How an Anonymous Feedback Activity Boosted Team Spirit and Revealed Hidden Insights

The reason why I am sharing this is that, at times, inventiveness is very important to break the monotony and bring in some fresh air. Today, I conducted an employee feedback activity, wherein all employees gave feedback and ratings to each other without mentioning their names in the feedback form. In this process, we discovered the perceptions our coworkers have about us, which also helps in identifying improvement areas and benchmarking the quality of personnel. At the end of the session, the highest scorer was rewarded with surprise gifts from the rest of the staff. It was a fun activity where everybody cooperated well, shared honest reviews, and ended the session with a delicious team lunch out.

Thank you for sharing; this is a brilliant initiative. Research with blind tests and data collection in mystery mode generates results that announced reviews can't. Please follow up with appropriate measures. You have already appreciated the feedback. Your task at establishing faith will get coined as you try to implement them.

At one firm where I worked, we used to have a feedback box beyond the camera zone. That box alone remained the best pulse. There was a folder with a form kept near the box. The placement was so good that no one would be able to see who is dropping the form in the box.

Once we would implement the feedback, we had a notice board announcing the initiative and asking for further anonymous feedback. This made the employees partner without being liable to the result.

Complete anonymity is important. Respect the fact that every employee wants to bring about a change but can't risk their identities for that.

Wish you all the best. Keep us posted about the success of this initiative.

Regards

Dear Ms. Nazneen N.,

You had an intense ascendancy in proving the basic fit to depict to your employees that "WE CARE." The feedback activity actually leads to an accomplishment by allowing employees to communicate their minds. I appreciate the thoughtful approach that provides recognition and rewards as another way to engage them in the company.

In addition to Ms. (Cite Contribution)'s suggestions, I would also like to suggest Employee Engagement (EE) programs, which could be an internal arrangement for events such as concerts (apart from team luncheons/dinners). Facilitating communication between employees and upper management is crucial. For example, a senior management member could write an email to the team expressing how the work done in a week/month has positively impacted the business or any reviews that help evaluate parameters for improvement. In many BPOs, an excellent performer often gets the opportunity to supervise the team for a week, fostering fair management practices and healthy competition. This approach boosts work enthusiasm, especially for managers or executives.

Good luck!

Dear Nazneen, Thanks for sharing what you have done at the workplace. Of late, there is great competition among the members to preach knowledge to other members. Instead of getting into this competitiveness, you have done some activity in your company and have shared it with us. Kudos to you. "An ounce of experience-sharing is better than a ton of knowledge-sharing."

Sant Ramdas has said, "Kriye veena wachalata vyartha aahe" (empty talk without action is vacuous). You have lived up to what this sage has said.

Feedback Activity Details

Now coming to your post. This is in addition to what the other two members have said. You have written that "Today, I conducted the employee feedback activity, wherein all employees gave feedback and rating to each other." Would you mind telling us on what points or parameters you told your employees to give feedback? Among those who gave feedback, what was the minimum months or years of service (in your company) you had prescribed to become eligible to give feedback? Was the feedback given by the members of other departments as well? Did you include a point on "self-discipline" to be rated by others? What would be the follow-up from your side for those who scored below the level on some point? At what frequency would you like to repeat this feedback session?

If you could share this additional information, it will enlighten us further.

Thanks,

Dinesh V Divekar

Thanks for your practical sharing. Regarding this topic, I would like to add a bit. Fun activities not only help get honest feedback from employees but also increase employee productivity by 10-25%.

Test: Are Your Employees Suffering from Terminal Seriousness?

Terminal seriousness is becoming more and more common in the workplace. It traps employees in fear, resentment, and anger. Take a look at them again and answer these questions:

1. Do you regularly see them smiling or laughing at work?
2. When something funny happens, do your staff stop and appreciate it?
3. Does your company or department organize fun activities at least once a month?
4. Do you (as managers) frequently show an optimistic attitude and smile at work?

Did you just answer "no" to two or more of these questions? If so, your employees are probably already suffering from "terminal seriousness."

Further details at Having fun at work – an efficient management method

Regards