Employee feedback isn’t just a feel-good exercise—it’s a strategic advantage. According to SHRM, organizations that actively solicit and act on feedback have higher engagement and lower turnover rates. But the key is how you collect it and what you do next.
Why Feedback Matters
Feedback is a window into how employees experience your organization day-to-day. It highlights strengths, uncovers challenges before they escalate, and helps leaders make informed decisions that resonate with their teams.
How to Gather Feedback
Variety matters. Use multiple methods so you hear from everyone:
- Surveys for broad trends and data points
- One-on-one meetings for deeper, personalized insights
- Focus groups for topic-specific discussion
- Anonymous tools for candid responses
Ask the Right Questions in One-on-Ones
Ask deeper, relationship-building questions that reveal perspectives you might never hear otherwise:
- What would make this the place you want to be for years to come?
- What skills do you have that this organization is lacking or not utilizing?
- Are there concerns or chatter we should address openly or provide clarity on?
- “As your manager, what should I start, stop, and continue doing?”
- “What frustrates you most at work?”
- “What do I need to know that you suspect I don’t?”
That last one is especially powerful—it invites candor, surfaces blind spots, and builds trust.
Pro Tip: You don’t have to act on every single piece of feedback, but you do need to close the loop. Let people know what you’ll act on, what you won’t, and why.
From Feedback to Action
Gathering feedback is only half the battle. The other half is making it matter:
- Look for patterns across multiple employees or departments
- Prioritize changes based on potential impact and feasibility
- Communicate findings back to your team to show transparency
- Implement changes with clear ownership and timelines
- Follow up regularly to check if the changes are working
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
- Asking for feedback but never following up
- Making it a once-a-year exercise instead of ongoing
- Overlooking quick wins that can build trust fast
- Only asking about problems instead of also celebrating successes
Building a Feedback Culture
When feedback becomes part of the normal rhythm of work, it stops feeling like a formal “event” and becomes an everyday conversation. That’s when engagement, retention, and collaboration really take off.
