When it comes to considering the importance of feedback in the workplace, be that the informal day-to-day feedback from a Line Manager, or through the more formal structures of performance appraisal and 360 degree feedback, it is important to place it in it's widest context.
Feedback is just one element of a much larger ‘eco-system’; for example, we know feedback is a key element of an effective performance management regime.
This might prompt the question ‘so what?’; however, CIPD research concluded that in turn performance management is a 'primary vehicle of communication between a line manager and their employees'
Following this thread upwards through further research by the CIPD and Institute of Employment Studies (IES), effective communication between a line manager and an employee is a crucial foundation for higher levels of engagement.
Engagement is good for business; the David MacLeod report, found pretty compelling evidence that engagement was instrumental in sustained organisational success with increased ‘bottom line’ results.
When you look at feedback in this context, it suddenly becomes really important that line managers give it and employees get it.
However, context is not enough; even understanding the 'butterfly effect' of feedback, and how the seemingly smallest of actions can affect change in something much larger, the workplace is notoriously 'feedback-poor'.
We still need to know the 'what' and the 'how', to usefully embed feedback in an organisation which is why we focus on the concept of 'Meaningful Conversations' as the way to help Line Managers successfully deliver feedback.
