For generations, supervisors across every industry have been dogged by a similar question during the review process: How can feedback, both positive and negative, be delivered in a way that actually makes employee performance improve? How can constructive criticism be delivered without de-motivating employees, and how can praise be delivered in a way that supports continued growth? What makes an employee take feedback to heart without taking it personally? What makes feedback stick, last, add value, and bring real change?

There are no simple answers to these questions, but while HR departments search and wait for a collective epiphany, here are five key points that managers and supervisors need to keep in mind:

1. The value of feedback stays high when channels remain open.

A sudden blast of unaccustomed feedback once a year, whether positive or negative, isn’t likely to have much impact on long term performance. A manager who rarely offers feedback will eventually seem disconnected from an employee’s daily activities. And how much can praise or criticism mean when it Read More