Employee feedback can help you become a more effective manager. This article covers the many ways you benefit from the feedback you get from your team.
As you gather feedback, look for insights into what people are experiencing in their job.
Key Points and Facts About Employee Feedback
Why It Matters
- Feedback gives you a direct line into problems, ideas, and morale issues you can’t see from the top.
- Asking for feedback strengthens trust and working relationships with your team.
What The Research Shows
- Gallup research has found that managers account for at least 70% of the variance in team engagement scores across business units (Gallup, 2015).
- Only 27% of employees say they want feedback from their manager at least weekly, even though more frequent feedback is linked to higher engagement (Gallup-Workhuman, 2024).
- Only 28% of employees strongly agree that their opinions count at work (Gallup, 2025).
- 79% of employees say they would opt out of 360-degree style feedback if given the choice, citing concerns about bias (SHRM/LiveCareer, 2025).
Why Managers May Not Want to Get Feedback
A: Fear
Some managers may not want to hear feedback from their employees because they’re afraid of what they’re going to hear. They may also think, “If I’m aware of complaints, I have to do something about it.”
B: Show Who Is in Charge
A manager may think, “I need to show employees who is in charge,” and take the approach where no feedback is taken from employees, and the business is run by the manager alone.
C: Unaware of the Benefits
A manager may simply not be aware of all the benefits that come with getting employee feedback.
The Benefits of Getting Feedback from Your Employees
1. Learning from a Lower Level
As a boss, you may not be aware of all the fine details of each job. Through feedback, you may uncover techniques that you were unaware of. You may also find a better way of doing things.
2. Strengthen Work Relationships
When you involve your employees in your process, you are showing that you value their opinion. A team that works well together creates a stronger working relationship.
By asking for feedback, you are involving your team, which most employees appreciate.
3. A Feel for Job Satisfaction
By allowing your employees to give feedback, you have the opportunity to identify how satisfied your employees are with their job. Gallup research shows only 28% of employees strongly agree that their opinions count at work (Gallup, 2025), so asking directly can set you apart as a manager.
If the majority of feedback is negative across the board, then you have some issues to examine. It could be your process, the actual job, the treatment of your employees, or the compensation they are receiving.
If the majority of feedback is positive, then focus on what you are doing right. You could also mirror those processes in other departments if applicable.
4. Stronger Ideas Due to Brain Storming
Think of receiving feedback as a brainstorming session. Ask for more information. Ask for ideas on improving the processes that are currently in place. Getting ideas from your team is a great way to practice continuous improvement.
5. Being a Good Boss
A good boss listens to their team with genuine concern. You may not always have the time to listen, which is why it’s a good idea to set a certain amount of time to speak with your team members on a regular basis.
This practice can improve morale and build motivation in the workplace.
6. Improve Your Management Skills
The more you know about how your employees are dealing with their job, the better it is for you as a manager. Gallup research has found that managers account for at least 70% of the variance in team engagement scores across business units (Gallup, 2015), which shows how directly your habits as a manager shape how your team feels about work.
It’s up to you to determine what needs to be done. It doesn’t mean you have to act on everything, but you have the opportunity to make things better and create a win-win situation.
7. Identifying Weak Points in Your Operation
Getting feedback from your team makes the job of identifying weak points in your process a lot easier. When you ask for feedback, you may uncover issues you weren’t aware of — for example, an employee doing something that’s taking too long.
When a number of employees have the same concerns, it gives you the opportunity to dig deeper and figure out if you need to make changes and improvements.
8. Identifying Talent
When you are surveying your whole team, you’ll notice the employees who have great ideas, show leadership skills, and are more knowledgeable than others.
When you can identify the talented members of your team, it will be easy to fill a position if an opportunity shows up. You can also use those talented people for tasks that will better the team.
9. Defusing Issues Before They Happen
Feedback allows you to identify a growing problem and creates an opportunity to tackle it before it becomes worse. Dealing with the problem before it escalates is a great way to manage your team and stay on top of the issues in your workplace.
10. Embrace Change
Feedback often means you need to make changes. Making them improves your management skills.
Change is a constant in today’s workplace, and managers who adapt well have an edge over those who don’t.
How To Get Feedback From Your Employees
1. Create A Survey
Creating a survey can be a good way to get feedback from a large team of employees. It also acts as an ice breaker to allow employees to gather their thoughts if you conduct a follow-up meeting.
Only 27% of employees say they want feedback at least weekly (Gallup-Workhuman, 2024), so don’t assume everyone wants the same frequency. Ask what works for your team and adjust from there.
Survey Ideas:
- Have the option to take the survey anonymously. This allows your team to say what they want without fear of ramifications.
- Encourage comments and ensure you have enough room in the comment section.
- Ensure your questions are clear and avoid open-ended ones.
- Make sure you review the surveys. Not acting on the information wastes employees’ time and gives them the sense that management doesn’t care about their input.
