Setting Up Regular Check-Ins for Open Feedback

Last year at Goldman Sachs, I had the chance to run a session for new analysts on making the most of end year performance reviews. Thought of sharing some key points I covered here: > Schedule MONTHLY check-ins with your manager. Performance conversations should happen consistently throughout the year, not just during formal review cycles. > Discuss career trajectory openly. Use these sessions to align your professional goals with (a) team goals and (b) your manager's expectations. You must identify skills needed for your role and partner with your manager to upskill. > Document feedback and create action plans. Track what's discussed in these sessions and convert *areas of improvement* into SPECIFIC development goals for the following month. > Proactively request skill-building opportunities. You can use these regular touchpoints to ask for projects that align with your development areas and career objectives. > Follow up with written summaries. While you may have one or two managers, your manager likely oversees an entire team. Sending a brief recap of key discussion points and agreed-upon action items (within 24 hours) helps ensure alignment and demonstrates your commitment. The analysts who applied these pointers came back later telling me how helpful these were. Instead of going with the flow, they had productive conversations about their growth and next steps! 🙂 Perhaps a controversial tip💡: Whether you're an analyst or managing a team, these regular conversations matter more than any formal review process ever will. #CareerDevelopment #Leadership #PerformanceManagement #ProfessionalGrowth #GoldmanSachs

Annual reviews feel stale and out of touch. Real impact comes from continuous growth conversations—quick, meaningful check-ins that drive engagement, performance, and results. 𝚆̲𝚑̲𝚢̲ ̲𝙸̲𝚝̲ ̲𝚆̲𝚘̲𝚛̲𝚔̲𝚜̲ 𝟭. 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹-𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗙𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗥𝗼𝗰𝗸𝘀 No more waiting a year to course-correct. Immediate feedback means employees can improve now, not later. 𝟮. 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗦𝗼𝗮𝗿𝘀 Frequent chats show employees they’re valued and supported. Engaged people = better work. 𝟯. 𝗚𝗼𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗻𝘁 Ongoing updates keep goals aligned with shifting business priorities. No more outdated plans. 𝙷̲𝚘̲𝚠̲ ̲𝚝̲𝚘̲ ̲𝚂̲𝚝̲𝚊̲𝚛̲𝚝̲ 𝟭. 𝗤𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗸, 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗿 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸-𝗜𝗻𝘀 Weekly or biweekly. Keep it short but impactful. 𝘌𝘹𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦: “What’s one thing that’s going well? What’s one challenge I can help with?” 𝟮. 𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 Balance tasks with career development. Help employees level up. 𝘌𝘹𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦: Suggest a new project to build leadership skills. 𝟯. 𝗖𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝘀 Catch someone doing great work? Call it out right away. 𝘌𝘹𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦: “I loved how you handled that client issue—great thinking!” Small Moves, Big Payoffs 𝟭. 𝗕𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗗𝘆𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗰𝘀 More trust, less drama. 𝘌𝘹𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦: Weekly chats reveal overlapping tasks. Fixing it clears confusion. 𝟮. 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆 Fast feedback keeps work on point. 𝘌𝘹𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦: Early tweaks to a project saves hours of rework later. 𝟯. 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗕𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗼𝗺 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗲 Happy employees stick around. Fewer replacements = big savings. 𝘌𝘹𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦: Regular check-ins drop turnover by 15%, keeping star players in the game. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗼𝗺 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗲 Frequent conversations aren’t just nicer—they’re smarter. Start with a 10-minute check-in this week. Watch how small changes spark big results—for your team and your business.

Annual performance reviews waste 12 months of potential growth. I've seen it countless times — talented teams stuck in a feedback drought for 364 days, then drowning in a flood of evaluation on day 365. Let's be honest: 🚫 What could have been corrected in January festers until December. 🚫 What deserved celebration in March is forgotten by November. 🚫 What needed redirection in June becomes a crisis by year-end. HR leaders, there's a better way. Scrap the annual marathon and implement "quarterly 15-minute check-ins" instead. Yes, just 15 minutes every 90 days between managers and their team members. No massive write-ups, no dread-inducing meetings — just frequent, human conversations focused on growth. Here's why this creates exponential improvement: ➡️ Problems get addressed when they're still small ➡️ Wins get celebrated while they're still fresh ➡️ Trust builds through consistent communication ➡️ Development becomes continuous, not annual ➡️ Managers spend less time writing, more time leading The data confirms what we already feel: 80% of employees say immediate feedback is more effective than annual reviews, yet only 28% of companies have modernized their approach. Try this with one team this quarter. Give them a simple framework:  → 5 minutes: What's working well?  → 5 minutes: What needs adjustment?  → 5 minutes: Focus for next quarter? Watch engagement rise within weeks — no 20-page evaluation needed. P.S. What's holding your company back from breaking the annual review cycle? ♻️ Repost if this speaks to how you're building your culture.

