30 Positive Feedback Examples to Boost Employee Productivity

Positive Feedback, when delivered properly, has the potential to enhance the relationship between employees and organizations. It’s a catalyst for employee development and the right alternative to the usual employee performance reviews. And honestly, we all know how we feel about post-performance reviews. 

If you are someone who wants to incorporate positive feedback for employees in your organization, you are already on the right track. Not only will you be motivating your employees but also effectively creating and closing feedback loop.  

What is Positive Feedback?

Positive feedback is the one that primarily focuses on the employee’s strength, values, and overall contribution to an organization. The purpose of positive feedback is to acknowledge the employee’s hard work and achievements.

Doing so creates a culture of open dialogue and boosts employee productivity. Additionally, this can prevent a toxic work environment. Incorporating positive feedback can be a powerful way to retain talent, and make employees feel valued.

Boost Employee Engagement

Measure, analyze and improve employee feedback and reduce employee turnover with Zonka Feedback.

Common Mistakes While Offering Positive Feedback

The most common mistake that managers and leaders make is to serve positive feedback and criticism on the same platter. This can be especially confusing for the employee who might focus on the feedback’s negatives to overcompensate.

One of the examples would be a manager telling an employee, “You did amazing in the last quarter and because of you, we now have 5x more engagement on our channels, but it would be great if you could work on researching a bit more about our target customers before starting a campaign.” While this feedback started with positivity and acknowledgment, it was soon followed by criticism which didn’t do much to motivate the employee. In order to create and close feedback loop, one must focus on what value can be added to the process. 

But this doesn’t mean that one should refrain from providing constructive criticism or negative feedback. This only means that the negative feedback must be delivered in the right way so that it doesn’t come in between you acknowledging the contribution of your employees. Remember that the entire point of providing positive feedback is to motivate your workforce.

Benefits of Positive Feedback

Although critical feedback can be a game changer within teams, it’s the emphasis on negative feedback that leads to a decrease in morale. In the long term, frequent negative and critical feedback can result in loss of productivity and leave employees feeling undervalued.

Positive feedback, on the other hand, can provide immense benefits to both the employee as well as the organization. Some of the benefits include:

1. Higher Engagement

Positive feedback has the power to increase the engagement of the employees with their work. This may lead to them sharing more ideas, taking initiative, and increasing problem-solving skills.

A study by Gallup showed that positive feedback can have a major impact on the productivity of employees. According to the survey, 67% of the employees showed higher engagement when their managers talked more about their strengths.

2. Increased Productivity

The feedback that focuses on employees’ strengths and contributions can prove to increase productivity. Another study by Gallup found that positive feedback is a productivity booster. The study was conducted among 530 teams and the teams that received positive feedback showed 12.5% more productivity than the teams with no feedback.

3. High Retention Rate

Positive feedback can also have a direct impact on the attrition rate of the employees. When employees don’t feel acknowledged for their contributions, they have a higher tendency to detach from the workplace and put in their resignations. Positive feedback, on the other hand, can reduce that risk by around 15 percent.

4. Increased Profits

If the employees are productive and engaged in the workplace, the chances of the company making profits increases considerably.

The same study by Gallup showed that the companies that incorporate positive feedback in their workplace witness 8.9% higher profitability compared to the companies where the employees don’t receive feedback.

30 Examples of Positive Feedback for Employees

Now that you know how positive feedback can affect the employees' engagement and productivity, it's time we tell you what you came looking for. A caution for managers who are not used to giving positive feedback to the employees; the following examples can be life-changing and most importantly change your perspective towards boosting morale at the workplace. 

Positive Feedback Examples to Appreciate Good Work

Here are some of the examples of positive feedback that you can give to your employees to appreciate their good work. In case you feel that the employees are being hesitant during the conversation, you can do a survey to assess your relationship being a manager/supervisor with the employees using Supervisor Performance Evaluation Survey Form. 

