How to Effectively Receive Feedback as an Employer 

In a competitive and fast-evolving business landscape, successful employers understand that feedback is not just a tool for supporting their employees — it’s also critical for improving their own leadership.  

While giving feedback is a widely discussed management skill, receiving feedback effectively — especially as an employer — can be equally valuable, and arguably more difficult. 

Cultivating a workplace environment that encourages open and honest feedback is essential to improving employee engagement, retention, productivity, and your overall organisational health. 

In this article, we’ll outlines practical, actionable strategies that you can implement to effectively receive, and respond to feedback from your teams. 

Why Receiving Feedback Matters 

Before diving into how to receive feedback effectively, it’s worth considering why it matters: 

1. Improves Leadership Effectiveness: Leaders who receive and act on feedback become more self-aware, and capable of adapting their style to meet their team’s needs. 

2. Boosts Employee Morale and Trust: Employees are more likely to feel valued and respected if their input is acknowledged and considered. 

3. Supports Innovation and Growth: Honest feedback can uncover inefficiencies, risks, or improvement opportunities that you might’ve otherwise overlooked. 

4. Strengthens Company Culture: A culture that supports two-way communication nurtures accountability, transparency, and continuous learning. 

1. Create Opportunities for Feedback 

If you're not actively seeking feedback, you're unlikely to receive it — especially the honest kind.  

Many employees are hesitant to provide input to their managers or employers, particularly if they fear negative consequences. To combat this, you need to intentionally create multiple channels for receiving feedback, such as: 

One-on-one Meetings: Set aside time in regular one-on-one meetings specifically for gathering employee feedback. Ask what’s working, and what could be improved. 

Surveys and Polls: Anonymous surveys can be particularly useful for gathering honest input. Platforms like Google Forms can be used to structure responses, and gain insights. 

Performance Reviews with Upward Feedback: Include a component in performance reviews that allows employees to provide feedback about leadership. 

Team Retrospectives or Debriefs: After projects or key events, hold short retrospectives and ask: "What should we start, stop, or continue doing?” 

2. Ask the Right Questions 

The quality of feedback you receive often depends on the quality of your questions. Vague or overly broad questions can result in unclear answers. Be specific and targeted. 

Examples of questions include:

• “What barriers are preventing you from doing your best work?” 

• “How can I improve the way I support the team?” 

• “Is there anything in our communication or processes that you find frustrating?” 

• “What’s one thing you think leadership could do better?” 

Avoid yes/no questions. Instead, prompt employees to provide examples or explanations. 

3. Make Feedback Comfortable 

One of the most common reasons employees may withhold feedback is fear — fear of retaliation, judgment, or being perceived as difficult. It’s essential to nurture psychological safety so that team members feel comfortable sharing their honest perspectives. 

Tips to make Feedback Comfortable

Maintain Confidentiality: If someone shares sensitive feedback, don’t disclose their identity unless they’ve agreed to it. 

Avoid Reacting Defensively: Even if the feedback feels unfair or misguided, resist the urge to respond with defensiveness. 

Use Neutral, Open Body Language: Maintain eye contact, nod to show understanding, and avoid interrupting. 

Acknowledge their Efforts: Thank them for being honest and taking the time to share their thoughts. 

4. Listen to Understand, not to Respond 

One of the most powerful things you can do during a feedback exchange is to truly listen. This means setting aside ego, assumptions, and the urge to immediately fix or explain. 

Practice Active Listening: 

• Let the employee finish speaking before responding. 

• Paraphrase what you’ve heard to confirm understanding (e.g., “So you’re saying that our current workflow slows down your productivity — is that right?”). 

• Ask clarifying questions without challenging the feedback itself. 

• Keep the focus on understanding the issue, not defending your intent. 

Remember: feedback is not always about what you meant to do, but how your actions were perceived. 

5. Evaluate Feedback Objectively 

Not all feedback will be valid, useful, or practical — but every piece should be evaluated with care. Separate the emotional reaction from the information being presented. 

Here are some questions to ask yourself: 

• Is this a one-off comment, or part of a recurring theme? 

• Does this feedback reflect a systemic issue, or an isolated concern? 

• Is this something that’s within my control to change? 

• Are there any biases or misunderstandings behind this feedback? 

Seek patterns across multiple feedback sources. 1 person’s perspective is useful, 5 people saying the same thing is a clear signal. 

6. Take Action and Communicate Outcomes 

One of the most important and often neglected parts of receiving feedback is what happens afterward. If employees consistently provide feedback but never see changes or even hear updates, they’ll likely stop engaging altogether. 

Steps for Follow-up: 

1. Acknowledge the Feedback – e.g. “We heard from several team members that our onboarding process felt rushed.” 

2. Share what you’re doing About it – e.g. “We’re redesigning the onboarding checklist to include a two-week ramp-up plan.” 

3. Be Transparent about Limitations – If a request isn’t feasible, explain why: “We can’t add more staff to the team at this time, but we’re hiring in Q3 to help relieve the workload.” 

4. Give credit where it’s due – Let the team know that employee input is driving improvement. This builds trust and encourages future participation. 

7. Build Feedback into your Leadership   

Receiving feedback shouldn’t be a once-a-year or crisis-driven event. Build it into your regular routine as a leader. This includes: 

• Starting or ending meetings with feedback rounds 

• Including “leader reflection” time in reviews 

• Regularly reviewing and acting on employee engagement data 

• Attending workshops or leadership coaching to improve receptiveness 

When feedback becomes part of the rhythm of your leadership, it will start to feel natural and less intimidating — for both you and your team. 

8. Model a Growth Mindset 

Finally, demonstrate through your actions that you want to improve. Be open about your own development goals and ask your team for help in reaching them. 

You might say: 

“One of the areas I’m working on is giving clearer direction during team meetings. I’d appreciate it if you let me know when I could have been more specific or if I’m being unclear.” 

This vulnerability shows your team that feedback is not just allowed — it’s expected and appreciated. 

Conclusion 

Receiving feedback is a cornerstone of effective leadership. For employers, where modern workplace standards prioritise responsiveness, and employee wellbeing, being open to feedback is a competitive advantage. 

By asking thoughtful questions, responding constructively, and acting on what you hear, you’ll create a culture where people feel safe, heard, and empowered to contribute. In turn, you’ll grow as a more self-aware, capable, and respected leader! 

Looking to Improve your Leadership? 

If you’re looking to develop into a stronger leader, we can help with that. At People Associates, we offer personalised leadership development programs that are designed to help you grow, overcome challenges, and unlock your full potential.  

Want a free consultation?   

Flick us a message here – or contact Lisa Oakley at lisa@peopleassociates.nz or on 027 573 5483.  

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