Feedback In Employee Training

HR doesn’t need more dashboards. It needs better listening. Most people teams measure what’s easy…like engagement scores or turnover. But the best teams? They build feedback loops that help them predict problems, not just react to them. This post gives you 11 of the most useful, often-overlooked loops you can implement across the employee lifecycle: 🟢 Week 2 new hire check-ins (capture early impressions) 🟠 Post-interview surveys (from both sides) 🔵 Onboarding reviews (day 90 is your goldmine) 🟡 Skip-level 1:1s (cross-level truth-telling) 🟣 Quarterly team health check-ins (lightweight, manager-led) …and 7 more. 📌 Save this if: • You’re building a modern HR function • You want fewer “We should’ve seen this coming” moments • You believe listening is strategy Which feedback loop is missing in your company?

Getting the right feedback will transform your job as a PM. More scalability, better user engagement, and growth. But most PMs don’t know how to do it right. Here’s the Feedback Engine I’ve used to ship highly engaging products at unicorns & large organizations: — Right feedback can literally transform your product and company. At Apollo, we launched a contact enrichment feature. Feedback showed users loved its accuracy, but... They needed bulk processing. We shipped it and had a 40% increase in user engagement. Here’s how to get it right: — 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝟭: 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗙𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 Most PMs get this wrong. They collect feedback randomly with no system or strategy. But remember: your output is only as good as your input. And if your input is messy, it will only lead you astray. Here’s how to collect feedback strategically: → Diversify your sources: customer interviews, support tickets, sales calls, social media & community forums, etc. → Be systematic: track feedback across channels consistently. → Close the loop: confirm your understanding with users to avoid misinterpretation. — 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝟮: 𝗔𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘇𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 Analyzing feedback is like building the foundation of a skyscraper. If it’s shaky, your decisions will crumble. So don’t rush through it. Dive deep to identify patterns that will guide your actions in the right direction. Here’s how: Aggregate feedback → pull data from all sources into one place. Spot themes → look for recurring pain points, feature requests, or frustrations. Quantify impact → how often does an issue occur? Map risks → classify issues by severity and potential business impact. — 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝟯: 𝗔𝗰𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀 Now comes the exciting part: turning insights into action. Execution here can make or break everything. Do it right, and you’ll ship features users love. Mess it up, and you’ll waste time, effort, and resources. Here’s how to execute effectively: Prioritize ruthlessly → focus on high-impact, low-effort changes first. Assign ownership → make sure every action has a responsible owner. Set validation loops → build mechanisms to test and validate changes. Stay agile → be ready to pivot if feedback reveals new priorities. — 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝟰: 𝗠𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 What can’t be measured, can’t be improved. If your metrics don’t move, something went wrong. Either the feedback was flawed, or your solution didn’t land. Here’s how to measure: → Set KPIs for success, like user engagement, adoption rates, or risk reduction. → Track metrics post-launch to catch issues early. → Iterate quickly and keep on improving on feedback. — In a nutshell... It creates a cycle that drives growth and reduces risk: → Collect feedback strategically. → Analyze it deeply for actionable insights. → Act on it with precision. → Measure its impact and iterate. — P.S. How do you collect and implement feedback?

