Feedback is one of the most important parts of professional life. As a manager, you must ensure that your employees know what they are doing well and where and how they could improve to help the company function more productively.

Constructive feedback takes skill, however. You need to learn how to give feedback that allows your employees to develop skills and more effectively pursue their goals. Read on to learn some valuable tips for giving employees constructive feedback.

What is Constructive Feedback?

Constructive feedback is a type of guidance that focuses on areas for improvement and offers strategies or solutions to accomplish the improvement. Constructive feedback is thoughtful and supportive. The goal is always to help the employee improve their work performance.

Constructive feedback, also called constructive criticism, is a crucial part of the manager-employee relationship. It is constructive because it seeks to help the employee understand what areas of their work performance need improvement and how they could best accomplish that goal.

When to Provide Constructive Criticism

Constructive criticism can be provided at any time, but there are some situations when providing this valuable guidance is vital:

  • Performance reviews
  • Following an incident
  • Concluding a project

Tips For Giving Employees Constructive Feedback

Focus on observations

Stick to “I” statements and avoid character judgments. Focus on the employee’s actions.

State the feedback clearly and directly

Be kind but blunt. The employee needs to fully understand the issue and how they can positively change for the better.

Show empathy and sincerity

Employees may be upset that they’ve made an error or performed poorly. Be considerate and let your employees know you care about them and sincerely want to help them improve.

Share Constructive feedback in person and privately if possible

Constructive feedback is always more effective in person and should be given privately, so the employee doesn’t feel uncomfortable or embarrassed.

Provide guidance

Offer suggestions for how the employee can improve the situation.

Include positive feedback

Show the employee that you see and appreciate the good work they’ve done makes them more receptive to the constructive comments and guidance you’re offering.

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