60+ Constructive Feedback Examples: Your Cheatsheet to Improvement Feedback

Giving and receiving constructive feedback is crucial for worker development and creating a productive and positive work environment. We curated 60+ examples of constructive feedback for various performance issues, competencies, or roles. These examples highlight how constructive feedback can effectively address workplace issues, enhance performance, and foster a collaborative environment. Share them with your employees and leaders and start reaping the benefits of a constructive feedback culture.

Constructive feedback phrases for performance reviews

Specific phrases help structure performance reviews to be constructive and motivational, guiding employees towards improvement without discouragement.

Constructive feedback examples about missing goals

Generally, workers want to perform well, and missing goals is something they hope to avoid. So be sure to approach this conversation and offer assistance rather than criticize their ability or performance.

Here are some employee feedback examples you can use when it comes to missing goals:

1. It looks like you fell a little short of achieving this goal. Are there any obstacles preventing you from succeeding? What would you need to overcome them?
2. You didn’t quite meet expectations this period. Are there any aspects of the plan that you don’t fully understand? We have confidence in your ability, so long as the path is clear.
3. You did not meet all of your targets this quarter. Do you think the sales goals we set were realistic? If not, what changes can we make to ensure you succeed next quarter?

Constructive feedback examples about decreased productivity

Decreased productivity can often result from dissatisfaction with a job or burnout. In either case, it is essential to use tact to avoid exacerbating a situation where friction already exists. Get the complete picture of employee productivity by:

• Examining employee performance data and reviews
• Looking for changes that coincide with reduced productivity
• Talk to coworkers and supervisors about any reasons they are aware of

For example, suppose an employee’s productivity decreases after a coworker quits. In that case, you can try to understand how that has impacted the subject.

Below are a few constructive criticism examples you can use to broach the subject of decreased positivity while remaining positive and helpful:

1. Last year, you went the extra mile! Your scores were some of the best I’ve ever seen. So far this year, your numbers aren’t quite keeping up. Has something changed that is causing this?
2. Since X occurred, your scores have taken a dip. Unfortunately, we can’t go back in time, but is there anything we can do to get back on track?
3. We noticed your output has been slightly lower these last few weeks. Do you need a break or a change of pace to help you recharge?

Constructive feedback examples for attitude and rudeness

When dealing with a bad attitude, you need to be extra cautious. The key here is to target the behavior, not the person. Try not to get personal with opinions or judgment. Instead, point out the issue and why it is a problem.

These are some ways you can deliver behavioral feedback constructively:

1. Last week, you commented that the sales team made some mistakes you had to fix. While we appreciate your help, your language was a little unprofessional. Do you recall what you said?
2. Some of your team members expressed a reluctance to work with you due to your attitude and some negative comments you have made. We all have bad days, but you must maintain a positive or at least neutral attitude at work. Can you remember an example of when this might have happened?
3. It has come to our attention that you and Jeff have had some personal conflicts lately. We understand that personalities don’t always mix well, but we must be able to work together as a team. Is there anything we can do to resolve this issue?

In some cases, merely letting an employee know that their behavior has caused enough of an issue for management to take notice can motivate them to correct it. Suppose this is a recurring or severe problem that needs an immediate resolution. In that case, you may need to use more explicit language and set stern expectations or ultimatums.

Constructive feedback examples for work ethic: Tardiness and absenteeism

Tardiness and absenteeism are common issues every HR specialist might have to deal with occasionally. Fortunately, attendance is usually well-documented, and policies are often in place. When giving constructive feedback about work ethic, consider these approaches:

1. You’ve had quite a few unexcused absences this year. Is there a reason you’ve been having trouble getting to work? Historically, your attendance has been excellent.
2. We noticed you clocked in late twice last week and again the week before. Is there a reason you’re having trouble making it in on time? Are you happy with your current schedule and job roles?
3. It looks like you missed the start of a meeting on Friday due to taking an extended lunch. You also left early the previous Friday. While we care about everyone finding a comfortable work-life balance, we have certain expectations about time management.

