of fostering a workplace feedback culture is having multiple
feedback channels available to your employees. There are many different
types of channels to help facilitate feedback in your organization. Below are
a few options to consider:
Internal newsletter surveys are a simple and seamless feedback
mechanism. They allow employees to provide feedback quickly, which
increases their chances of sharing. Employees can also add anonymous
comments.
Virtual town halls can be a great place for management to set the tone for
giving and requesting feedback. Announcements on company updates and
goals also flow well with a call for feedback.
Performance-management platforms not only provide metrics that back
your feedback, they also have built-in surveys that make the feedback
process more streamlined.
One-on-ones are great for tackling more in-depth context-specific
feedback or feedback that may involve personal matters.
3. Let your leaders set the standard.

4. When it comes to building a feedback culture, your leadership team has to
walk the walk before they can talk the talk. Managers should ask for
feedback as much as they dish it out and promote it across their teams.
This is especially significant considering that just 29% of employees believe
that their leader’s vision for the company aligns with that of the rest of their
organization. When leaders ask for feedback, it not only underscores that
management acknowledges their own vulnerability and shows a desire to
align with their employees, but it equally promotes a growth mindset. It also
normalizes feedback from the top onwards.
4. Support feedback with employee recognition.
Recognizing your employees is at the heart of great workplace feedback
culture. However, employee recognition doesn’t necessarily need to be
ceremonious; it can be as simple as sending out a company-wide
‘Congratulations!’ email when one of your employees makes a sale—big or
small—or even when they reach a personal milestone of theirs.
Recognition should also be a part of your day-to-day interactions. When an
employee succeeds, you should have them hear about it. Whether it’s an
idea they brought up during your weekly standup or how they supported
another colleague, recognizing achievements builds trust and authenticity
across your team. These in turn become the building blocks of a workplace
feedback culture.
When you’re giving recognition, make sure you’re also specific in
highlighting what skills, achievements, or outcomes are being recognized.
Once a team member knows what strengths they are being recognized for,
they can better tap into them for the future.
Key takeaway
Continuous feedback is the backbone of your business. When done right, it
can propel your teams to approach tasks from a different perspective and

5. find new solutions to your company’s biggest challenges. But like most
good things, feedback doesn’t work as a one-off. Embedding a continuous
feedback culture into your workplace through healthy habits is the best way
to ensure that feedback is always the norm in your workplace.