Receiving and giving feedback has never been so crucial. Whether you're working from home, with freelancers, in multi-disciplinary, international or international teams, feedback has never been so crucial. As a result, intergenerational exchanges are becoming increasingly complex. So how do you transform this feedback into a lever for progress and cohesion? Find out from Hélène Toye, expert trainer in communication and personal development, how to tailor feedback to each context.
Teleworking, working with freelancers or external consultants from ESNs (digital services companies, which second specialists to their customers on assignment), generational or cultural diversity... These are all situations that challenge traditional feedback codes. In a constantly changing working environment, adapting the way you give feedback is no longer an option - it's a necessity.
But first, how do you define feedback?
In practical terms, feedback is constructive, positive or corrective feedback, aimed at evaluating behaviour, actions or results in order to encourage improvement and professional development. It is therefore a key management tool. In particular, it enables you to :
- encourage continuous learning
- recognise the contributions of each individual
- aligning teams on common objectives
However, this practice is not universal: feedback deemed relevant in one context may be misunderstood or badly received in another. So how can managers adjust their feedback according to the people they work with, the context and the way in which they work together?
Good feedback doesn't just depend on what you say. It's how you give it that counts.
Teleworking feedback: maintaining the link despite distance
The spread of teleworking has changed the way people communicate in the workplace. Gone are the days of informal exchanges at the coffee machine or non-verbal signals slipped into a corridor. From a distance, feedback is colder and sometimes clumsier. If a written message lacks nuance or context, it can quickly be misinterpreted. To avoid these misunderstandings, some managers have taken the initiative and introduced new rituals.
For example:
- regular, dedicated video briefings to maintain direct, human interaction
- alternating between clear, structured written feedback and more empathetic oral exchanges
- the use of the camera to recreate visual and emotional proximity, essential for capturing tone and reactions
Louisiana, developer back end in a tech company, has had experience of this:
«When we were in full remote, My manager suggested a weekly 15-minute video session dedicated solely to feedback. It's changed the way we work together!»
This type of initiative, simple in appearance, reintroduces a human dimension where the screen tends to standardise exchanges. So a new way of providing feedback is being invented... and it involves the camera being switched on.
Feedback to freelancers: establish a clear, constructive... and caring exchange
It's not always easy to give feedback to a freelancer. Unlike employees, freelancers operate outside the traditional hierarchical framework. Often involved in one-off assignments, they have neither the same points of reference nor the same expectations. That's why it's so important to lay the foundations for a healthy and effective exchange very early on.
This is the approach taken by’Alessandro, Project Manager in a digital agency:
«From the initial brief, I take the time to clarify the expectations, the deliverables and, above all, the way in which I'll be giving feedback. We then set up a review meeting every fortnight to go over the deliverables... with feedback in both directions. This helps to avoid misunderstandings and establish a real dialogue.»
It's an approach that relies on clarity... but also on diplomacy. Because while feedback to freelancers must remain factual and results-oriented, it cannot afford to be brutal. Recognition of the work done, appreciation of the contributions made and respectful communication are all ingredients in building a relationship of trust and, why not, a desire to work together over the long term.
[Training]
Feedback is a powerful tool for communication and motivation.
Through practical exercises (role-plays, case studies), practise giving constructive feedback and embed it in your day-to-day management practices.
Discover the training programme Give effective feedback, practical workshop.
[Also read]
Feedback is essential for any manager who cares about the performance and well-being of his or her team.
But what are the best ways to go about it? And what are the pitfalls to be avoided at all costs?
Find out more about the characteristics of impactful feedback by reading the article Feedback: a lever for successful management.
Feedback to ESN consultants: creating a direct dialogue
In the complex environments in which Digital Service Providers (DSPs) operate, the chain of communication can quickly become too long... at the risk of blurring the message. Between the customer, the project manager and the sales person, a simple feedback message can lose its clarity, be misinterpreted or even completely transformed.
To avoid these pitfalls, it is essential to establish direct channels between consultants and project teams. Involving consultants in collective rituals, such as daily meetings or retrospectives, Feedback is a simple and effective way of facilitating exchanges. Feedback is part of a continuous improvement process, focused on the project and not on the individual.
It is equally important to create a direct link between the consultant and the client. This limits misunderstandings and encourages more effective collaboration.
Aminata, consultant on assignment, has experienced this first hand:
«One day, I received feedback from a customer via my sales representative. But the message had lost its meaning along the way and the tone had changed completely. Since then, the customer and I have been talking directly at the end of each sprint. It's much clearer and, above all, much healthier.»
Generation Z and seniors: adapting feedback to the pace of each individual
Generation Z prefers rapid feedback, often using digital tools such as Slack or Notion. Conversely, more experienced profiles prefer more formal, structured exchanges, with a bit of distance to put things into perspective.
Cindy, HR Manager, has experienced this difference on a daily basis:
«My work-study student was expecting almost instant feedback on Slack. Personally, I need time to think before responding. We found a compromise: flash feedback via video every Friday.»
This kind of hybrid approach allows everyone to find a pace that suits them. The most important thing? Dare to ask the question from the outset: how do you prefer to receive feedback? A small reflex that can avoid many misunderstandings...
[Also read] Managers, modernise your feedback with AI
Intercultural feedback: when differences become strengths
In international or multicultural teams, feedback can quickly become... a delicate exercise. Indeed, what seems natural in one culture may be poorly perceived in another. While some people expect direct, straightforward feedback, others prefer more nuanced, or even very indirect, formulations.
To avoid misunderstandings, it is best to take the time to find out about the cultural codes of the people you are dealing with. Establishing a clear, shared framework from the outset helps to align expectations and lay the foundations for respectful communication.
Co-constructing a feedback model is often the key to smooth and harmonious collaboration.
This is what Théo, product owner in an international team:
«My feedback was too direct for my Japanese colleague. I wanted to get straight to the point, but she saw it as dry, even critical. She gradually withdrew and dared to speak up less and less. So together we built a more gradual and nuanced feedback model, which was more respectful of her cultural codes. Since then, the team dynamic has changed: my Japanese colleague is once again actively contributing ideas and our exchanges are much more fluid. The climate of trust has returned.»
Proof that with a little listening and goodwill, cultural differences can become real assets for the team.
Ultimately, feedback is more than just a communication technique; it is a strategic lever for collective performance. But for it to be truly effective, you need to adapt it to the context, the profile of the person you are talking to and the working environment. As these testimonials show, it's not enough to have the intention of doing the right thing. You also need to be empathetic, a good listener and agile. Because in the art of feedback, form counts as much as substance.