If possible, offer to work with the subject on their schedule. Try to find ways to improve the situation without forgetting their work-life balance.

Competency-based constructive feedback examples

Let’s review some competency-based examples of constructive feedback.

Attention to detail

A lack of attention to detail can be harmful in the workplace. Small mistakes in critical processes can cause a slew of problems. However, we are all human, and mistakes do happen. The problem is when individuals make more than their fair share of these small mistakes.

To address concerns with attention to detail, try framing your constructive feedback like this:

1. Overall, the quality of your work is excellent. There are just a few minor errors that keep it from being perfect. Is there a step we can add to your process so you can catch them?
2. I know there is a lot on your plate, but several repeated mistakes have created more work for you and others on your team. Do you know what they are?
3. Your speed metric is very good, but there have been a few inaccuracies lately. Is there anything we can do to ensure this doesn’t happen? It would be best to focus on accuracy at this stage, even if that means slowing your pace.

Providing constructive feedback on a worker’s attention to detail is tricky, as it can have many root causes. For some, it is simply not one of their strengths. Other times, it can be a lack of motivation or engagement or even a symptom of burnout. Discovering the cause of the lack of attention to detail is vital to solving the problem (even if that means the position simply isn’t a good fit).

Problem-solving and initiative

The goal of good management is not to have to manage your people. If everyone knows what they need to do and how to do it, your company can run like a well-oiled machine. Inevitably, new problems will arise. While some folks can overcome those challenges, others won’t. Sometimes, the issue is a lack of ability to solve the problem. Other times, it can flag insufficient effort invested into tasks.

For employees who don’t seem to put enough effort into their work, try these constructive criticism examples:

1. You are good at following protocols and procedures, but in scenarios where there isn’t one, we would like to see you try to handle them on your own.
2. We appreciate your ability to communicate well. Still, your team leader believes you slow down the process by asking for confirmation too often. Go with your gut! We trust you.
3. In situations without an obvious next step, we have noticed you like to adopt a wait-and-see mindset. Is there a reason you don’t feel like taking the initiative? We are confident in your ability and think you should be, too!

Often, a reluctance to take the initiative or try a solution that seems unconventional stems from fear of making a mistake. However, employees who are constantly unwilling to take that leap won’t grow or learn from those potential mistakes.

Communication skills

Communication, like feedback, is vital for teams to work effectively and efficiently. Unfortunately, there will be times when employees are unable or unwilling to communicate with their coworkers, leading to wasted time and unnecessary mistakes.

Some common reasons for poor communication skills are:

• Shyness
• Being soft-spoken
• Fear of making mistakes
• Lack of support
• Not wanting to step on anyone’s toes
• Superiority complexes
• Competitiveness
• Poor interpersonal relationships
• Poor communication skills (written or spoken)

As always, identifying the cause of the problem is the first step to solving it. To root out these issues, try these examples to promote effective communication:

1. You sent an email yesterday that wasn’t very clear to others on your team. Would you mind rereading it and clarifying what you meant? The last thing we want is a misunderstanding to make your job harder!
2. I notice you rarely speak up in meetings, even when I know you have the knowledge to contribute. Can I ask why? I know it can be nerve-wracking to speak up in front of others.
3. We noticed you withheld some information Dan had requested at the last sales meeting. Was this intentional? We all must work together for the best of the company, regardless of personal feelings or what you think is fair. I promise it won’t negatively impact you to help others out.
4. While you have great insights, I’ve observed that your points sometimes get lost during team meetings because they are not clearly articulated. Perhaps focusing on structuring your thoughts before presenting might help in more effective communication.
5. During presentations, you have a wealth of knowledge to share, but sometimes it feels rushed. Slowing down and ensuring everyone is following might lead to more fruitful discussions and clearer understanding for everyone.

More often than not, communication breakdowns have an easy fix. For example, maybe a new employee hasn’t met enough friendly faces to feel comfortable putting themselves out there.

