Giving positive or negative feedback is essential to managing talent in any organisation. However, providing negative feedback is a sensitive issue that requires skill, tact, and empathy to avoid damaging the colleague’s morale and motivation.

Remember, feedback is supposed to be a tool to move forward with employees and projects, not to demotivate and criticise their work. Both employees and management should walk away from the feedback session with a clear understanding of expectations and a plan for moving forward. 

According to a study by Gallup, only 14% of employees strongly agree that their performance is managed in a way that motivates them to do outstanding work. Poor feedback communication between managers and talent is a significant reason for this low percentage.

In this blog post, we’ll examine some practical tips and techniques on how to give negative feedback effectively and productively to employees, and they will help managers to provide feedback that motivates employees to improve their performance.

1. Be Specific: When giving negative feedback, it’s crucial to be specific and objective about the problem. Avoid using vague terms that can confuse your colleague. For instance, “Your work is not good enough” is vague. Instead, focus on the specifics of the work you refer to and, most importantly, how it can be improved. Focusing on the solution and supporting the path to get there is key. For example, if the issue is poor copy spelling and grammar, suggest they look into getting the Grammarly AI tool to help them identify the errors and fix themselves. 
2. Use the Sandwich Technique: The sandwich technique is a popular feedback method used by many managers to provide negative feedback positively and constructively. The sandwich technique involves starting and ending the feedback with positive comments and putting the negative feedback in the middle. For instance, you could start by saying, “You have written a brilliant article, and I appreciate the level of research that has clearly gone into the process. However, I noticed some factual errors here in your report that need to be corrected to ensure 100% accuracy. Using your brilliant research skills, can you find trusted alternative sources so we will not have an issue with misleading facts.” Using the sandwich technique helps to soften the blow of negative feedback and makes the employee more receptive to suggestions for improvement.
3. Focus on behaviour, not personality: It’s essential to focus on the colleagues’ behaviour and not their personality when giving negative feedback. Personality-based feedback can be hurtful and lead to defensiveness and demotivation. Instead, concentrate on specific behaviours that need improvement and suggest how to improve them. For instance, instead of saying, “You’re always disorganised and sloppy with deadlines,” you could say, “I noticed that you missed the deadline and did not follow the project plan. Let’s create a clear plan and timeline to help you stay on track. Here is a blog on how to manage timelines to meet deadlines and uses hacks such as ‘chunking’, I found it helped me to meet my deadlines, and it can help you, too, as it’s evidence-based and written by experts. Read it and let me know what you think about the techniques it recommends – try some out and see if it works for your working style.
4. Listen to your colleagues’ response: After giving negative feedback, it’s essential to listen to your colleague’s response and allow them to express their thoughts and feelings. Listening helps to build trust and shows the colleague hat you value their perspective. According to a Harvard Business Review article, when employees feel heard and valued, they are more likely to be engaged, committed, and motivated.
5. Provide Resources for improvement: Lastly, it’s crucial to provide resources and support for the employee to improve their performance. This support could come from training, coaching, or mentoring. Providing resources shows the employee that you are invested in their growth and development, which can improve their motivation and job satisfaction.

Giving negative feedback is a necessary part of managing talent. By using these practical tips and techniques, managers can provide specific, objective, and constructive feedback while also being empathetic and supportive. When colleagues receive effective feedback and feel safe during the process, they are more likely to be engaged, committed, and motivated, which benefits both your colleague and the organisation.

Curzon PR is a London-based PR firm working with clients globally. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our Business Development Team [email protected]