Annual reviews don’t drive performance. They slow it down. Here’s why these corporate rituals need to die: 1/ They look in the rear view mirror ↳ Judging past performance doesn't drive future growth ↳ By the time feedback arrives, it's often stale and too late to act 💡 Replace with quarterly growth conversations 2/ They create unnecessary stress ↳ 70% of employees feel disengaged after a review ↳ Anxiety blocks learning and innovation 💡 Switch to continuous coaching conversations 3/ They judge a year in one day ↳ Recent events overshadow 11 months of work ↳ One mistake near the review can eclipse consistent performance all year 💡 Use data-driven check-ins throughout the year 4/ They waste a lot of time ↳ Managers spend weeks on paperwork and calibration meetings ↳ Yet only 14% of employees feel reviews inspire them to improve 💡 Invest those hours in real-time mentoring instead 5/ They stifle individual growth ↳ Cookie-cutter assessments miss unique strengths ↳ Standard metrics flatten out creativity and innovation 💡 Shift to personalised growth plans that reflect real strengths The modern approach: ✅ Small, frequent check-ins ✅ Real-time feedback and course corrections ✅ Development tailored to individual strengths ✅ Technology that tracks progress continuously Tools that make it work: ↳ Use lightweight platforms for weekly check-ins and goal tracking ↳ Instant feedback tools built into your daily comms (like Slack or Teams) ↳ Project trackers that make visible progress across teams ↳ People platforms that support 360-degree feedback and growth planning Stop living in the past. Start building a feedback culture that actually works. 💬 Which of these 5 problems hit closest to home? ♻️ Share to help others escape outdated practices 👉 Follow Maryann (MJ) for daily career insights

💣𝗛𝗥 𝗠𝘆𝘁𝗵 #10: “𝗔𝗻𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵.” Here’s a classic line I hear from bosses. Yesterday we talked about the need for Performance Reviews, which led to today's, how much is enough? 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗿'𝘀 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 “We review staff performance once a year during appraisal. That’s enough.” Not entirely correct. Annual reviews are outdated especially for small, fast-moving teams. 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗲'𝘀 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 "I really don't know what's going on, I'm flying in pitch darkness" 𝗟𝗲𝘁’𝘀 𝗯𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘁 How much can you accurately recall from 11 months ago? How useful is delayed feedback to your staff? If there is underperformance since March but only hears about it in December, you’ve lost 9 months of progress. Worst is, it can be construed as condonation to take action, which can also be ingrained as an accepted practice. 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗮𝗻𝘆𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲? - Feedback comes too late to correct anything - Employees feel anxious - Surprises lead to demotivation - No regular tracking of goals or growth - It becomes a tick-box exercise, not a conversation 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗱𝗼 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗱 Move to a continuous feedback culture. This doesn’t mean adding more paperwork or systems. It means creating regular touchpoints to check in, realign and support your people. 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗿𝘆 1. Monthly 1-on-1 check-ins; just 20–30 minutes per team member “What’s going well? What’s not? How can I support you?” 2. Quarterly reviews; Focus on results, behavior & development Shorter and more specific than the year-end review 3. Real-time feedback; Praise good work on the spot Give gentle correction when mistakes happen 4. Set & review short-term goals; Break big KPIs into monthly or quarterly chunks Keep everyone aligned and accountable Real story: An operations exec kept getting a “3/5” in the annual appraisal. Thought it meant OK. Boss thought barely acceptable. No one said anything all year. Result? Staff unmotivated Boss frustrated Eventually the ops exec left, felt unvalued; this could’ve been avoided with monthly check-ins and mid-year conversations. 𝗕𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗿 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 🚀Faster performance improvement 🤝Better manager-employee relationships 💬Higher engagement and job satisfaction 🔍Early detection of problems before they grow Remember, Feedback doesn’t have to be formal. It has to be frequent, focused, fair and documented. A quick WhatsApp note saying, “Great job with the proposal today it was clear and well-structured,” can do wonders. Annual reviews are a summary, not the main show. Don’t make your staff wait 12 months to know how they’re doing. Help them grow every week, every month, every quarter. That’s how you build a high-performing team. ******** I am Kevin Goh, Empowering People & Businesses | Building Modern HR for the Evolving Workplace