Teamwork and receptiveness to feedback

Teamwork is an essential part of a successful company. With different individuals bringing different expertise to the table, working together is the only way for everyone to add value. Sometimes, the teamwork dynamic doesn’t run as smoothly as we would like. This can result from several reasons, such as personality conflicts, poor communication, or ineffective management, which can all affect team morale.

To help employees be more of a team player, try these constructive feedback examples:

1. I sense some tension in your entire team currently. Can you tell me what is going on? Usually, you all work well together, and the results are impressive!
2. You have a lot of talented people on your team, but for some reason, we still aren’t getting the results we want. Is everyone contributing and adding value to each project? I would like to see all of your expertise shining through!
3. We have noticed some disconnects between Team A and Team B, which has caused work to be done twice in some cases. Let us schedule some team meetings to get everyone on the same page and iron out these miscommunications. We don’t want anyone wasting their valuable time on something a simple chat could solve.
4. On several projects, it seemed like you preferred working in isolation, which sometimes resulted in overlapping efforts with other team members. Regularly checking in and collaborating with the team might be beneficial to ensure everyone’s on the same page.
5. While your independent work is strong, there have been moments when integrating it with the team’s output posed challenges. Regularly sharing updates and seeking input can ensure smoother integration and better cohesion within the team’s work.
6. While you’re incredibly skilled in your domain, there were a few instances where you received feedback but didn’t act on it. Being more open to suggestions and constructive criticism might help refine the final output.
7. You have a strong vision for your projects, which is commendable. However, being more adaptive to feedback can provide a fresh perspective and potentially elevate the quality of work even further.

Teamwork breakdowns often result from communication failures, though personality conflicts can also lead to tension among team members. Scheduling a sit-down or team-building exercise is often a worthwhile use of your and your team’s time.

Examples of constructive feedback for various professions

We curated a few examples of constructive feedback tailored to specific roles: content writers, graphic designers, L&D professionals, sales interns, customer service representatives, account managers, frontend engineers, backend engineers, IT support, and HR business partners. These examples aim to guide each professional towards continuous improvement while maintaining a positive and constructive tone.

Content writers

• Your recent article on [topic] was well-researched and engaging. However, I noticed that some of the sentences were a bit lengthy, which might make it harder for readers to follow. To improve readability, try breaking up long sentences into shorter ones and using bullet points or subheadings where appropriate.
• The creative angle you took in your last piece was great, but I think it strayed a little too far from the core message we wanted to convey. In future projects, let’s focus on aligning creativity with the key message to ensure it resonates with our target audience.

Graphic designers

• The visuals you created for the marketing campaign are visually stunning and on-brand. However, the text overlay on the images is difficult to read. Next time, try increasing the contrast between the text and the background or adjusting the text size for better legibility.
• Your design work is consistently high quality. Still, I’ve noticed that some of your recent designs have taken a bit longer to finalize. To meet our deadlines more effectively, consider starting with quick drafts and gathering feedback early in the process.

L&D professionals

• The training session you led was informative and engaging, and the participants benefited from it. However, some of the content felt a bit rushed towards the end. To ensure all topics are covered thoroughly, consider adjusting the pacing or allocating more time for the most critical sections.
• The course materials you developed were comprehensive and well-organized. That said, I think incorporating more interactive elements, like quizzes or discussions, could enhance participant engagement and retention.

Sales interns

• You’ve been doing a great job of reaching out to potential clients, and your enthusiasm is evident. However, your follow-up emails could be more concise and focused. Try to emphasize the key benefits of our product in a few sentences to keep the client’s interest.
• You’ve shown great initiative in learning about our products. To take your sales calls to the next level, focus on asking more open-ended questions to better understand the client’s needs before presenting a solution.

Customer service representatives

• Your patience and professionalism with customers are commendable. However, I’ve noticed that some calls take longer than necessary. To improve efficiency, consider using a more structured approach to guide the conversation and address customer issues more quickly.
• You’re excellent at resolving customer issues, but I’ve observed that sometimes you miss opportunities to upsell our services. Integrating product recommendations into your conversations could help increase our overall sales and provide additional value to the customer.

