Create a feedback process to support Feedback Now
Get the most out of Feedback Now by pairing it with a robust feedback process. This is a process your organisation creates and follows. It should identify how a piece of feedback moves through your organisation. What needs to be done? Who needs to do it?
Besides clarifying roles and tasks, a clear feedback process can also build trust.
When shared with workers, they can understand:
- how their feedback will be handled
- what will be done with it.
They'll see you're committed to gathering feedback and meaningful change.
What does a good feedback process look like?
Here is an example of what a good feedback process looks like:
Step 1: Receive feedback
Assign someone to be responsible for receiving feedback.
This could be someone from:
- human resources
- legal
- compliance
- health and safety
- corporate affairs, or
- a senior manager or executive.
It could also be an external partner such as a trade union official, a grievance handling agency, legal or consulting firm.
Step 2: Review the feedback
The assigned person reviews and categorises the feedback. Depending on the seriousness of it, different processes may need to be triggered.
Step 3: Acknowledge the feedback
If the person submitting the feedback shares their contact details, make contact with them. Confirm you've received their feedback and outline the process and expected timeline.
Step 4: Investigate
Clarify the facts as much as possible. If the person submitting feedback has shared their contact details, ask them to provide more information about what happened. Make sure they feel comfortable throughout the process.
Depending on the feedback, you may need to bring in a 3rd-party with specialist expertise. They can help you better understand the feedback and work with you to resolve or address it.
Step 5: Resolve and respond
Actions to resolve the feedback should be specific, time-bound, and agreed upon by everyone involved.
Any reparations need to:
- meet the needs of the person who submitted the feedback, and
- be in line with international human rights standards.
If the feedback is found to be unsubstantiated (not backed by evidence), it can be closed. If the person submitting feedback has shared their contact details, update them on the outcome.
Step 6: Follow up and close
Once a resolution is agreed to, it should be actioned and monitored.
To close a feedback item, follow up with everyone involved. Ask them how satisfied they are with the feedback process and the outcome.
Step 7: Reporting
Provide regular reporting on the:
- number of complaints received
- type of complaint
- timing of the resolution, and
- actions taken to resolve the feedback.
These reports can be:
- included in annual corporate social sustainability reports
- shared with customers, your employers, unions and other interested stakeholders.
No one can expect perfection in a workforce, but being transparent about the issues and the actions taken to resolve them will protect your corporate reputation far more in the long term.
Feedback process as a flow chart
Here is the example feedback process as a high-level flowchart:
