Giving feedback

Feedback comes in many forms and can be delivered in many ways. The types of feedback discussed below are for giving feedback ‘on the go’ - rather than during formal processes or performance reviews.

Give plenty of positive feedback

Positive feedback is always easier to give, and this might be a good place to start when giving feedback.

It can be easy to forget to say thank you to the staff who are working hard to keep your practice running. A simple thank you to your team can go along way to making your staff feel valued and appreciated, especially after a long or difficult day.

If you see a staff member successfully dealing with a difficult situation, you could acknowledge what you liked about how they handled the situation. Or if someone in your team comes up with a great idea that will help simplify the practice processes in some way, then why not celebrate the great idea.

If the practice has had a good month, or even a particularly busy month, celebrating or acknowledging it as a team will be good for everyone’s spirits.

Take time to give corrective feedback

Corrective feedback is not so easy to give. Take time to think through what has happened before taking any action.  You don’t want to jump into a disciplinary situation without any process. 

The tips below for giving effective corrective feedback are for situations when the incident doesn’t require a formal disciplinary process. If you are unsure, we can help. Please call us on 0800 800 627 if you want to talk it through.

1. Make it timely (as soon as possible after the event so its fresh in everyone’s mind).
2. Give it privately.
3. Ensure that its factual and evidence based. You should just advise the facts as you understood them to be.
4. Get the staff member’s perspective and listen carefully to their response.
5. Only then, should you respond and discuss impacts of the staff member’s actions or behaviours. Look for a solution and where possible, get the staff member’s input to finding a solution.
6. Then provide clear expectations of what is required in such circumstances and agree them with the staff member.
7. If the situation is emotionally charged, make sure you are in a calm state before you address the issue. This doesn’t mean you let the situation go. It is still important to tell the staff member that the event needs to be discussed and set a time for later when things have calmed down.

If the situation is more serious or might be classified as misconduct or serious misconduct, acknowledge what has happened, but advise the employee that you need to follow due process by investigating the incident and you will get back to them. You should then seek advice from your professional advisers or the MAS HealthyPractice team before you start. Call us on 0800 800 627 or email business@mas.co.nz.  And if you hold employment disputes insurance, there will be a notification process, so make sure you contact your provider as well.