- Avoid running surveys during layoffs, major restructuring, or other high-stress periods — results can skew and misrepresent how your team really feels.
Be cautious with formal 360-degree style reviews. Surveys show 79% of employees would opt out of that format if given the choice (SHRM/LiveCareer, 2025), mainly over concerns about bias, so a simpler, direct approach often works better for a small team.
2. Have a Meeting
You can schedule meetings, a town hall, or something similar to discuss the issues and ask for feedback. It’s a good idea to open the floor for discussion.
You may want to have refreshments, coffee, donuts, a pizza party, or something similar to make it a social event. If you have a small workforce, you can also have one-on-one meetings.
3. Casual Individual Visits
You can casually visit each of your employees at their work center and chat with them to get the feedback you’re looking for.
Best Practices When Getting Employee Feedback
1. Show Interest
When you are speaking with your team members, make sure you are focused on them and show interest in what they are saying.
Getting reliable feedback relies on focusing on what the employee is experiencing at work.
2. Pay Attention to an Employee’s Reaction
Make sure your mind isn’t wandering when you are listening to your employees. You want your full attention on what your employee is saying.
When you are speaking, pay attention to how the person is reacting. Often you can pick up what the person is thinking by observing facial expressions and body language.
3. Own Up to Mistakes
When you are confronted with an issue and it’s your mistake, own up to it and let your employees know that you are taking responsibility.
It shows you are human and that you are taking responsibility for your mistake. It also sets a good example for your team.
4. Don’t Become Defensive
When your employee brings up issues you don’t like, don’t become defensive. This may lead to your employee shutting down rather than being open, which makes the feedback process a waste of time.
5. Ask Yourself Questions
Employees often use feedback sessions to air complaints. That’s normal, and it serves a purpose.
On one hand, if you let someone vent without limits, the conversation can drag on and lose focus. On the other hand, giving them room to speak means you hear everything that’s bothering them.
Here’s the key: while they talk, keep your own focus on opportunities to improve your operation. Ask yourself questions like:
- Is this a valid complaint?
- Should I make changes?
- How can I take care of this?
- How can I prevent this from happening again?
6. Take Notes
When you take notes, you are showing your employees that you are serious about what they have to say, listening to their concerns, and acting.
When you take notes, you’ll also be able to review them later if you need to put a new plan in place.
Conclusion:
As you can see, there are many benefits and opportunities that come from getting feedback from your employees. If you haven’t already, give it a try and see what you can learn.
That’s The Way I See It
Acey Gaspard
Action Steps for Getting Employee Feedback
Choose Your Method
- Decide between a survey, a group meeting, or casual one-on-one visits based on your team size.
- Offer an anonymous option if you want candid input on sensitive topics.
Prepare Before You Ask
- Write clear, specific questions and avoid vague open-ended ones.
- Pick a time that isn’t during a layoff, restructuring, or other high-stress period.
During the Conversation
- Stay focused on the employee and avoid becoming defensive.
- Take notes so you can review and act on what you hear later.
After You Collect Feedback
- Review every response, even the ones that are hard to hear.
- Follow up with your team on what you’re changing based on their input.
Checklist for Getting Employee Feedback
- Format
- Survey, meeting, or one-on-one.
- Anonymity
- Offer it for sensitive topics.
- Questions
- Specific, not open-ended.
- Timing
- Skip layoffs and restructuring periods.
- In the room
- Stay present, no defensiveness.
- Notes
- Write it down as you go.
- Loop closed
- Tell your team what changes as a result.
FAQ: Employee Feedback
How often should I ask my employees for feedback?
- There’s no single right cadence. Only 27% of employees say they want weekly feedback (Gallup-Workhuman, 2024), so ask your team what pace works and adjust from there rather than assuming more is always better.
Should employee feedback be anonymous?
- Offering an anonymous option helps employees speak freely on sensitive topics, especially in surveys. Casual one-on-one conversations work better for building trust over time.
What if the feedback I get is negative?
- Negative feedback is a signal, not an attack. Look at whether it points to a process, workload, or communication issue you can actually fix.
Are 360-degree reviews a good way to collect feedback?
- Be cautious. Surveys show 79% of employees would opt out of 360-degree style reviews if given the choice (SHRM/LiveCareer, 2025), largely over concerns about bias, so a more direct approach often works better for a small team.
What should I do after I collect feedback?
- Review it, decide what you’ll act on, and tell your employees what’s changing. Skipping this step teaches employees that feedback doesn’t matter.
References:
- Gallup — Managers Account for 70% of Variance in Employee Engagement
- Gallup — Organizations Can Redefine Feedback by Including Recognition
- Gallup — Anemic Employee Engagement Points to Leadership Challenges
- SHRM (via G&A Partners) — Use Employee Feedback to Strategically Position Your Organization
- SHRM — Majority of Employees Reject 360-Degree Reviews, Citing Bias