“Feedforward” and traditional feedback in job performance reviews are two distinct approaches to providing input and guidance to employees, each with its own focus and methodology. Here’s how they differ:
Traditional Feedback:
- Past-Centered: Traditional feedback primarily looks backward, assessing an employee’s performance over a specific period, often the past year. It focuses on what has already happened and provides an evaluation based on past actions and outcomes.
- Critique and Evaluation: It typically involves critiquing the employee’s actions, highlighting strengths and weaknesses, and evaluating their performance based on predetermined criteria. It often includes a review of past accomplishments and areas for improvement.
- Emphasis on Assessment: Traditional feedback is geared toward assessing past performance and may be linked to performance ratings, salary adjustments, or promotions. It tends to be summative, providing a final judgment on past work.
- Emotional Component: Traditional feedback can evoke strong emotional responses, especially if it includes negative criticism or unfavorable ratings. Employees may feel defensive or demotivated when receiving critical feedback.
- Can Be Demotivating: Some employees find traditional feedback demotivating, especially when it focuses more on shortcomings than on development opportunities.
Feedforward:
- Future-Focused: Feedforward, as the name implies, is forward-looking. It shifts the focus from what has already occurred to what can be achieved in the future. It is less concerned with past actions and more focused on future potential.
- Development-Oriented: Feedforward aims to provide constructive suggestions and guidance for improvement without dwelling on past mistakes or successes. It’s about identifying areas for growth and suggesting actionable steps to achieve it.
- Open and Collaborative: It encourages open dialogue and collaboration between the employee and the reviewer. Rather than a one-sided evaluation, it fosters a two-way conversation about development goals and how to achieve them.
- Positive and Motivating: Feedforward typically has a more positive tone than traditional feedback. It emphasizes an individual’s potential and encourages them to set and work towards new goals, which can be motivating and inspiring.
- Less Emotional: Since feedforward is less evaluative and more focused on future development, it often elicits fewer emotional reactions than traditional feedback. Employees may feel less defensive and more receptive to suggestions for improvement.
- Continuous Improvement: Feedforward is often part of a continuous improvement process. It acknowledges that learning and growth are ongoing, not limited to a once-a-year review.
In summary, while traditional feedback looks backward, evaluates past performance, and can be emotionally charged, feedforward is future-focused, development-oriented, and aims to motivate and inspire employees to reach their full potential. Many organizations are adopting feedforward as a more constructive and forward-looking approach to performance management. However, the choice between traditional feedback and feedforward may depend on the organization’s culture, goals, and the preferences of both employees and managers.
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