You've seen the impact of positive feedback at work: An employee’s body language shifts after receiving a compliment. That boost in happiness translates into higher employee engagement and better team dynamics.
But how often do you share positive feedback with your team? And what exactly do you say? This matters more than you think.
Positive Feedback and Employee Engagement
According to Gallup, 80% of employees who receive positive feedback weekly are fully engaged. The word “meaningful” is an important distinction. Impersonal, inauthentic praise can lead to disengagement.
The frequency of feedback is also crucial: Workers are 3.6 times more likely to be motivated to do outstanding work when they receive daily (vs. annual) feedback from their manager. Organizations thrive when they integrate employee recognition into their company culture.
To help improve your management skills, here are 20 powerful examples of positive feedback you can use with your team – and why they're helpful.
Everything you need to know about employee recognition
Benefits of Positive Employee Feedback
Employee positive feedback has extensive benefits, from increased job satisfaction to enhanced productivity and better career development.
It Helps Employees Find Purpose, Improve Skills, and Develop as Leaders
Employee recognition fuels engagement. When people feel valued, they gain a stronger sense of purpose. It leads to higher motivation and morale.
Recognizing employees also reinforces key skills, efforts and traits. This concept is called positive reinforcement. People are more likely to repeat behaviors that earn them praise. It creates a positive feedback loop.
Employees feel inclined to keep performing at their best. Their positive actions are met with more positive feedback and career opportunities. It fosters continuous improvement.
A well-executed recognition strategy is also a powerful career development tool. Most people are unaware of their greatest strengths.
When managers highlight these strengths, it encourages employees to develop them further. They refine their expertise and position themselves for greater opportunities.
Being Generous With Praise Improves Performance
While corrective feedback – feedback about unwanted behaviors – has its place occasionally, giving positive feedback is much more effective.
According to Harvard Business Review, the highest-performing teams received nearly six positive comments for every negative one. With this praise-to-criticism ratio in mind, be generous with the amount of recognition you share.
Need more reasons to focus on positive feedback? Another HBR report revealed that high-performing teams share nearly six times more positive feedback than average teams.
Fostering a culture rich in gratitude also leads to increased collaboration. It's always enjoyable to contribute to a winning team.
A Positive Feedback Culture Boosts Employee Retention
Employees are less likely to seek opportunities elsewhere when they feel seen and appreciated.
A Glassdoor survey revealed that more than half of workers would stay longer at their company if their boss appreciated them more.
Employee retention increases productivity. It lowers the costs of replacing employees. It reduces the disruption associated with frequent turnover, which affects morale.
Positive Feedback Can Help You Be a Better Manager
According to Gallup, only 14.5% of managers strongly agree that they are effective at giving feedback. If you struggle with the idea of communicating feedback, you're not alone. It's an opportunity for growth that will only make you a better leader.
Learn how to give positive feedback and sharpen another important leadership skill: The ability to build trust.
A report from WorkForce Institute revealed that 25% of employees say that managers can earn employee trust by giving helpful feedback.
Why is this important? Trust is the foundation of high-performance teams. When employees trust their leaders, they feel psychologically safe, empowered and supported. They are more likely to innovate and more adaptable. They feel comfortable taking risks, sharing ideas and learning from failures without fear.
Positive Feedback Examples to Use (And When to Use Them)
Ready to provide positive feedback more often? Try the following positive examples with your direct reports and watch employee engagement skyrocket.
Positive Feedback Examples: Performance and Goal Achievement
Your Team Does High-Quality Work
“I want to take a moment to celebrate the outstanding work everyone has done on [PROJECT]. The resourcefulness and dedication that each one of you displayed was truly impressive and exceeded expectations. Thank you for your contributions. You embodied the strong teamwork and professionalism that sets our team apart.”
Why this works: It's specific and helps team members understand what they did well. It's tied to core values, which reinforces them. It recognizes both individuals and the group. It highlights impact.
