Drive Employee Engagement and Retention Through a Culture of Feedback
Amid economic uncertainties and declining employee engagement across the US and globally, companies are shifting their focus from talent attraction to talent retention and engagement strategies. (Forbes) This shift makes a lot of sense—especially in a resource-constrained environment—given the well-established link between employee engagement, productivity, and business performance. The more engaged an employee feels with their work and the organization’s culture, the less likely they are to seek or consider external opportunities, ultimately reducing costly attrition.
An employee’s decision to remain with an organization depends on more than just compensation. Employees want to grow, develop new skills, and feel that their contributions matter. One of the most effective ways to drive engagement and retention is by fostering a culture of feedback—one that empowers everyone in the organization, not just people leaders, to give and receive feedback that fuels development, collaboration, and continuous improvement. According to the Academy to Innovate HR, feedback can lead to more engaged employees, improved performance, and a stronger organizational culture.
A healthy feedback culture doesn’t just happen—it’s intentionally built. It looks like this:
Feedback flows in all directions—upward, downward, and peer-to-peer—not just from manager to employee.
Feedback is timely and specific, shared in the moment or close to it, not saved for annual reviews.
Everyone has the skills and mindset to give and receive both positive and constructive feedback with curiosity, empathy, and a shared commitment to growth.
Leaders model the way by actively asking for feedback and showing they’re open to learning.
Psychological safety is present, so people feel safe speaking up and know their input will be met with respect and not retaliation.
Of course, building this kind of culture takes more than intention. It requires consistent effort, training, and reinforcement. But these costs are often minimal compared to the potential gains in engagement, productivity, innovation, and retention. As Gallup notes, strong feedback cultures are essential for creating high-performing workplaces.
Ready to build a feedback culture?
Start by assessing your current environment. Are your people trained and confident in giving feedback? Do they feel safe sharing upward or with peers? Are leaders modeling the behaviors you want to see?
Claria Partners helps organizations like yours turn feedback into a superpower—equipping teams with the tools and mindsets to create cultures where people thrive. Let’s connect to explore how we can help you take the first step.