10 Examples of Constructive Feedback in the Workplace

By Indeed Editorial Team

Updated May 31, 2022 | Published March 22, 2021

Updated May 31, 2022

Published March 22, 2021

As a leader, it is essential to communicate effectively with employees and provide them both positive and negative feedback. Opening the lines of communication lets employees know you care about their performance in the workplace and motivates them to continue improving their skills.

In this article, we discuss constructive feedback and provide examples and tips to help you incorporate it into the workplace.

What is constructive feedback?

When providing constructive feedback, an individual has a conversation with a coworker or employee about their work-related weaknesses. After identifying these weaknesses or concerns, they can begin developing strategies to make improvements. This feedback serves as a supportive communication tool, rather than critical. The feedback-provider can offer specific examples for positive changes, helping support the colleague's professional development.

Constructive feedback examples

You can use the following example workplace scenarios as guidance for providing constructive feedback:

Example 1: Employee's performance is slacking

Helen is typically a reliable employee, though she has seemed distracted at work and is turning in assignments late. Rather than reprimanding Helen immediately, let her know you have noticed these changes and would like to resolve them.

Example of constructive feedback: "Helen, I always appreciate how productive and reliable you are, but I have noticed a change in your performance lately. Turning in assignments late is unlike you. I wanted to check in with you to discuss any challenges you have been facing and understand how I can support you better."

Example 2: Employee turns in lower-quality work

While Joe meets deadlines, the work he produces often has mistakes. Highlight his strengths to boost his confidence before communicating your concerns.

Example of constructive feedback: "Joe, you have impressive time management skills. You complete tasks quicker than most of the team and rarely turn in your work late. However, I would like to see you focus on the content of your work. For example, the form you sent me yesterday was missing key points. Even though you submitted it two days early, I had to take additional time to resolve those errors. I would love to see you be more thorough and deliberate by taking 15 minutes to review your work before submitting it."

Example 3: Employee misses a meeting unexpectedly

Sandra is the team's graphic designer and was so focused on her latest assignment that she forgot to attend today's community meeting. Emphasize her importance to the team and why attendance at the meeting matters.

Example of constructive feedback: “Sandra, your passion and talent for graphic design keeps our team inspired and excited. I know the creative process can be time-consuming, but try to be aware of how you manage your time. We missed you during our community meeting this morning. These meetings provide an opportunity to collaborate and connect. Furthermore, they serve as check-ins to learn about how everyone is progressing on their projects. In the future, attendance at meetings is mandatory, as I do not want you to miss important information regarding our projects."

Example 4: Employee demonstrates a negative attitude

Bobby has been making complaints around the office and sometimes displays a disrespectful attitude toward his colleagues and supervisors, such as rolling his eyes or ignoring them. Addressing negativity can help maintain a positive work environment and team morale.

Example of constructive feedback: "Bobby, I wanted to check in with you about behaviors I have seen over the last few weeks. Based on your interactions with me, it seems you have not been happy at work. Is there something I can do to help you? In the future, I would appreciate you coming to me with any issues affecting your feelings toward work. When you voice complaints to other employees, I am unaware of the issue and cannot help find a solution.”

Example 5: Employee struggles to speak up

Jade excels at working independently but often has trouble collaborating with others or providing input during meetings. You can applaud her strong work ethic while communicating the benefits of practicing her interpersonal skills at work.

Example of constructive feedback: “Jade, I value your ability to work independently and maintain focus on your tasks. I know I can always depend on you to finish your work without extra prodding. I have noticed you do not speak up much during our team meetings, and I think our team would benefit from gaining your insights. I would like to see you speak up at least once during next Monday's meeting."

Example 6: Employee has not been reaching their goals

Cassandra has been having difficulty meeting her sales goals, but she produces good work. Acknowledge the hard work she puts forth and use the situation as an opportunity to develop a solution that supports her.

Example of constructive feedback: "Cassandra, you have consistently produced great work for our team and connected us with valuable clients. However, it looks like you have not reached your sales goals for the second month in a row. I think we should scale back your goals to make them more manageable. Once you begin consistently hitting those goals, we can have another discussion about increasing them again."

Example 7: Employee often arrives to work late

Patrick has come in late several days this week, which led him to miss important details during a meeting and affected the team's workflow. Call attention to this issue to understand the reasoning behind it and explain why tardiness affects your team.

Example of constructive feedback: "Patrick, I noticed you have come into work later than usual and missed the beginning of yesterday's meeting. I am worried you did not hear important information concerning our project that may affect your tasks this week. Let's go over what you missed, and I would like to know if something is affecting your arrival at work. We can develop a plan to ensure you do not miss future meetings to help you stay up-to-date."