🤦🏻 “How We Run Design Critiques at Figma” (https://lnkd.in/eERQmRnY), an honest case study by Noah Levin with helpful techniques and templates to run more effective design critiques ↓ 🚫 Most critiques are an avalanche of unstructured opinions. ✅ Good critiques are inspiring, and give you a plan of action. ✅ Critiques work best with 2–6 people in the room. ✅ Explain the problem before showing any work. ✅ Reiterate previous findings, decisions and research. ✅ Explain how far you are: 30%, 60% or 90% done. ✅ Explain what kind of feedback you are looking for. ✅ No Keynote/Powerpoint: Figma link + Observation mode. ✅ Assign a note-taker to capture key points (Google Doc). ✅ Show what you want to show: feedback is shaped by that. 🚀 Critique formats: 🎡 Round-the-room: everyone voices their feedback (2min / person). 🍿 Popcorn: freeform comments for flowing conversation. 🥁 Jams: for early explorations with brainstorms, group sketching. 🫱🏻🫲🏾 Pair design: for deep collaboration on a problem (small groups). 🤫 Silent critiques: for a large volume of written, structured feedback. 📋 Paper print-out: for complex flows and reviewing more at once. 📣 FYI critiques: for sharing context and invite feedback later. Design critiques are about applying critical thinking. It’s about how well a current iteration of design does what it’s trying to do. However, designers alone often don’t have the full picture. Don’t necessarily reserve critiques to design teams only: invite developers and stakeholders and PMs for early feedback. Don’t ask what people think — ask how well the design tackles a specific problem. And probably the most important thing is to enable a flowing conversations. Invite everyone to ask, to doubt, to scrutinize, but stay on point and gather structured feedback: that’s when good critiques emerge. Useful resources: Practical Design Critique Guide, by Darrin Henein https://lnkd.in/ey_cGKuc Mastering Design Critiques, by Jonny Czar https://lnkd.in/e_BYwNwf Anti-Behavior in Design Critiques, and How To Handle Them, by Ben Crothers https://lnkd.in/e4UrpsPs --- ⛵ Figma and Miro Templates Design Critique Meetings Guide (Figma), by Overflow https://lnkd.in/dE85MUAK Design Critique Template (Figma), by Janus Tiu https://lnkd.in/dCYp2MSY Design Critique Meeting (Figma), by Rodrigo Javier Peña https://lnkd.in/dP_8pCug Design Critique Playground Template (Miro), by Miroslava Jovicic https://lnkd.in/eryJShRd #ux #design

Had an insightful conversation over the weekend with a colleague about a common pitfall in CX programs: relying solely on surveys and ignoring other valuable insights. Here are some key takeaways: Ease of Implementation Surveys are easy to deploy and manage, providing quantifiable data that’s simple to analyze. This makes them an attractive option for many organizations, especially those with limited resources. Tradition and Comfort Many companies stick to surveys because it’s what they’ve always done. Changing this entrenched practice can be challenging, especially if the leadership team prefers traditional methods. Resource Constraints Surveys can be cost-effective, making them appealing for smaller organizations that may not have the budget for more sophisticated tools. Organizational Silos Feedback often gets trapped within departmental silos, preventing insights from being shared and acted upon. Lack of Ownership Without clear ownership of the feedback loop, survey results can end up being ignored. It’s crucial to have designated teams responsible for analyzing feedback and driving action. Inadequate Analytics Capabilities Many companies lack the analytical capabilities - people and tech - to turn survey data into meaningful insights. Cultural Resistance Taking action on feedback requires change, which can be met with resistance. Companies need a culture of continuous improvement to effectively address feedback. Short-Term Focus Organizations sometimes prioritize short-term gains over long-term improvements, leading to reluctance in making significant changes based on feedback. Here is where we ended in terms of actions to take: 1. Integrate Multiple Data Sources: Combine survey data with digital analytics, social listening, and customer journey mapping for a comprehensive view of the customer experience. 2. Foster a Customer-Centric Culture: Encourage leadership commitment, employee training, and recognition programs that reward customer-centric behavior. 3. Invest in Analytics: Enhance analytics capabilities to turn data into actionable insights. 4. Close the Feedback Loop: Implement a closed-loop feedback system and communicate changes to customers. 5. Design Thinking and Customer Co-Creation: Use design thinking methodologies to deeply understand customer needs and co-create solutions. 6. Cross-Functional Collaboration: Promote collaboration across departments to discuss feedback and develop action plans. 7. Measure Impact and Iterate: Continuously measure the impact of changes and iterate to improve further. What are you doing to get out of the CX-as-a-survey (CXaaS) trap? #customerexperience #cx #surveys #analytics #designthinking #customercentric