A Colleague Meets Their Goals
"Great job on achieving your sales goal! Your ability to build positive customer relationships and optimize our customer acquisition strategy played a pivotal role in meeting our objectives. Keep up the excellent work!"
Why this works: It highlights the person's exact contributions, which makes the feedback more meaningful than generic. It reinforces positive behaviors and ties individual efforts to bigger company goals.
A Manager Gives a Performance Review
"I want to highlight your exceptional performance over the past year. I noticed your focus on achieving goals, ability to adapt to both challenges and opportunities and dedication to teamwork.
You always show up with a positive attitude. You go above and beyond, which has fostered a positive environment. Your commitment to excellence is obvious. I appreciate the impact you've had on our success. Thank you for your hard work!”
Why this works: It recognizes several achievements and qualities, which is important during a yearly review. It emphasizes both the impact and value placed on the worker's contributions. It provides positive reinforcement.
A Report Exceeds Expectations
"Great work on [DELIVERABLE]. The final version went above and beyond what we asked for. We are going to use it for [HIGH-LEVEL PROJECT] and [STAKEHOLDERS] were super happy with it.”
Why this works: It recognizes that the work had strategic value beyond its original purpose. It shows that going the extra mile gets noticed and has real business impact. This is motivating for continued performance – especially for people who value being praised by upper management.
Positive Feedback Examples: Growth and Development
A Teammate Shows Skill Improvement
"I want to let you know that I have noticed a huge improvement in your recent reports. You've deepened your analysis and delivered actionable insights. Your findings are also clearly articulated. Keep up the awesome work – your dedication to improvement is an inspiration to the entire team!"
Why this works: It acknowledges progress within an area of improvement, which is encouraging. It fosters a growth mindset and makes the employee feel seen and valued for their efforts to improve.
You Point Out a Team Member's Strengths
"Your ability to organize complicated concepts into simple, digestible information is inspiring. It improves communication and helps project stakeholders stay on the same page. Thank you for bringing so much value to the table.”
Why this works: Gallup findings show that employees who received strengths-driven feedback had lower turnover rates and increased productivity.
Learning a New Skill Quickly
“You picked up [NEW TOOL/PROCESS] incredibly fast. That’s super impressive. Would you be interested in signing up for [CAREER DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP]?”
Why this works: Tying recognition to a career development incentive shows that you genuinely want to invest in the employee’s potential. It also encourages a growth mindset.
Positive Feedback Examples: Initiative and Problem-Solving
An Employee Takes Initiative
"I want to commend you for the proactive approach you took to deal with [CHALLENGE]. You quickly identified and addressed the situation, which prevented issues from snowballing. Thank you for setting a positive example by taking ownership!”
Why this works: It sends the message that taking initiative is important. It ties it to team goals.
An Employee Successfully Handles a Crisis
"Your proactive approach and problem-solving during the unexpected PR crisis helped us protect our brand image. Your ability to stay calm under pressure and come up with solutions was incredible."
Why this works: It reinforces the importance of resilience and solutions-oriented thinking in the face of challenges.
Spotting and Solving an Issue Early
"I just spoke to [COWORKER]. Thanks for catching that error before it impacted the client. You helped us prevent a big issue.”
Why this works: Recognizing behind-the-scenes wins helps build gratitude into company culture. It also sends the message that traits like proactive thinking and attention to detail matter.
Positive Feedback Examples: Collaboration and Leadership
A Direct Report Demonstrates Leadership
"You went above and beyond to mentor new team members and make them feel welcome. Thank you for taking the lead. You help create a collaborative and supportive team environment.”
Why this works: It recognizes leadership qualities. It highlights the positive impact of peer support on team dynamics.
A Successful Team Collaboration
"The way you all came together to deliver this project was truly inspiring. It took a lot of communication and effort, but you did it – and the results speak for themselves. It’s great to see such strong teamwork in action!"
Why this works: It celebrates the power of collaboration. It encourages a culture of shared success.
