The health and safety impact of giving and receiving feedback
How good does it feel to receive positive praise and recognition? Conversely, do you gain gratitude from recognising positive performance of others?
The Health and Safety Index is an effective way to obtain feedback at scale from your entire workforce and give their voices a platform. Obtaining feedback is also a great way to recognise and acknowledge the teams who are performing well. In other words, a positive, solution focused approach.
The Health and Safety Index covers the following aspects:
- Health and Wellbeing
- Safety Leadership
- Safety Engagement
- Safety Systems
Based on over 230,000 response data points, there are some obvious trends in reported feedback relating to seniority and the potential impact on health and wellbeing.
The Health and Safety Index benchmark data found employees reported receiving praise and recognition from their supervisors 9% less often compared to senior managers. Interestingly, health and wellbeing results were also consistent with this trend – “My supervisor gives team members praise and recognition for positive health and safety behaviours.”
The Power of Feedback
- Does feedback have a positive impact on health and wellbeing?
- Dealing with Uncertainty
- Dealing with Uncertainty
During recent times of uncertainty, providing clear direction and effective feedback is critical.
Reinforcing positive behaviours with praise is not the only form or recognition. Put simply, types of feedback are often summarised as the 3R’s:
- Reinforcement
- Reminders
- Redirection
“Faced with uncertainty, it is common for people to seek positive solutions”
Personal Reflections
- How often are the 3R’s applied when you are receiving and providing feedback?
- Is your approach different when managing feedback with teams compared to individuals?
- Does your organisation actively encourage health and safety feedback from your entire workforce?
Article by By Mark Wright, Managing Director of FEFO Consulting and Health and Safety Index.
