Giving feedback to employees, both positive and negative, is vital to creating an engaged workforce. So how can you deliver feedback to suit the varying needs of the generations?
Survey after survey reveals that employees of all occupations and levels use feedback, and how it is delivered, as a measure of their satisfaction at work. Remembering that one size does not fit all, you need different strategies for different people. Here are some factors to keep in mind when giving feedback to each of the generations.
Builders
Keeping in mind their definition of success is reliability, it's not surprising to learn their view on feedback is "no news is good news". In other words, if you are doing your job correctly (by following the rules and not making any waves) then you shouldn't need to be spoken to about your performance.
Staying "under the radar" is a skill they have acquired from their experiences with large institutions. You don't come to the attention of the police or get called to the principal's office unless there is something wrong. So to Builders, that also applies at work.
Managers need to be careful then, when giving even positive feedback, or it can backfire! The secret is to get them used to the idea that feedback can be positive and being called to a meeting with their manager is not a sign of danger.
Baby Boomers
The Baby Boomers left behind the Builders philosophy of "keep your nose clean" and came up with something more suited to their style. Following on from their input focused measures of success, they came up with the perfect feedback model for them: the annual performance review.
The system required lots of paperwork, recognised categories to be rated against and a meeting with your manager. It achieved the desired "feel good" experience for them but didn't eat too much into the time they needed to create input. The Baby Boomer preferred style is structured, scheduled and systematic.
Generation X
Once a year feedback was never going to fit the Generation Xer's motto of "work smarter, not harder". You can only work smart if you know how you are going on a regular basis.
They also didn't like the restrictive nature of the "tick and flick" feedback systems they inherited from the Baby Boomers. This is a generation that isn't afraid of "constructive criticism" - it just needs to be delivered in the right way at the right time.
They want to negotiate a regular feedback program with their manager, some of it formal, some informal.
Gen Y
You could summarise the Gen Y feedback style as being a bit like cable TV - I only want to pay for the channels I like - and I only like comedy and MTV.
They are a group used to constant, positive feedback. Schools no longer rank students in order of merit or give them grades. Instead they use statements like "not yet achieved" and "working towards attainment".
Managers are going to have to get used to giving out the same kind of feedback at work and give it daily!
What about you?
So how well are you doing at customising feedback to suit the generations? What do you need to change about the way you communicate on performance issues to ensure it hits the mark?
Of course individuals will vary in their needs so the ultimate way to select a feedback style is to ask the individual what they prefer!
Buy Karen Schmidt's Audio Seminar CD from the Resource Centre:
What It Takes To Engage The Generations At Work