In the moment feedback; why operators must implement an ‘always on’ system

Performance reviews, feedback forms, internal surveys, appraisals, development plans and many more, are just some of the processes used to monitor team members’ performance and development, yet, age-old tools and techniques are still being used today. From long-winded appraisal documents to formal 1-2-1 sessions, surprisingly the world of personal development hasn’t moved on as quickly as other technologies, even with fantastic digital tools available to make such processes seamless.

What is it?

Instant, 360 degree feedback offers a collaborative form of employee reviews. It involves including the feedback of anyone who has worked with him/her, not just superiors – and most importantly offers valuable insight into performance, both upwards and downwards.

The main benefit is that instant, 360 degree feedback offers a well-rounded and balanced view of team members’ skills and behaviours. This provides a fair and more accurate picture of the performance and development. Feedback in this manner can also help bridge gaps in performance levels.

24/7 Feedback

‘In the moment’ feedback is crucial here. It’s about having one platform that pulls all areas together and puts the training and feedback at the fingertips of the employee. It draws on individual’s strengths and weaknesses and creates a significant amount of control for employees. This not only solves ‘issues’ immediately but also makes all feedback live, as opposed to waiting a month for a 1-2-1 session, or even longer for appraisals – where by that time the ‘issue’ is old news and potentially even forgotten about. It’s about blending learning and development together, and empowering employees to act instantly on feedback. Which in turn helps to create a tailored development and training plan for employees.

It’s also important to never underestimate the power of recognition for the happiness and engagement of employees. Recognition can be small, but can go a long way with an employee. It sends the message that hard work is worth rewarding. This in turn, makes the individual feel that they are making a difference, and hard work is acknowledged. Therefore if employees are logging into their platforms and getting instant notifications for a job well done, this is only going to improve and increase motivation and engagement levels.

Recognition benefits for an operator are endless, from higher retention levels, boosted morale, increased loyalty, higher productivity and better customer satisfaction. Essentially, if teams are happy, so are the customers.

Time saver

If operators utilise online digital HR platforms they have more tools at their fingertips than ever before, one of which being instant feedback. It’s now easier to say “Great shift today, you kept calm during the peak hours and attended to all customers”, and have this marked against the team member on their profile.  When it comes to time of annual appraisals, we all know how difficult it is to remember 6-12 months of performance, but with such platforms, this is all logged instantly and not only builds a clear picture for progression but cuts significant amount of time for both an employer and employee. Of course nothing can replace the value of face to face time with managers to discuss progress and development, but instant feedback on day to day tasks can help save time and dreaded paperwork as it is all logged directly.

Engagement, development and empowerment

Keeping the employees engaged is the number one priority for operators, we have seen some of our clients report that they have cut staff turnover by half, over the course of two years which was driven by keeping their staff engaged – implying that not only does this benefit the retention levels but the bottom line too.

The main use of 360 reviews is to identify a team members strengths, and helping individuals identify these are important for acknowledgement and of course their own development. Which in turn helps to create a tailored development and training plan.  If a team member is receiving instant and well-rounded feedback, it increases their self-awareness and how they are being perceived across the organisation. It provides easy to understand reports for strengths and areas for improvements and offers a deeper insight into performance for the employee.

The workforce is continually changing so it is important that operators adopt new methods of feedback, and tailor them to the individual to ensure they are engaging and empowering with all team members. It is important that they remain engaged and happy within their roles to avoid high turnover rates. The new technologies available today provides operators with an opportunity to not only better monitor team performance, but also offer instant feedback and gratification. Therefore it is vital operators embrace such technologies to keep up with the ever-changing digital world.