1.“Today’s meeting went successful because of your input. I can already see how motivated you are to turn this project into a success. I admire your dedication and the extra efforts you put in. If you keep on going like this, you’ll have a very brilliant future.”

2.“I truly admire that you were prompt at resolving the unexpected issue that occurred in the morning. The way you handled it has really inspired the team. We are happy to have a talent like you on our team.”

3. "Your presentation was really insightful and you did cover some important points that we have been overlooking. Now the team clearly knows what the priority for this project should be like. We look forward to seeing initiatives like these in the coming future.”

4.“ Today you proved that I can always count on you. You have been consistent throughout and seem to understand the importance of your tasks. You should know that I appreciate your efforts and your work ethics.”

5.“Your go getter attitude is really impressive. You have managed to meet every single target for the month. Initially I was a bit skeptical about your abilities but you have definitely proved me wrong. Keep up the good work!”

6. “I’m continuously impressed by the quality of your work. You have really set the standards for the rest of the team. Good work!”

Positive feedback Examples for Team Players

If you are impressed by the exceptional team player skills of your employees, you can refer to the following positive feedback examples. You can also run a survey to measure the loyalty of your employees using Employee Net Promoter Score Survey Template.

1. “I truly admire your ability to work so effortlessly with the team. You have strong cross-collaboration skills and all your cross-collaboration projects until now, have received positive feedback from all teams. You ensured that every team member knew their contribution in the project and gave everyone the opportunity to express ideas.”

2. “You have proved that you are a great team player and you know how to encourage the team to make informed decisions. I appreciate your collaborative values and I believe it has enriched our company’s culture.”

3. “I’m enthralled that you managed to cover for two of your team members in their absence. You didn’t just do it for the sake of it but you actually showed perfection which is hard to achieve when you are carrying so many responsibilities at a go. Keep it up!”

4. “It’s really commendable how you are a master at conflict resolution. We didn’t know that you had this talent hidden in you. Today’s conflict between the team members could have really gone south if not for you. You are a reliable and a strong team player.”

5. “I speak for the entire team when I say that you are the bong keeping the team together. Your efforts in assisting team members, cross-collaborations, and empathy towards your co-workers is truly an asset to this organization. Keep up the good work!”

Positive Feedback Examples for Customer Favorite Employees

Customers showing exceptional engagement towards that one employee? Well, it's about time that the appreciation is served as positive feedback in a platter. Here are the examples-

1. “I would like to inform you that we have received positive feedback from our most valuable client regarding your attitude and the assistance you provided them with. You ensured that everyone was on the same page throughout the project and you consistently delivered on your promises. You have made the company and myself very proud.”

2. “First of all, I would like to thank you for your massive contribution to the last week's project. You not only made an excellent delivery but you also did overtime to cover for your fellow team mates. Your values and ethics at the workplace are truly inspiring. Good work!”

3. “Your dedication towards helping out our customers has caught my eye. I couldn’t have been any more prouder to have you in my team. You have proved that you are an asset to our company.”

4. “I wanted to personally come and thank you for your contribution to our company. It has considerably increased the customer satisfaction ratings. Your ability to handle and assist customers and connect with people is valuable. Great Job!"

5. “I've noticed that you have been putting a lot of efforts into meeting the tight deadlines. The clients are really happy with your work and we couldn’t thank you enough for your contribution. You should know that your efforts are valued. You make us proud.”

Positive Feedback Examples for Problem-Solvers

A lot of people say they are a problem-solver but sadly get stuck when a real one arrives. But those who do manage to show their ability of getting out of muddy waters no matter how tricky it looks, is the one worthy of appreciation. Here are some positive feedback examples for problem solvers. 

1. “We appreciate your willingness to take risks and solve a problem that could have been a costly affair for the company in the long run. Good job!”

2. “You have consistently shown your willingness to go above and beyond  when it comes to solving the problem in hand. The best part about you is that you always manage to hit the deadlines no matter how great or small the challenge you are presented with. Your commitment and dedication is an example for our team.”

