Introduction
Providing feedback in a workplace is an essential part of the workflow. It allows to give the employees the sense of control exhibited by the managers and pinpoint ways for the employee to enhance or stabilize their performance. In addition, it helps to gauge the overall atmosphere among the workers. It has been shown that people’s work goals are divided into promotion orientation and prevention orientation (Liu & Xiang, 2018). Therefore, it is essential to establish which goal they have in mind while performing employee evaluations.
Feedback Strategies
In order to give feedback in this specific situation, several strategies could be used. First of all, it is necessary to be specific and clearly state the problems that have arisen with Mike’s performance. Second, a level of empathy should be shown when investigating the roots of the problem. The manager’s speech should be delivered in a calm, non-judgmental voice, while their body and face should be relaxed and open. While listening, the manager should avoid interrupting, pay attention, and respond appropriately.
A strong barrier that prevents establishing communication is the lack of trust, so to mend this, a manager should provide a sense of privacy to the worker. Another strategy to consider is to make the conversation reciprocal and to create a dialogue during which the manager gauges the employee’s goals. This can be accomplished by showing active interest in what the employee is saying, being supportive, and being grateful for the employee’s responses. After establishing the source of the problem and what the worker has set out to achieve, the manager could offer advice accordingly. Depending on the context or the culture of the company, the manager can predict which goals the employee could have and therefore be more prepared to discuss them.
Conclusion
In conclusion, employee feedback is a powerful tool that can be used to improve or stabilize an employee’s performance. The employee’s motivation is often dictated by their goals, be it promotion or prevention of negative consequences. The manager’s role, in this case, is to determine those goals by using empathy and communication skills. Having determined the employee’s goals or problems, the manager can offer advice or set a course for improvement.
Reference
Liu, W., & Xiang, S. (2018). The positive impact of guilt: How and when feedback affect employee learning in the workplace. Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 39(7), 883–898.