Paaras Parker, CHRO, Paycor.
getty
So many studies have confirmed what we all know: Practical, future-focused feedback and recognition matter. Industry analyst Josh Bersin found that companies with highly effective recognition programs experience 46% lower voluntary turnover than those that don't. Additionally, Zippia found that 85% of employees are more likely to take initiative when they receive feedback. I could go on, but you get the point.
Why are these elements so impactful in a workplace? Because no one wants to work in isolation and anonymity. While many do—our economy is filled with unsung heroes who find ways to stay motivated—that’s not ideal, and it’s not what you want in your organization. With the right coaching and encouragement, struggling performers can improve and good performers can become great.
Which brings me to the topic of this piece: a simple observation that the word “great” might get overused and what that can tell us about how we conceptualize employee performance.
What Happens When Everything Is 'Great'
It’s easy to overuse phrases like “Great job!” or “Awesome work!” Superlatives can come naturally because the manager is caught up in the emotion of a moment and wants to convey their excitement and approval. But let’s pause and consider the unintended consequences of characterizing every win as "Great" or "Awesome."
A truly great performance is rare. It’s going above and beyond, doing more than what's expected or required. And while most employees at any given time may have the desire to overachieve, they don’t necessarily yet have the skills or ability to do so. Additionally, if an employee is routinely going beyond their defined roles and responsibilities, it’s probably time to promote them or at least revise and enlarge their job description.
The Problems With Overpraise
Overusing superlatives like “Great job” can cause unintentional problems.
If many routine behaviors are publicly cheered as examples of greatness, the word loses its meaning. It devalues the very real and meaningful value of high-quality work that's delivered reliably and consistently. On top of that, it becomes harder to identify and reward truly exceptional performance.
The net effect is a kind of dependency on the dopamine rush of hearing “Awesome job!" or "That was great!” If you want to nurture a high-performance culture that really recognizes, values and rewards consistent employee engagement, don’t put your teams on a Pavlovian hamster wheel where they're craving that next high five. Instead, you need to offer a more intentional kind of feedback that will ultimately be more fulfilling.
Instead, Treat Feedback As A Dialogue
This brings me to a final consideration. Organizations benefit from more collaborative feedback that invites employees to reflect on their performance in their own words. After all, when a manager labels performance or behavior as "Exceptional," they’ve unintentionally limited what might have otherwise been a more meaningful, productive conversation.
Instead, people leaders should start asking team members how they've felt about their work life recently. For example, a manager might ask a team member what it was like for them to lead a successful project. Perhaps they felt empowered and excited to take on even bigger assignments. Maybe they were overwhelmed at times or didn't feel adequately supported. What would they do differently next time? It’s easy to see how this kind of dialogue can provide insights into an employee’s strengths, areas for improvement and overall growth trajectory.
Here are a few tips to help you put this theory into practice.
• Be Specific: Rather than generic acknowledgment, tell employees exactly what they did well.
• Make It A Conversation: Feedback discussions shouldn't be a monologue. They're a two-way street that should benefit both you and the employee.
• Recognize Individual Contributions: Everyone brings something unique to the table. Be sure to acknowledge that.
• Encourage Self-Reflection: Invite employees to think about their own performance, and give them a safe space to share their personal insights.
• Give Feedback: Praise is important, but so is constructive, specific and, most importantly, actionable feedback. This is what helps employees actually improve.
• Follow Up: Don't let feedback be a one-and-done deal. Check in on employees' progress, and offer them support when needed.
Words matter. They shape our workplace culture, influence employee motivation and impact overall performance. By being mindful of our language, opening up dialogues and providing specific, constructive feedback, we can foster a culture where good performance evolves into great performance in ways that are so obvious, they don’t even need to be labeled.
Forbes Human Resources Council is an invitation-only organization for HR executives across all industries. Do I qualify?
