Why feedback and recognition is essential
Recognition and feedback are the cornerstones of a healthy and productive working environment. It just doesn't always happen by itself. So how can you ensure proper feedback as a new graduate?
Am I doing it well enough?
More than one in three of IDA’s new graduates is unsure whether they are doing it well enough in the workplace. At the same time, the vast majority of new graduates say that they have a good relationship with their manager. It is a paradox that probably says something about the fact that new graduates do not fully understand how to use their manager for feedback and recognition. After all, your manager plays a central role.
“I hear from many young people that they have too high expectations of what the employer and manager expect of them. No one expects a new graduate to know what they should be working towards,” says Sanne Mattebjerg, a career advisor at IDA.
Therefore, recognition and feedback are absolutely central concepts in relation to getting a successful start in the new job.
How to Get Feedback and Recognition
- Reach Out: Request regular meetings or conversations with your manager to discuss your performance, goals, and any areas where you need feedback or support.
- Be clear about your goals: Clearly define your goals and expectations for your work. Share them with your manager so you agree on what is expected and how success will be measured.
- Ask for feedback: Be proactive and ask for constructive feedback. This shows that you are committed to improving yourself and your work.
- Be open to constructive criticism: When you get feedback, listen and respond with an open mind. This shows that you are willing to work on areas where there is room for improvement.
- Share your results: When you achieve success or reach important milestones, you can share these results with your manager. This shows that you are productive and adding value to the company.
- Recognize your colleagues: Recognition goes both ways. When you recognize and support your colleagues, it can create a culture where recognition also flows your way.
- Be solution-oriented: When you encounter challenges, come up with solutions to your manager. This shows that you are committed to addressing problems and want to contribute to the company’s success.
- Follow-up: After receiving feedback or working to improve something, follow up on how you have progressed.
Feedback and recognition is crucial
Being recognized for your achievements and efforts at work is essential for maintaining your motivation and engagement. Recognition doesn’t have to be extravagant; even small recognitions can have a big impact. It can be anything from a simple “good job” to more formal recognition like awards or public recognition for a job well done.
A workplace that values and recognizes employee efforts creates a work environment that can increase employee satisfaction and strengthen their connection to the company. And your immediate manager can help make these things happen for you.
But the leadership role is new to many graduates, so it can be difficult to figure out how to act towards your manager. During your studies, you typically see yourself reflected in other students, and teachers and supervisors have a different role than a manager in a workplace. Here, you are closer to your manager, there is a power relationship, and you have much more contact than with your supervisor or teacher.
“During your education, you work towards a goal in the exam, and you certainly don’t flash what you don’t understand. It can be the same with your boss,” says Sanne Mattebjerg.
And in relation to your own development and contribution to the company, it is of course not good to “hide” the qualifications that need to be honed when you talk to your boss. Quite the opposite. Because it is important to remember that it is also in your manager’s interest that you do the best you can. Your manager’s success depends on yours, and therefore you should not hesitate to show your vulnerable sides or your shortcomings.
“Our mistakes hurt less when we say them out loud. Shame cannot survive in the open,” says Sanne Mattebjerg.
Let the manager show the direction
It can be tempting as a new employee to show initiative and get your tasks done quickly and efficiently. Here you just have to be careful not to push yourself from the start. And here, IDAs counsellor has one last piece of good advice in this regard. As an employee, you may have an idea of what is important to prioritize, but you don’t really know.
“It’s not your job to choose what is most important. And you can’t either. It’s the manager who has the overview of what needs to be prioritized,” says Sanne Mattebjerg.