HR business partners

• You’ve been instrumental in supporting our teams and addressing employee concerns. However, some managers have mentioned they would like more proactive guidance on employee development. Providing regular updates and suggestions could help them better manage their teams.
• Your strategic insights have greatly contributed to our HR initiatives. To further strengthen your impact, I suggest deepening your engagement with different departments to better understand their specific needs and tailor HR solutions accordingly.

Account managers

• You’ve built strong relationships with your clients, which is a key strength. However, I’ve noticed that some of your client updates could be more detailed. Providing more specific insights and next steps can help clients feel more informed and supported.
• Your responsiveness to client inquiries is outstanding. To further enhance client satisfaction, consider setting up regular check-ins to proactively address any potential issues before they arise.

Frontend engineers

• Your attention to detail in the UI design is impressive, and the user experience is smooth. However, some of the code could be optimized for better performance. Refactoring parts of the code and reducing the number of HTTP requests might help improve load times.
• You’ve done a great job implementing the new features on the website. To ensure consistency across all browsers, I suggest spending a bit more time testing your code on different devices and browsers before the final release.

Backend engineers

• The API you developed is robust and well-documented, which makes it easy for other teams to integrate. However, I noticed that the database queries could be optimized for faster response times. Let’s explore ways to index key fields or streamline the queries to improve performance.
• Your recent backend updates were effective and aligned with the project’s requirements. To avoid potential issues in the future, it might be beneficial to implement more comprehensive unit tests to catch any edge cases early on.

IT support

• You’ve been very effective in resolving technical issues quickly, which has minimized downtime for our team. However, I think you could improve the documentation of resolved issues. Clear documentation will help us build a knowledge base that can prevent similar problems in the future.
• Your customer service skills are top-notch, especially your calm approach under pressure. To improve efficiency, consider categorizing and prioritizing tickets more systematically to address the most critical issues first.

Constructive feedback examples for a remote work environment

While the tenets behind constructive feedback remain the same for a remote team, there are some considerations you should be aware of. For example, it can be harder to portray emotion and empathy through email than through oral delivery. You can mitigate these challenges by giving feedback through a video call instead of an email or text chat. Still, your approach may also need to change.

Here are some examples of constructive feedback specifically adapted for aspects related to remote working:

Communication responsiveness

• I’ve noticed some delays in responding to team messages on Slack. While I understand that working remotely comes with its own challenges, it’s important for the team to maintain timely communication to keep projects moving forward. Could you aim to respond within a couple of hours during work hours, or let us know if you’re tied up with something urgent? This will help ensure that we can address issues promptly and keep everyone aligned.

Time management

• I’ve observed some tasks are being completed close to or after the deadline. In a remote setting, it’s easy for time to slip away without the structure of an office environment. I encourage you to try using a time management tool or setting interim deadlines for yourself. This could help you stay on track and reduce the last-minute rush, alleviating stress and improving overall productivity.

Virtual meeting engagement

• During our virtual meetings, I’ve noticed that you tend to stay on mute and don’t contribute much to the discussions. Your insights are valuable, and your input can help shape our projects’ direction. If you could share your thoughts more frequently, it would greatly benefit the team. Even if it’s just a quick comment or question, it would help us all feel more connected and collaborative.

Proactive collaboration

• It seems that sometimes you’re working on tasks in isolation, and I’m concerned that this might limit opportunities for collaboration. In a remote work environment, it’s crucial to reach out proactively to your colleagues, whether it’s for feedback, brainstorming, or simply to keep them updated on your progress. This will not only enhance the quality of the work but also help maintain strong team cohesion.

Clarity in written communication

• I’ve noticed that some of your emails and messages lack clarity, leading to misunderstandings among the team. In a remote setting, where face-to-face interaction is limited, it’s essential to be clear and concise in written communication. Taking an extra moment to review your messages for clarity and completeness before sending them could make a big difference in ensuring everyone is on the same page.

