5 Ways Continuous Feedback Can Benefit Your Company

Employee performance and productivity are largely driven by their level of motivation and engagement. Just the same, employee engagement remains to be an elusive triumph for most organizations and it is often because of ineffective performance management strategies and methodologies. Too many companies still subscribe to hopelessly outdated review systems and performance management models that simply don’t do much or well enough to increase employee engagement, especially among new generation workers. This is where continuous feedback come into play.

As companies recognize the paradigm shift in worker populations, more organizations are moving from traditional annual appraisals to continuous evaluation, through which employees are able to receive more frequent, timely, and relevant feedback on their performance as opposed to yearly sit-downs with their managers to receive generic appraisals that simply don’t do much to help them change or improve for the better. With continuous assessment, companies are able to make employees feel like they are more invested in their career and that the company is supportive of their growth. This results in greater motivation, loyalty, and a stronger sense of belongingness. Here are other ways that continuous feedback benefits modern companies:

1. Unbiased and specific feedback and assessments — Old evaluation models feel vague, generic, and biased, whereas frequent and continuous assessment allows for clearer and more specific feedback that are given on a more frequent and regular basis, which not only helps reduce bias, but also improves employee morale.
2. Increased task relevance — When employees receive timely feedback, they are able to assign greater meaning and relevance to their assignments and tasks as they are able to recognize how their delegation fits into the bigger goals of the company as a whole.
3. Timely recognition — Timely recognition and appreciation of employees’ efforts help them see their value and feel more motivated to perform even better than before. This energizes them and encourages momentum for greater achievements and performance.
4. Open dialogue — Continuous feedback promotes open dialogue about company/management expectations as well as career development prospects.
5. Anticipation of challenges — Obstacles are inevitable in any workplace setting. With open dialog and continuous relay of feedback between employees and managers, it is easier to anticipate these challenges and equip people to overcome such challenges along the way.

Continuous evaluation streamlines and at the same time enhances communication between employees, managers, administrators, and higher ups, which averts misunderstandings, quells mistrust, eliminates anxiety, and increases employee’s confidence in the management and business as a whole.