Can one-on-one meetings be better? Too often, they become status updates, feel rushed, or worse, get cancelled altogether. However, I have found that over the years, these regular check-ins are one of the most powerful tools a leader can have to build trust, drive performance, and support their team’s development. According to a recent article in the MIT Sloan School of Management, one-on-ones done well can reduce stress, improve alignment, and create space for honest conversation. However, how do we unlock their potential? 🕣 Meet More Frequently - The data shows that weekly one-on-ones improve employee wellbeing and clarity. Even a quick 30-minute check-in each week can go a long way in reducing anxiety and increasing a sense of support. ✅ Agree on the Purpose of the Meeting - When both parties agree on the objective, the meeting becomes more focused and productive. Otherwise, mismatched expectations can lead to confusion and frustration. 🤝Build the Agenda Together - Give employees ownership and encourage them to bring topics they want to discuss whether it’s feedback, career goals, or blockers. This can also boost engagement and accountability. 🔍Focus on Outcomes, Not Just Activities - Shift the conversation from “what are you working on?” to “what are you trying to achieve?” This encourages autonomy, reduces micromanagement, and keeps the focus on results. 📆 Always Follow Up - The most overlooked part of any meeting is what happens afterwards. Following up on action points (even informally) shows that the conversation matters by building trust, reinforcing accountability, and setting the tone for continuous improvement. Many of us hate meetings but by Investing just a little more thought into how we structure and show up for them,they can have a massive impact on performance, culture, employee satisfaction and, ultimately, the performance of your business.

Employee feedback is broken. Here's your blueprint for conversations that count: Only 14% of companies conduct reviews more than once a year. It's time to shift towards more frequent performance feedback. Here's how to make it happen: 🔄 Implement Continuous Feedback: • Move away from annual reviews • Adopt monthly or quarterly check-ins • Use digital tools for real-time feedback 📊 Leverage Data-Driven Insights: • Track key performance metrics consistently • Use AI-powered analytics for personalized insights • Share data transparently with employees 🗣️ Encourage Two-Way Communication: • Train managers in active listening • Create safe spaces for honest dialogue • Act on employee suggestions visibly 🎯 Set Clear, Evolving Goals: • Align individual objectives with company vision • Adjust goals as priorities shift • Celebrate milestones and progress 🧠 Focus on Growth Mindset: • Frame feedback as opportunity for improvement • Provide resources for skill development • Recognize effort and learning, not just results 👥 Peer-to-Peer Recognition: • Implement a digital kudos system • Encourage cross-departmental feedback • Highlight collaborative successes 📈 Measure Feedback Effectiveness: • Survey employees on feedback quality • Track changes in performance post-feedback • Adjust your approach based on results These strategies aren't just about better feedback. They're about building a culture of continuous improvement. By making every conversation count, you're not only boosting performance. You're nurturing a more engaged, responsive, and dynamic team.

£11k to £25k. That’s how much it costs to replace an employee in the UK. Still relying on exit interviews? You’re already paying the price. By the time someone hands in their notice, the damage is done. And it’s costing you more than you think. High turnover is a talent problem, and a financial one. The best way to retain your people? Act before the resignation letter lands on your desk. At Plumm, I’ve seen firsthand how a proactive feedback culture transforms teams. It’s about listening before it’s too late, fostering trust, and showing employees they matter. Why proactive feedback matters? - Catch problems early Regular check-ins help spot issues before they escalate into costly resignations. - Foster growth People stay where they feel valued. Feedback should drive development, not just reviews. - Build trust Open conversations strengthen relationships, increasing retention. How to get it right? ↳ Make one-on-ones count Go beyond projects. Talk about goals, challenges, and aspirations. ↳ Open up feedback channels Surveys, digital tools, or just creating space to speak up. ↳ Celebrate wins Consistent recognition boosts morale and retention. ↳ Encourage two-way conversations Ask for feedback on leadership. It builds mutual respect. ↳ Act on feedback Nothing kills trust faster than ignored input. Show employees their voice matters. Exit interviews explain why someone left. Proactive feedback helps you keep them. High turnover is expensive. A feedback culture protects your bottom line and keeps your best people. PS: How are you making sure your employees feel heard?