Example 8: Employee tends to speak over others

Heath is an outgoing member of the team but often takes control of the conversation during meetings. You can show your appreciation for his enthusiasm and help him understand the importance of hearing others' views and opinions in group settings.

Example of constructive feedback: "Heath, I loved seeing your passion for reaching our goals during Tuesday's meeting. However, I noticed you interrupted several of your coworkers. In the future, I would like to see you provide space for others during team conversations to allow everyone's voices to be heard. Not everyone is as comfortable speaking up as you are, but hearing their perspective can help us utilize the full knowledge and abilities of our team."

Example 9: Employee needs to build problem-solving skills

Katrina often relies on others to help her complete her tasks at work, which can disrupt their workflow. You can express that while you and Katrina's coworkers are happy to provide the support she needs, she would benefit from trying to solve issues herself first.

Example of constructive feedback: "Katrina, I appreciate your enthusiasm for collaboration and asking for help when you need it. I believe in your resourcefulness and would like to see you try to find the answer on your own rather than turning to others immediately. I want to make sure our team does not get too distracted. You can take an extra 10 minutes to search online or look elsewhere. Come to me if you are still having trouble, and we can work on finding a solution."

Example 10: Employee rarely communicates

Stefan works remotely but often does not respond to emails from his supervisors or colleagues. As a result, they often do not know whether he read their messages and started working on the assignment. When working in an environment where you cannot connect with the person in-person, emphasize the importance of maintaining consistent virtual communication.

Example of constructive feedback: "Stefan, I wanted to speak with you to discuss your progress on our current project. Because you did not respond to my email last week, I am unsure where you stand. To make sure everyone is on target to meet our deadline, I would appreciate it if you could send me daily updates on your progress each afternoon. In the future, please reply to my messages. If you are having trouble, I would rather you tell me as soon as possible so I can help you find a solution and keep the project on track."

FAQs about constructive feedback

You can use the following answers to some frequently asked questions about constructive feedback to learn more about this concept:

When should I give constructive feedback?

Providing consistent and frequent feedback can help employees feel more comfortable having discussions about their performance. If you have constructive feedback about a specific project or task, communicate it sooner rather than days or weeks later. This approach ensures that the event is still fresh on you and your employee's minds. As a result, you may find it easier to identify issues and determine how to avoid or fix them in the future.

What are the benefits of constructive feedback?

When serving in a leadership position, constructive feedback can help strengthen and develop your team. Some of these benefits include:

Enhances communication: Constructive feedback can help create an open dialogue between you and employees. Both parties may begin to feel more comfortable providing honest feedback, which can foster a sense of trust. By opening yourselves up to communication and feedback, you can understand one another better and collaborate more effectively.
Clarifies expectations: When you provide constructive feedback, you often identify weaknesses or the concerns you have and offer solutions. As a result, employees understand how you expect them to perform their job. This feedback can provide clarification and direction for employees, ensuring that they meet those expectations in the future.
Increases engagement: Constructive feedback shows employees that you want to support them and help them grow. Employees who sense that support may be less likely to leave because they feel appreciated.

What is the difference between constructive feedback and criticism?

Criticism demonstrates disapproval of someone's actions or behaviors. While constructive feedback may identify an employee's faults or a manager's concerns, the conversation focuses on improvement. Often, a manager will highlight what the employee does well, then discuss what they could change for the better. Rather than "You did this wrong," you may say, "Instead of rushing to turn in your paperwork, try to go through the process more deliberately and review your work before submitting it." This approach can protect the employee's self-esteem, while criticism may make them feel unappreciated.

Tips for giving constructive feedback

You can use these tips to provide more effective constructive feedback:

Be specific. Provide specific examples of the behaviors that the individual succeeds at or needs to improve. For example, you can say, "I have noticed that you have been turning in assignments late." This example clearly defines the issue and expresses the specific behavior you want them to improve.
Provide actionable advice. After identifying weaknesses, give employees actionable advice on how to improve those behaviors. You also want to ensure that these changes are realistic. If an employee feels they cannot achieve what you set forth for them, it can demotivate them.
Show your appreciation. During constructive feedback conversations, make sure to recognize your employees' efforts. Highlighting their positive attributes can help boost their confidence as they work on making improvements. A positive and appreciative tone can also help make them more receptive to your comments rather than feeling criticized.
Listen to your employees. Providing feedback should serve as a two-way conversation. After discussing your views, give the employee time to reflect and ask you questions or voice their thoughts about the situation. They may provide new insights or help you understand their situation better.