After interning at Feedback Labs for two months, thinking back about my previous interning experience at a large pharmaceutical company, the differences in management let me realize how important feedback in management is.
When I was an HR intern at a large pharmaceutical company two years ago, my job was to teach new employees about biosafety, bioethics, and company standards during their new employee training. There was no feedback at all during the whole process: Employees were not allowed to ask questions or address concerns. All they were asked to do was to memorize the safety standards and company values and pass the test given by the company. There was no improvement in the content of the training at all. I taught the same thing over and over again to different groups of people.
Interning in Feedback Labs is a completely different story. I can freely address questions and concerns about the work I’m doing. My suggestions will be taken seriously. Also, team members will modify and improve their current work based on other people’s suggestions.
Based on my experience, I think feedback in management matters because of the following reasons:
People understand why they are doing what they are doing
During my previous internship, employees did not know why they were doing the things which they were assigned. Acting without a reason is not only ineffective but also frustrating for the employee who feels as though they are wasting their time. Allowing feedback in management can give employees the opportunity to know more about why they are assigned certain tasks. Their feedback can also help their supervisors to know whether the assigned task is reasonable.
Employees feel invested in the project if they have a say in how it is done
Being forced to do things a certain way step by step is not a satisfying experience. Things will be so much better if you can choose the way how a project is done. Giving employees an opportunity to contribute to how the project is done may significantly increase their level of engagement and investment.
The company can improve the whole process
Since the employees have the most experience in their jobs, they may see details or come up with ideas for improvement that upper management does not even notice. By embracing employee feedback, managers can actually improve their whole process. Instead of doing the same things for twenty years straight, improving the way how things are done regularly is definitely more beneficial to a company. It’s time to start listening!
In conclusion, feedback in management not only makes the employees’ working experience more satisfying, but they can also help the company improve and grow. It’s time to listen to employees and make feedback the norm.
Lynn Jin
Lynn is a product and strategy intern at Feedback Labs during the Fall 2019 semester. She is a senior and global leadership scholar at New York University, studying Mathematics and Public Health. Lynn has always been interested in turning theoretical knowledge into real-life impacts, and she is super excited to join the team and see how the theory of feedback loop can improve people’s lives in various ways. During her free time, she attends Hackathon around the country, listens to and makes her own music.
