If you’re a manager in 2024, the chances are you’re giving feedback all wrong. Remember when a feedback session simply involved telling an employee what they needed to improve? Those days are long gone.
Generation Z is pushing back, and it has very different expectations around this topic. And this is causing a growing divide among employees.
Younger workers told a recent Gallup survey that they felt that their opinions didn’t count in the workplace. They also reported feeling detached from their managers.
And when employees don’t feel engaged, this often leads to them looking for a new employer.
A key part of solving the problem is understanding the different views of Generation Z (those born between 1997 and 2012) around feedback.
Culture clash
Managers, on the whole, come from earlier generations. And this means that they may find Generation Z’s communication style and feedback expectations quite alien.
There are lots of different ways to give feedback, and no model works perfectly for everyone.
But older managers may rely on more traditional, formal and less frequent feedback methods. Or they may appear critical because they only communicate what needs to improve based on their own experience.
In contrast, younger workers want and expect to be able to ask questions, and need to be involved.
The challenge for managers
There are lots of reasons why managers might not feel confident offering feedback to Generation Z.
They could be worried that their words will be misinterpreted, or that they may be seen as being over-critical. As a result, they may make their feedback become vague – or, worse, they may avoid giving feedback altogether.
Another reason is that they may be lacking training in modern feedback techniques, which emphasise real-time communication, digital tools, clear conversations and exploratory dialogue.
Alternatively, they may simply see the need for frequent and immediate feedback as high maintenance or unrealistic, particularly in busy or high-pressured environments.
What do younger workers expect from feedback?
Generation Z employees are the first generation to have grown up in the digital era. They’ve never known a world without the internet, email or mobile phones.
Immediate access to information and instant responses are the norm, and live streaming is their world.
To feel engaged and valued, they expect quick and ongoing information. So, when it comes to feedback, they want it to be immediate and regular.
They also need feedback to be constructive and personalised, reflecting a genuine interest in their specific career development and personal growth.
It’s very important that they feel included in conversations about their performance at work. They expect to have a say in their professional journey, favouring a two-way feedback mechanism.
Meanwhile, transparency and honesty are this generation’s key values. And these are something that they view as crucial to their professional development.
Younger employees prefer to know where they stand as well as how they can keep improving.
Not only do Generation Z workers expect to be included in thinking which concerns them, they also want to be spoken to in ways that are emotionally intelligent. And that’s even if they don’t yet have the skill sets themselves.
If you want to have successful feedback that will be received in the best way, it’s time to ditch the old-style thinking of ‘respect your elders’ and start viewing your teams in a more inclusive way.
Why does this matter?
Leaders know that a diverse workforce is a stronger workforce, which includes diversity of ages.
But this mix of generations at work means we all need to understand how to get on with colleagues with different views – including navigating different expectations around feedback.
Five tips for better feedback
It’s not what you say… but more about how you deliver the information.
Here are my top tips:
Embrace tech: Use digital tools and platforms for continuous feedback, whether it’s apps, instant messaging or online project management tools that allow for real-time communication and updates.
Be clear on expectations: Clearly outline what’s expected from employees from day one, along with how and when they’ll receive feedback. This sets a transparent benchmark against which they can measure their performance.
Foster a culture of growth: Encourage a growth mindset by focusing on development opportunities rather than just performance critique. Make feedback a constructive part of daily work rather than a formal, isolated event.
Get granular: Provide specific examples of behaviour you’d like an employee to continue or change, and give actionable advice on how they can improve. And keep noticing progress. This isn’t just for Generation Z employees, it’s for everyone. But Generation Z knows to look for it when they see feedback as valuable and relevant.
Encourage self-feedback: Promote a culture where employees are encouraged to evaluate their own performance and come up with potential improvement points. Give your people ownership to run with their own development.
As Generation Z becomes a bigger part of the workforce, the traditional feedback format will become increasingly redundant. But by adapting to changing expectations, we can all benefit from a more inclusive way of giving constructive criticism.