3. “Your commitment  towards our clients and dedication to resolve their issues is an asset to this organization. We truly believe that you have a bright future ahead if you keep up the work that you do.”

4. “We can already see that you have the problem-solving skill that we required for this position. In fact, it is your strength. You keep setting examples for your team and it’s something that we appreciate. Great work!”

5. “You did a tremendous job at managing the conflict that occurred during yesterday’s meeting. You ensured that both the parties felt heard and the issue was resolved smoothly. Keep it up!”

Positive Feedback Examples for Employee’s Personal Development

Employees are not just working to help you grow your company but also for their personal development. A bad manager or supervisor will get threatened by this personal development but a good one will appreciate it because it only benefits the organization in the long run. Here are some of the examples.-

1. “I would like to tell you that you have come a long way since you first started working with us. You have left no stone unturned to learn about your role and beautifully handled the responsibilities that come with it. I’m impressed with this new persona and commitment towards work I’m seeing in you.”

2. "I’m consistently impressed with your growth. Whether it is your time management, quality of delivery, and contribution towards the projects, you have shown real growth in every aspect. I hope you continue to grow like this professionally as well as personally. Good work.”

3. “Some people are born-talented, while some put efforts in order to improve their skills. You have come to the point where I can’t distinguish which category I should put you in. The way that you have shown transformation in your working style and putting ideas forward, I truly believe that you will go a long way if you keep up like this. Proud of you.”

4. “First of all, I want to thank you for your wonderful job in our October's project. Trust me when I tell you this - You have exactly what it takes to become a leader. You never shy away from making mistakes and learning from them. You are an example to the team. Feel free to tell me how I can help you succeed.”

Positive Feedback Examples for New Joiners

New joiners are the ones who need an extra little push of motivation, not just to make  them feel comfortable but also tell them their efforts are being appreciated. It's impossible for a new joiner to learn everything at once. But every small achievement appreciated is a happy employee who'd feel motivated to work with you. For HR managers, running an on-boarding survey can also measure how comfortable their first contact with the company was with Employee On-boarding survey form templates.  

1. “Ever since you have joined, I have only heard nice things about you from the team members and the clients. You have shown your attentiveness and eagerness to learn about your role. I can already see you as an asset to the team.”

2. “I’ve noticed that you have been pretty straight-forward presenting your ideas and perspective in an understandable manner. Being a newcomer, you have exceeded the expectations we had from you, which I truly admire. You are just what this team needs.”

3. “I hope you are settling in well. I’ve recently been informed about your performance and I couldn’t be more proud. You have been acing the assigned projects which makes me believe you are the right talent for this role. Let me know if there’s anything I can do to make you feel comfortable. Keep it up.”

4. “Although it’s just been a month since you started working here, you have managed to show the energy, positivity, and eagerness that we initially noticed in you during the interview process. I hope you keep this going and it will help you and the team to improve.”

5. “I would like to congratulate you as well as thank you for your valuable insights. You managed to impress everyone within two weeks of starting here. It has aided us considerably in improving our processes. Thanks again!”

Final Words

Employee feedback is crucial to enable growth in the workplace. It not only encourages ongoing development but also helps identify and remove blockers to achieve your targets. If you are a manager or team leader who wants to improve your team’s productivity and create an environment of support & motivation then you have to start taking the right initiative.

Positive feedback strengthens the relationship between employee and manager and makes the employees feel seen and supported in their role. The benefits of positive feedback contribute to improving employee engagement.

And as we discussed before, positive feedback directly impacts human resources as well as key employee performance indicators like employee morale, employee retention, skills building, and company culture. Make sure that you have an effective employee feedback system in place so that you can improve the working relationship with your employees which is a vital component of your company’s success.

Boost Employee Engagement

Measure, analyze and improve employee feedback and reduce employee turnover with Zonka Feedback.