Unlock Your Team’s Hidden Superpower: How Better Feedback Ignites Employee Engagement

Dear EdTech Türkiye readers and esteemed business professionals,

Imagine this for a moment:
It’s Monday morning. Your team is rushing into work, energized, eyes sparkling, fully committed to what they do.
Ideas are flying, challenges are seen as opportunities, and the atmosphere buzzes with excitement.

What a wonderful scene, right?
That scene is called Employee Engagement.

Research giants like Gallup consistently emphasize it:
Highly engaged teams generate 18% more revenue, are 17% more productive, and 21% more profitable compared to their less engaged counterparts. Plus, they experience 42% less absenteeism and 24% lower turnover rates.

These aren’t just numbers—they are the very lifeblood of thriving companies.

But there’s also the other side of the coin.
Gallup also reports that 62% of employees globally are not engaged at work.

Meaning?
They show up. They do the minimum. They hesitate to share brilliant ideas. They operate at half their potential—or even less.

If this is true (and even if Gallup is off by a little, we can all observe this around us), then an enormous well of untapped potential is quietly lying dormant within our organizations.
There’s a massive opportunity waiting—to reduce turnover, boost productivity, and increase revenue.

Why the Disconnection? What's the Root Cause?

There could be many reasons behind this disengagement.
But research and real-world experience consistently point to a few critical factors:

• Lack of meaningful feedback from managers.

• Unclear goals—employees don’t know what direction they’re running toward.

• Managers not challenging or leveraging employees’ strengths effectively.

This brings us to the magic word: Feedback.

But we’re not talking about those cold, formal, once-a-year performance reviews.
As Kim Scott highlights in Radical Candor, the feedback that truly transforms is:

• Sincere

• Personal

• Direct

• Continuous

• Specific

• Actionable

Why Is Feedback Such a Powerful Catalyst?

Imagine this:

• Your manager sets aside time specifically for you.

• They clearly explain what you’re doing well and where you can improve, using real examples.

• They communicate expectations openly.

How would you feel?
Valued. Seen. Supported.

And these feelings are the bedrock of true engagement.

Feedback opens a personal, direct communication channel between managers and employees.
It helps employees understand their performance, guides their growth, and plants the seeds for a trust- and development-focused culture.

Behavior Change: Where the Real Challenge Lies

Understanding the importance of feedback is one thing—implementing it consistently is another.

Why?
Because creating a feedback-rich culture doesn’t just require a new process or tool.
It demands behavioral change, especially among leaders and managers.

For many managers, giving personal, candid feedback means stepping out of their comfort zone.

Behavioral experts like James Clear (Atomic Habits) and Charles Duhigg (The Power of Habit) remind us:
Changing habits takes time, effort, and repetition.

Just as feedback must be ongoing, training managers to give effective feedback must also be continuous.

Where Does 70% of Learning Really Happen?

The Critical Role of Learning Technologies

Traditional learning models teach us that:

• 10% of learning happens through formal classroom training.

• 20% happens through coaching and mentoring.

• A whopping 70% occurs on the job, during daily work activities!

This 70% is exactly where modern learning technologies and methodologies shine.

If we want to truly change leadership behaviors, we must embed learning into the natural flow of work—not isolate it into occasional workshops.

How On-the-Job Activities Strengthen Feedback Muscles

Companies successfully driving cultural transformation use real-world practice to strengthen feedback habits.

On-the-job learning activities are highly effective because:

• They nurture an open feedback culture organically.

• They minimize disruption to daily operations.

• They make new behaviors stick through practice.

Think about it:
Why do you hire a personal trainer when you want to get fit?

Because real growth happens when feedback is immediate, specific, and actionable:
“Widen your grip. Keep your elbows close. Straighten your back. Breathe!”

It’s real-time coaching, in the moment.

Similarly, when feedback training is embedded in daily work, behavior change becomes sustainable.

A simple activity could be:

“This week, when giving feedback to a colleague, ask them to repeat back what they heard to ensure clarity.”

Small actions like these, practiced consistently in real work settings, spark real learning and culture change.

Practice creates new habits.
And only then can we build a culture where open feedback becomes the norm—and where employees are deeply engaged.

In Conclusion: Or Rather, A Starting Point

Yes, feedback is a critical driver of employee engagement.
But for feedback to truly power up your organization, you must prioritize behavior change—both for leaders and employees.

By using goal-driven, on-the-job learning activities, we can create an open feedback culture.
And that culture will naturally lead to higher employee engagement—and eventually, better business outcomes.

It all starts with initiatives focused on strengthening feedback and recognition behaviors through embedded learning.

Remember:
The greatest potential often lies hidden within the simplest, most genuine conversations.

If you would like to learn more about this topic or request a custom-designed training program for your organization, feel free to contact us. Our professional team would be delighted to provide solutions tailored to your needs.

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