The Most Underrated Leadership Habit? A 20-Minute Conversation. OXYTOCIN #1 Think about the last time you felt truly seen by someone at work. Not for what you did—but for who you are. That moment, whether in an elevator, a feedback session, or a spontaneous check-in, likely triggered oxytocin—the brain chemical that makes us feel emotionally safe, connected, and trusted. 🧠 Oxytocin isn’t just about hugs or human warmth. In leadership, it’s a chemical pathway to empathy, collaboration, and trust. And one of the fastest ways to stimulate it? ➡️ Regular, intentional, one-on-one conversations. 🔬 The Science Oxytocin is released during emotionally attuned, face-to-face interactions (Zak, 2005). Even brief moments of vulnerability and connection lower cortisol (stress) and increase bonding (Kosfeld et al., 2005). According to Boyatzis (2009), leaders who coach with compassion—rather than correction—activate oxytocin circuits that enhance learning, resilience, and loyalty. Positive Organizational Interventions (POIs) such as: ✅ Empathic Communication ✅ Compassionate Leadership ✅ Strengths-Based Feedback …are effective precisely because they optimize the relational environment where oxytocin thrives. 📌 What to Do Structure monthly (or biweekly) one-on-one check-ins that go beyond project status. Ask questions like: “What’s been energizing you lately?” “What’s something you’d love to learn this quarter?” “Where do you feel most supported—and where could you use more?” “What do you wish we talked about more often?” Then: listen. With presence. No multitasking. No fixing. You’re not managing—they already know how to work. You’re showing that you care enough to see the human behind the role. 🕰️ When to Do It After a stressful period or change During onboarding and role transitions When performance slips or disengagement appears Or—ideally—before any of that happens One-on-ones don’t need to be long. They need to be real. 📊 KPIs to Track Psychological safety scores Retention of high-potential talent Employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS) Participation in development conversations Burnout or stress reporting trends 🚧 Common Objection “I don’t have time for regular check-ins.” 🔄 Reframe it: You don’t have time not to. A 20-minute conversation today can prevent: ❌ A disengaged employee ❌ A sudden resignation ❌ A conflict that festers in silence And if you truly can’t fit it in—delegate. Empower team leads to carry the torch of connection. 🧭 Bottom Line You don’t need an offsite to build trust. You just need 20 minutes and your full attention. Because oxytocin is the chemistry of being present with another human being. In a distracted, data-driven world, presence is a gift. And your team knows when they’ve received it. #oxytocin #empathicleadership #positiveorganizationalinterventions #trustatwork #employeeengagement #coachingculture #leadershippresence #psychologicalsafety #highqualityconnections #teamculture

Most businesses treat employee reviews like a box to check once a year. But if you’re only giving your people feedback annually, you’re missing a big opportunity—to improve both performance and culture. Reviews should be more than a performance scorecard. They should be a regular tool for alignment, motivation, and growth. Strong businesses evaluate employees on two essential dimensions: 1. Performance – Are they delivering results? 2. Values alignment – Are they showing up the way your culture expects? It’s not enough for someone to hit their numbers if they’re also damaging morale or ignoring core values. A high performer who erodes trust and teamwork will quietly cost you far more than they produce. On the flip side, someone who lives your values but consistently underperforms may be in the wrong seat—or need additional coaching. When reviews only happen once a year, several things go wrong: • Feedback feels outdated or disconnected from current behavior. • Small issues fester into big problems. • Opportunities for growth are missed. • People feel blindsided or undervalued. The best leaders treat employee evaluation as an ongoing conversation. That doesn’t mean every talk needs to be formal or long. A quarterly review rhythm, paired with informal monthly check-ins, can make all the difference. Here’s what that approach does: • Reinforces the behaviors you want to see more of. • Corrects misalignment before it causes damage. • Builds a culture of continuous improvement and accountability. Think of it as performance and culture management, not just HR paperwork. Done right, regular employee evaluations help you retain top talent, identify rising stars, and ensure everyone is rowing in the same direction. If you want a high-performing team that also strengthens your culture, start reviewing people more often—and more completely. Not just what they do. But how they do it. Consistent reviews. Aligned expectations. Better results.