Positive Feedback Examples:
Example 1: when your employee reaches or surpasses a goal.
"Great work on your latest report. Your monthly goal was surpassed by over 50%! Your hard work will be a significant contribution to our business's target for this semester.”
Tip: avoid vague feedback like "well done" or "good work". When an employee works hard to meet or exceed a goal, it's important to be specific in your feedback. Be sure to mention how their contribution will benefit the business's overall goal.
Example 2: when your employee takes initiative.
"Thank you for taking the initiative today by offering to run our meeting. You showed that you are capable of taking charge and getting our employees to work well together. Your great communication skills helped everyone feel heard!"
Tip: be sure to thank your employees for taking the initiative by listing how their actions positively affected the business. Your feedback should be specific and given immediately. Avoid waiting until the next meeting or employee evaluation to deliver the feedback.
Example 3: when your employee goes the extra mile.
"I received your presentation. Thank you for sending it in three days before the deadline. Your presentation included all the necessary information and figures we needed to form a decision. The additional work and time put into this presentation were noticeable. Great work!"
Tip: your feedback should include how the employees' extra effort will positively affect the business. Avoid giving feedback to colleagues or peers. Instead, approach the employee in question and give specific feedback.
Example 4: when your employee helps their coworkers.
"Thank you for assisting our new employees by explaining our HR process. You presented our HR process clearly and accurately. Because of your team effort, our new employees can quickly get up to speed and settle into their new roles. Your initiative is a great benefit to the team.”
Tip: recognize their effort (what they did) instead of their attitude or personality traits. In addition, emphasize how their actions benefit the team.
Example 5: when your employee needs a confidence boost.
"Good job solving that customer complaint yesterday. Your ability to confidently handle problems has always been a valuable contribution to our business. You displayed great communication and problem-solving skills. Keep up the good work!"
Tip: be specific about the skills you admire and provide an example of when their positive contributions helped the business.
Example 6: when your employee overcomes a challenge.
"Great work with your final pitch today! I know this pitch presented many obstacles but your hard work was noticeable. Your message was clear, consistent, and well-researched. Your communication and presentation skills have greatly improved over the last year."
Tip: your feedback should highlight what skills they demonstrated to overcome the challenge.
Example 7: when your employee introduces new ideas.
"You suggested an excellent idea during our strategic meeting yesterday. Thank you for including a well-constructed research and risk estimation report. Your suggestion could help our department boost sales figures and meet our monthly targets. Nicely done!"
Tip: be sure to include how your employees' new ideas will affect the overall business goal.
How to Give Positive Feedback:
The key principles for providing effective positive feedback.
Be comprehensive in your praise.
Recognize their effort.
Your feedback should not only be directed at their personality. Include positive feedback that recognizes your employee's effort (what they do/did) and their hard-working mindset. This helps feed their determination and self-confidence.
Think about specifics.
Employees have a better chance of learning and growing when they receive feedback that is detailed. Avoid vague praises by saying exactly what your employee did that you find worthy. If possible, list examples of their hard work as well.
Communicate effectively.
Give direct feedback.
Your feedback should be given directly to the employee it applies to. Therefore, avoid providing feedback to their peers, coworkers, or managers. Instead, approach the employee and provide direct feedback. This will also avoid miscommunication.
Provide feedback immediately.
If you wait to provide positive feedback, your employees may feel like their hard work has gone unrecognized. Instead of waiting for a scheduled performance review or meeting, provide feedback immediately after your employee has done good work.
Provide regular feedback.
While not every situation needs feedback, it is important to make feedback a regular process in your business. When you give feedback regularly and explain why you are doing so, it shows your employees that you care about their personal growth within the company.