Reality check: 90% of transformation plans fall apart because they didn't improve incentive structures. That’s the part no one likes to admit. We spend months building the strategy deck, aligning stakeholders, setting timelines... But we forget to ask: what are we actually rewarding? I read a powerful piece recently that mentioned that 3 out of 4 corporate transformations fall short. Not because the strategy was wrong, but because the incentives didn't change. People aren't robots. They don’t automatically switch gears just because leadership says, “We're transforming now.” They look at what gets rewarded. What gets praised. What gets ignored. If you're still rewarding short-term financials while asking people to drive long-term change, you're sending mixed signals. And people will default to the path that feels safest, not the one that feels right. The best transformations I've seen have one thing in common: > They reward the right people (not just the top people). > They reward the right outcomes (not just historic results). A few things that stood out to me: – Incentives need to reach deep into the org. – The reward shouldn't just be about “what” you achieve, but how you get there. – Targets should be tough but not demoralizing. – Timing matters. When the transformation takes 2–3 years, don't wait till the end to show appreciation. This is where most boards can play a bigger role. Not just approving budgets, but asking: Are we structuring incentives to make transformation real? Because… maybe it’s not the strategy that’s broken, but what (and who) you're choosing to reward. #board #incentive #growth #team

You want to share customer feedback with other departments. Try the data + story method. Here's an example: A software company's support team got a big spike in calls. Customers were angry and confused about a new update. That's how it was shared with the development team: "We're getting a lot of calls from customers who don't like the new update." It's easy to see why this message was ignored. It was: ❌ Non-specific ❌ Accusatory ❌ Unusable Imagine coaching an employee that way. "You're doing a bad job serving customers." Ooof. Not gonna work. The support leader regrouped and tried again. This time, she used the data + story approach. DATA: Presented the specific issues driving the most calls. STORY: Played recorded calls, so development could hear customers describe the issues. Development was much more receptive this time. This time, the presentation was: ✅ Specific ✅ Constructive ✅ Actionable Bottom line: Service cultures thrive on sharing customer feedback. Use the data + story approach to get departments to pay more attention.

The best PMM research doesn’t come from collecting more data. It comes from collecting data from more SOURCES...aka triangulation. Triangulation helps you improve the validity, depth, and confidence of your findings by cross-checking insights across distinct but complementary data sources. This helps reduce bias and reduce how much you need from a single data source. For instance, for most B2B personas, just 5 solid interviews will get you 80% there, if you complement it with other sources. So, how can you apply this practically? Let’s go through a real example: Research question: What key benefits should we emphasize in the messaging for our primary persona, Business Ops leads? 1️⃣ Data source 1: Qualitative (what they say) Sources (pick one or more): --> 4 customer interviews with biz ops leads --> Gong snippets from late-stage technical eval calls --> Internal CSM notes during onboarding and renewal   Common quotes include: “Every tool we add creates another integration headache.” “I just want something that doesn’t break other things.” This suggests they care less about flashy features and more about stability, reliability, and ease of maintenance. Now let’s verify this by going thru behavior data. 👇 2️⃣ Data source 2: behavioral (what they do) Sources (pick one or more): --> Support logs and ticket categories for similar accounts --> Feature usage of admin controls, integrations, and audit logs --> Help center searches by role/persona tag Insights: → Ops users are most active in integration, data sync, and permission → High NPS users rarely file tickets, but when they do, it’s for downtime or bugs, not UI complaints This confirms that reliability and ease of system management drive real behavior. 3️⃣ Data source 3: outcome ( what they choose) Sources: --> Win/loss notes --> Procurement objections tagged by role --> Post-sale NPS comments filtered by Business Ops titles Insights: → In wins: “Didn’t have to loop in Engineering” or “We were able to integrate in 1 sprint” → High NPS Ops users cite: “It just works. Rarely need to touch it.” This confirms that the decision patterns match the earlier sentiments. ✅ Triangulated insight: “Business Ops leaders prioritize system trust and low-maintenance integrations; they will choose a solution that promises stability, control, and minimal firefighting over advanced features.” In summary, triangulated findings are more defensible, easier to get buy in and more resistant to bias. You won’t always have time for deep research, especially in a startup. But even a scrappy mix of 2–3 sources can level up your insight. The good news is you can use AI to speed up the grunt work, and then YOU bring the insight. This is the type of work that helps you drive business strategy and get seen. ❓ When you build personas or messaging, what sources do you pull from? #productmarketing #research #strategy #coaching 

