What is it called when an organization provides both potentially positive and negative information to job candidates?

Of all the ways we communicate at work, feedback is an essential one.

Providing feedback is key to letting your employees know how they’re performing and what’s expected of them, and it’s part of supporting your team’s learning and development. It’s important that this feedback happens on a regular, ongoing basis – not just when performance reviews come around.

So, as a manager or team leader, how can you best approach the kind of constructive feedback that deals with issues or shortcomings staff need to improve on?

We asked David Jones, Senior Managing Director at Robert Half for his insights – here are seven principles for giving valuable constructive feedback.

1. Be problem-focused and specific An important part of telling an employee what they could do better is to tell them why. For example, starting a conversation with ‘You need to be getting to work earlier’ assumes the employee knows why punctuality is so important. Instead, be clear about the actual problem at hand – which in this case might be that customers are being kept waiting – and structure your feedback around it. The employee might not have all the background or context on an issue. So, if necessary, give them a sense of how the issue affects you and the rest of the business. The more specific you can make your feedback, the more actionable it will be.
2. Talk about the situation, not the individual Constructive feedback is by its nature focused on outcomes and impartial observations – not the employee’s personal attributes. Feedback centred on the individual could be taken as an attack motivated by personal feelings, rather than objective facts. By discussing the situation itself, rather than your personal opinion about it, you’re showing that you’re most concerned about fixing the problem at hand and not criticising the employee’s own personality.
3. Give praise where it’s due
   Giving employees positive feedback is essential, too – and acknowledging positives among negatives can be a good way to reassure them that you haven’t lost perspective. For example, ‘I think you did a great job with this account – sales are up 13% since last quarter. But we’ve had a few customers tell us that response times have increased.’ This tells the employee that you're not criticising their overall performance; just that certain aspects of their job need attention. Just be careful not to over-emphasise the positives, as this can make you appear uncertain or insincere.
    
4. Be direct but informal Try not to use technology such as email, text message or the phone to relay your feedback, as this can lead to misinterpretation and make it seem less important than it really is. It’s best to speak in person, by finding a quiet space where you can have an honest and informal one-on-one chat with the employee. If that’s not possible, a phone or video chat could best suit if that’s how you regularly communicate. While you want to be informal, it’s best not to beat around the bush – feedback of any sort is most effective when you get straight to the point.
5. Be sincere If your tone and manner don't match the context of the feedback itself, you could send out a mixed message that confuses your employee. If the feedback is positive, let your emotions also indicate that you appreciate their efforts. For negative feedback, a more concerned tone will show that you believe the problem should be taken seriously. Most importantly, always try to avoid displaying negative emotions such as anger, sarcasm or disappointment.
6. Listen When you’re giving constructive feedback, make sure your employee is given a chance to respond. It should be a conversation between you both. This shows that you’re prepared to listen to their concerns and their interpretation of events. It’s also an opportunity for the employee to express their ideas to you and become part of the solution.
7. Make it timely
   It’s best to give praise when an employee’s achievement is still fresh. Timeliness is also important for negative feedback – except in a situation where an employee has done something that makes you feel genuinely bad. In that case, it may be wise to wait until you’ve ‘cooled off’ before taking it up with them. This will help to ensure that your feedback is objective and not coloured by emotion.

Ultimately, the best kind of constructive feedback focuses on behaviour or situations, not people and personalities. It’s given in a tone and setting that conveys support and respect. Great constructive feedback helps employees recognise and avoid their mistakes and inspires them to achieve their potential.

Finally, keep in mind that we all thrive on positive reinforcement, so don’t assume that employees will always know when they’re performing well – come out and tell them. Be it positive or negative, providing staff with ongoing feedback is one of the most important and powerful employee development tools at your disposal.

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With businesses still having to work hard to compete for high-caliber employees, recruitment really has become a two-way process. It is not just about employers assessing and selecting the best candidate, it is about talented people assessing and picking the best employers. Their experience as candidates, at every stage of the recruitment journey, will influence the decisions they make.

Providing a positive experience will increase the likelihood of your preferred candidate accepting a job offer with your organization over that of a competitor. They are also more likely to be engaged and invested to add value to your business from the outset. Any high caliber candidates who came through the journey, but were not successful on that occasion, will still view the organization positively. They will be more motivated to reapply when an alternative position arises and, in the meantime, will be more likely to recommend the company to others, both as potential employees and as customers.

In contrast, a negative candidate experience will not only discourage your preferred candidate from choosing your organization. It can also prevent top talent from applying in the first place, cause them to drop out of the recruitment process or result in them sharing negative perceptions with their peers. All of which puts organizations under increased pressure to successfully fill positions and may result in costly hiring mistakes.

At Pure, our expert consultants support clients to review their candidate experience and to make it engaging and positive for all involved. They also provide extra resources, time and expertise, which organizations may not have in-house, to provide the candidate investment needed to create a positive experience. Here are some of the core factors we advise clients to consider when reviewing their recruitment journey.

Are all touch points transparent, straightforward and engaging?

From the outset, make sure candidates are given clear information and engaging reasons why they should consider working for your business. Are the job description and person specification comprehensive and informative, so people can easily decide if they are interested before they invest time applying? Is there transparent information about remuneration, benefits, and perks? Have you provided, or directed candidates to easy ways to find out more about the organization and its company culture, working environment and values?

Once you have secured interest, is the application process straightforward? While it is important to gather the important information needed to screen potential applicants, the process should not be complex and frustrating, or candidates may move on to apply for a different position.

The interview stages are one of the biggest opportunities to provide a positive experience. Are candidates given all the information they need in advance to feel prepared? Is the interview designed to ensure they feel challenged, and to show you care about finding the right person, while still creating a two-way process? For example, are there plenty of opportunities for candidates to find out more about the organization, the people they would be working with and the career progression and development opportunities available?

Is there regular communication with a personal touch?  

If candidates are left waiting for updates, they are likely to become frustrated and they could also accept a different job in the meantime. Are candidates given a clear timeline of the recruitment process and regular updates throughout the journey? Do all candidates receive updates and feedback, even those not selected for an interview, or for the position itself?

In the age of technology, automated emails and responses may save time, but they are usually very generic and impersonal. Is there enough personal contact throughout the process to show genuine investment in candidates? Taking the time to regularly call or send personal emails shows real consideration and respect for the time candidates have invested in applying for the role.

Is the recruitment process both quick and effective?  

If there is too long a gap between the applications being submitted, interviews and job offers, there is a real risk that organizations will lose out on the most highly sought candidates. Has time been set aside to ensure you can act fast, without rushing? Does the recruitment process only involve necessary processes needed for that specific role?

Making yourself available shows commitment and will demonstrate to candidates that you are eager to get them on board. Always remember that another organization may have been able to meet someone on a Monday, do a second interview on Tuesday and have made an offer by the Wednesday afternoon. Consider the recruitment process needed for each role and streamline it to remove any unnecessary stages which could increase the hiring time period and potentially make candidates feel they are having to jump through irrelevant hoops.

Once you have made your decision, it is still not the end of the journey or the candidate experience. Let everyone who took part in the final stages know the outcome as soon as possible, not just the chosen candidate, so no one is left waiting and wondering. Consider ways of keeping in touch with the high-caliber candidates who were unsuccessful on this occasion, so they feel encouraged to apply again in the future. Plus, begin regular communications around the onboarding and induction of your chosen candidate, so their positive perceptions continue throughout their notice period and into their new role.