Britain's Top Feedback Faux Pas
Have you ever wondered how to ‘jazz’ your work up?
Have you ever wondered how to ‘jazz’ your work up?
Did you get 1,000 words of feedback on a brew you made last week?
When was the last time you were asked to rework the entire project strategy before lunch?
Feedback can be infuriating when it’s poorly delivered. And this can have a wider impact on productivity, morale and staff retention.
Our research of 2,000 UK office workers* uncovered the top three traits of poor feedback.
Are you guilty of being one of the feedback foes? Spot the signs, reflect, and learn to love great feedback.
- The unrealistic one: ‘I need this yesterday’
There aren’t many of us equipped to work miracles, but a surprising number of us are regularly asked to.
Almost three quarters (73%) say that they’ve received feedback from colleagues with unrealistic expectations at one point or another. Gen Zs bear the brunt of this, with two in five (41%) facing this feedback once a week or more.
Any well-intended manager won’t be setting up colleagues to fail by setting unrealistic expectations. So, the problem may lie in how expectations are being communicated. When feeding back, it’s important to help the recipient to arrive at the viewpoint that the request can realistically be delivered, through clear objectives or timeframes.
- The unclear one: ‘Can you make it… better?’
People receive unclear feedback – whether that’s because it’s too short or too long – on average 11 times a month. That means that roughly every other working day, someone has to try and work out what a piece of feedback could mean, which could even lead to mis-interpretation and doing the work again.
More than a quarter (26%) of office workers say that time is wasted redoing tasks, and this is going to significantly impact workplace productivity.
Being prescriptive and clear is key for feedback givers. And receivers of unclear feedback may need to be tactful when asking follow-up questions to clarify a manager’s feedback.
Most people who have challenged feedback said that senior colleagues took concerns onboard and it led to a better working relationship, but three in 10 (28%) said it caused friction. Making an effort to be clear and concise from the outset avoids wasted time and creates a more harmonious workplace.
- The unhinged one: ‘I’m not angry, I’m just disappointed’
Many of us are passionate about our work and that’s something to be embraced. But passion, when not channeled properly, can have a negative outcome if things don’t go to plan.
Three in five (61%) of those working in an office said that they’ve experienced feedback that was perceived to be angry, cross or disappointed. And while it may be true, it can be demotivating to staff exposed to it.
That’s especially the case if the feedback is insulting, which more than half (51%) of workers experience on average nine times a month.
Managing emotions and avoiding being unfairly critical of staff is essential when creating an environment that they feel safe and comfortable in. Even when facing a tight deadline, taking a moment to consider how you feed back to a junior colleague will make all the difference.
Love feel-good factor feedback
It’s clear that feedback matters, and it can have a big impact on productivity. More than three quarters (76%) of people say that their teams could deliver better outcomes if managers delivered feedback effectively.
It’s why we established the Fabulous Feedback Formula – your essential guide to giving, receiving and applying feedback brilliantly.
We can’t help you to make a better cup of tea, though…
* Survey of 2,003 UK office workers by Censuswide between 25th September – 27th September 2024.