One of the biggest challenges in customer experience (CX) initiatives isn't just getting buy-in—it's making sure communication flows seamlessly across different teams to drive meaningful progress. It's not enough to have passionate people involved; it's about aligning everyone around a shared purpose and ensuring that action follows. I see it all the time—CX councils or teams that meet to discuss customer feedback, but the conversation doesn't always translate into real change. It's critical to go beyond just reviewing the numbers. We need to collaborate, co-create, and drive real impact for our customers. So how do we ensure communication within cross-functional teams leads to action? ▶️Structure your meetings to drive progress. If you have cross-functional buy-in, it's essential to manage those meetings effectively. Make sure that everyone understands their role, the goals, and what success looks like. It's not enough to simply review metrics—what are the actions you'll take based on those insights? ▶️Unify efforts across the organization. In many organizations, different teams—like those working on journey mapping and those focused on customer insights—work in silos. We need to bring those efforts together around your customer experience mission, ensuring that all teams are aligned with a shared definition of success. ▶️Be proactive and resourceful. Don't wait for things to fall through the cracks. Be a resource to your team members, follow up, and offer support where needed. This could mean helping a colleague facilitate a journey mapping session or providing customer feedback to help illustrate a challenge. Communication is key, but proactive support is what drives progress forward. When working cross-functionally, the responsibility doesn't end with the meeting. We need to be deliberate about setting expectations, following up on actions, and ensuring everyone understands how their efforts contribute to the larger customer experience mission. Great communication can turn fragmented efforts into unified progress. Let's make sure we're not just talking about customer experience, but working together to make it happen. How do you ensure effective communication across teams in your organization? Drop your process below! #CustomerExperience #CX #CrossFunctionalTeams #Collaboration #Leadership #Communication #CXStrategy #CustomerJourney

If your feedback isn't changing behavior, you're not giving feedback—you're just complaining. After 25 years of coaching leaders through difficult conversations, I've learned that most feedback fails because it focuses on making the giver feel better rather than making the receiver better. Why most feedback doesn't work: ↳ It's delivered months after the fact ↳ It attacks personality instead of addressing behavior ↳ It assumes the person knows what to do differently ↳ It's given when emotions are high ↳ It lacks specific examples or clear direction The feedback framework that actually changes behavior: TIMING: Soon, not eventually. Give feedback within 48 hours when possible Don't save it all for annual reviews. Address issues while they're still relevant. INTENT: Lead with purpose and use statements like - "I'm sharing this because I want to see you succeed" or "This feedback comes from a place of support." Make your positive intent explicit. STRUCTURE: Use the SBI Model. ↳Situation: When and where it happened ↳Behavior: What you observed (facts, not interpretations) ↳Impact: The effect on results, relationships, or culture COLLABORATION: Solve together by using statements such as - ↳"What's your perspective on this?" ↳"What would help you succeed in this area?" ↳"How can I better support you moving forward?" Great feedback is a gift that keeps giving. When people trust your feedback, they seek it out. When they implement it successfully, they become advocates for your leadership. Your feedback skills significantly impact your leadership effectiveness. Coaching can help; let's chat. | Joshua Miller What's the best feedback tip/advice, and what made it effective? #executivecoaching #communication #leadership #performance

The feedback sandwich often misses the mark and can even backfire. Instead of creating clarity, it can muddy the message and feel insincere. Let's dive into why this approach doesn't work and explore a better way to give feedback with Radical Candor. ❌ What Not to Do: "Great job! But the presentation lacked details. Still, I appreciate your enthusiasm." ✅ What to Do Instead: Use CORE: 🔸 Context: Cite the specific situation. 🔸 Observation: Describe what was said or done. 🔸 Result: Explain the consequence. 🔸 Expected nExt stEps: Outline the expected next steps. Example of CORE Feedback: "I asked you to help us be more efficient (Context). You went above and beyond by implementing Slack (Observation). The team is now spending less time on email and more time communicating effectively (Result). We'd love for you to explore other tools to streamline communication in the office (Expected nExt stEps)." Giving feedback is crucial for growth, but it needs to be clear, kind, and actionable. Read more: https://bit.ly/3LhIzZ2 #ManagementTips #RadicalCandor #Leadership #Feedback #COREMethod #EffectiveCommunication #GrowthMindset