Availability and visibility

• I’ve noticed that your availability is sometimes unpredictable, and it’s not always clear when you’re online or offline. In a remote work environment, it’s helpful for the team to know when you’re available for quick questions or collaboration. Updating your status on Slack or Teams and keeping your calendar up-to-date would help the team better coordinate with you and avoid any potential delays in our work.

Work-life balance

• It’s clear that you’ve been putting in a lot of extra hours lately. While your dedication is appreciated, I’m concerned it could lead to burnout. Remote work can blur the lines between work and personal life. Hence, setting boundaries is important to maintain a healthy work-life balance. Please schedule breaks and downtime, and don’t hesitate to disconnect after work hours. This will help you stay productive and maintain your well-being in the long run.

Leadership improvement feedback examples

Effective leadership is key to driving a team toward success. Still, even the most seasoned leaders have areas where they can enhance their approach. In this section, we focus on crucial aspects of leadership—delegation, trust, communication, receptiveness, conflict resolution, and feedback. Providing constructive feedback in these areas can help leaders refine their skills and strengthen the overall team dynamic. Leaders can foster a more collaborative, motivated, and high-performing team environment by addressing these specific improvement areas.

Improvement focus: Delegation & trust

• While your hands-on approach is commendable, it might benefit the team if you delegate more tasks. This helps manage your workload and empowers team members, fostering trust and helping them grow in their roles.

Improvement focus: Communicating a shared vision

• You have a clear idea of where our department should head, but sometimes, the team seems uncertain about the bigger picture. Regularly communicating and reiterating the vision can keep everyone aligned and motivated toward the same goals.

Improvement focus: Receptiveness to team ideas

• Your leadership has guided us to achieve great milestones. However, there are instances where team members have innovative ideas they’d like to share. Creating an environment where everyone feels their suggestions are heard and valued can spark innovation and boost team morale.

Improvement focus: Conflict resolution

• When conflicts arise within the team, it’s crucial to address them promptly and constructively. I’ve observed situations where issues lingered longer than necessary. By taking a proactive approach to mediate and facilitate open dialogue, we can maintain a more harmonious and productive environment.

Improvement focus: Feedback and recognition

• You’ve done a commendable job in driving projects to completion. However, recognizing team members’ contributions and giving specific, constructive feedback can enhance motivation and performance. Regularly acknowledging efforts and guiding improvements can significantly affect team dynamics and individual growth.

High-performers are another tricky group to give constructive feedback to. Since their performance is usually high, feedback often isn’t needed or warranted. At the same time, opportunities to further develop these individuals can make them even more effective. We gathered 40+ constructive feedback for high performers examples to help you further develop your best employees without backfiring and hurting their morale.

Build a high-performance workforce with Deel Engage

Implement recurring feedback reviews in your organization to allow employees to discover their strengths and weaknesses without waiting all year to find out. Use Deel Engage’s performance module for:

• (360°) performance reviews: Collect constructive feedback from multiple sources, ensuring your people know where they need to improve
• Goal setting: Collaborate on clear OKRs and goals, aligning company and individual goals
• Data-driven insights: Use proven analytics like bar and radar charts, 9-box grids, or skills matrices to stay on top of progress, identify patterns of exceptional job performance, recognize potential future leaders, and ensure consistent recognition and rewards

Use feedback from feedback and performance reviews to help your team members develop their skillsets. Deel Engage’s career management module will help with:

• Development plans: Ensure your workers commit to a growth path, aligning their exceptional skills with organizational needs
• A world-class learning library: Offer relevant resources to help your workers develop their competencies
• Career growth: Engage and retain your workers with career growth opportunities—whether they want to pursue leadership roles or become technical experts

Additionally, Deel HR, our truly global HRIS solution, is always included for free.

Book a demo to see how our solutions will help you build a high-performance workforce.