Workplace Writing Guide

How to Give Feedback Professionally

Make feedback specific, balanced, respectful, and useful.

The essential idea

Professional feedback helps someone understand the effect of a specific piece of work or behaviour and decide what to do next. It is evidence-based, respectful, and focused on improvement.

Choose the right setting. Sensitive feedback usually belongs in a private conversation, with writing used to summarise agreed actions rather than deliver a surprising criticism.

What makes it effective?

Specific

Refer to an observable example rather than a label about the person.

Relevant

Connect the feedback to an agreed goal, standard, or impact.

Balanced

Recognise what works as clearly as what needs to change.

Collaborative

Invite the person's view and agree a realistic next step.

A step-by-step method

    1

    Check your purpose

    Give feedback to improve an outcome, not to release frustration.

    2

    Choose the setting

    Use private, timely communication for sensitive or corrective feedback.

    3

    Describe the example

    State what you observed without exaggeration or assumptions about intent.

    4

    Explain the impact

    Connect the example to the reader, team, customer, or result.

    5

    Suggest a change

    Make the desired behaviour concrete and achievable.

    6

    Invite and agree

    Ask for the person's perspective, then confirm the next step and follow-up.

Worked workplace example

Situation: A manager follows up after discussing a colleague's client presentation.

Title: Feedback and next steps — client presentation

Hi Ava,

Thank you for the preparation you put into today's presentation. The opening summary was clear, and your examples answered the client's main concern well.

In the final section, three slides contained full paragraphs. The client spent time reading them, which made it harder to follow your explanation.

For Thursday's version, please reduce each slide to one main message and move the supporting detail into the notes. I’m happy to review the revised slides with you at 2 p.m. tomorrow.

Let me know how the presentation felt from your side and whether that review time works.

Why this example works

  • Strengths are specific and credible.
  • The improvement point describes observable work.
  • The impact explains why a change matters.
  • The request and offer of support are concrete.

Useful phrases

Recognise strengths

  • A particular strength was…
  • This worked well because…
  • Your explanation of… was especially clear.

Suggest improvement

  • One area to strengthen is…
  • The next version would be clearer if…
  • Could you try…?

Invite discussion

  • How did it seem from your perspective?
  • What support would help?
  • Shall we review this again on Friday?

Common mistakes to avoid

Improve this wording

Avoid: You're careless.

Use: The report contains three figures that do not match the source data.

Describe evidence, not a personal trait.

Improve this wording

Avoid: This is always a problem.

Use: This happened in the last two weekly reports.

Use accurate examples instead of absolutes.

Improve this wording

Avoid: Make it better.

Use: Add a one-sentence recommendation at the beginning.

Give a change the reader can act on.

Before you send

  • The purpose is obvious from the opening.
  • Only useful context and details are included.
  • The tone suits the reader and situation.
  • Names, dates, figures, links, and attachments are correct.
  • Feedback refers to observable evidence and impact.
  • The next step and support are clear.

Continue building your practical workplace writing skills.

Explore all Workplace Writing guides