Feedback

Feedback is a communication given to an employee about their work, behaviour, or results, aimed at reinforcing desired actions or correcting those that require change. It is one of the fundamental tools for management, employee development, and building a culture of open communication.

Types of feedback

• Positive (reinforcing) – acknowledges and reinforces desired behaviours and good results.
• Developmental (corrective) – points out areas for improvement without judging the person themselves.
• Ongoing vs. formal – feedback can be given daily or periodically, e.g., during performance reviews.
• 360-degree appraisal – feedback collected from multiple sources: from a manager, colleagues, and subordinates.

How to give feedback? Popular models

1. Sandwich model – corrective feedback is placed between two positive comments. Simple, but when overused, it can be perceived as artificial.
2. FUKO (Fakty – Ustosunkowanie – Konsekwencje – Oczekiwania / Facts – Stance – Consequences – Expectations) – a model based on objective facts that clearly separates observation from evaluation and concludes with a specific expectation.
3. SBI (Situation – Behavior – Impact) – describes the situation, specific behaviour, and its impact, ensuring feedback remains factual and avoids personal attack.

Principles of effective feedback

• Specificity – refer to facts and behaviours, not personality traits.
• Timeliness – the sooner after an event, the more effective it is.
• About behaviour, not the person – evaluate actions, not the individual.
• Regularity – feedback works best as a constant element of collaboration, not a once-a-year event.
• Two-way – it's important to give the employee space to respond and share their own perspective.

Remember! In tomHRM, a culture of regular feedback is supported by the Instant Feedback and 1-to-1 Meetings modules, while cyclical feedback is organised by the Employee Performance Reviews module.