Facilitating Cross-Team Collaboration
"Great job reaching out to [DEPARTMENT] and getting everyone involved. It’s easy to work in silos but you helped bring everyone in and opened communication lines. It made the whole project run smoother."
Why this works: It highlights the behaviour – and its impact on project efficiency. It encourages a culture of communication and shared ownership.
Positive Feedback Examples: Creativity and Reliability
You Recognize Creativity and Innovation
"You did such an amazing job on [PROJECT]. Your fresh perspective improved our processes. This is the kind of innovative thinking we need more of. Your creativity is a valuable asset to our team."
Why this works: It acknowledges the team member’s creativity. It encourages continuous innovation, both for that person and the rest of the team.
You Praise Reliability and Consistency
"Thanks for being someone we can count on. I appreciate how you consistently meet deadlines and deliver high-quality work. It makes project management more efficient."
Why this works: It highlights the importance of dependability. It reinforces behaviors that contribute to team stability and trust.
You Celebrate Adaptability
"Wow, you adapted to the new software super quickly and even showed others how to use it. It streamlined our workflow and set a great example for the rest of the team. Thank you!"
Why this works: It sends the message that embracing change is a good thing, which is crucial.
Positive Feedback Examples: New Hires and Onboarding
A Strong Start in a New Role
"You've hit the ground running since day one, and you’ve already made a positive impact on [TEAM GOALS]. Thanks for jumping in right from the get go – we are so glad you’re part of the team.”
Why this works: It shows the new hire that their early efforts are seen and appreciated. This builds confidence and fosters engagement.
Adapting Quickly to Company Culture
"It’s great to see you embrace [CORE VALUE]. It feels like you’ve been part of the team for much longer.”
Why this works: It highlights cultural alignment. This is especially important early on in the employee journey, as it sets the tone for continued alignment.
Positive Feedback Examples: Recognizing Customer Service Excellence
A Client Communicates Their Satisfaction
"I wanted to pass along great news – our client was extremely impressed with your project management. They specifically mentioned how comfortable you made them feel, how well you communicated and how organized you were.
This positive feedback is a testament to your dedication to delivering projects on time while creating a seamless client experience. Great work!”
Why this works: It links the client's response to specific strengths and skills. It expresses gratitude and appreciation. It reinforces the value of the employee's contributions.
Turning a Difficult Client Situation Into a Win
“I know that was a frustrating situation. But your ability to de-escalate it was truly impressive. Thanks for solving the issue without impacting client trust.”
Why this works: It highlights soft skills like emotional intelligence. It also makes the employee feel seen and understood during a stressful situation.
The Effects of Positive Feedback
Whether you share a stellar customer review or give a team member a shoutout for taking initiative, offering positive feedback regularly increases engagement.
It is much more effective than negative feedback and should happen on a frequent basis for best results. If you must give someone constructive feedback, always do it privately.
And no, pointing out strengths and qualities isn't just praising someone for doing their job.
Meaningful positive feedback should reinforce the unique genius of each individual in a team. It should also emphasize contributions that exceed expectations. It should help people understand their strengths and motivate them to leverage them.
Positive Employee Feedback Best Practices
The employee feedback examples above can guide you as you recognize employees. But the way you deliver positive feedback matters too. Here are some best practices to keep in mind for maximum impact.
Be Specific
Vague praise dilutes the effectiveness of feedback. Highlight exactly what the person did well and how it contributed to organizational success. This makes it more meaningful. It also increases the likelihood of positive behaviors being repeated.
Make It Timely
Don’t sit on positive feedback. Praise behaviors in real time if you can. According to Gallup, “best-in-class managers use ongoing conversations to deliver energizing feedback that celebrates successes and calibrates performance.”
Tie It to Company Goals and Values
Do you want employees to embody the company’s culture and mission in their daily work? Tie recognition efforts to high-level goals and company values. It strengthens culture and encourages organizational alignment.
Encourage Continuous Growth
Employee appreciation isn’t just about celebrating past achievements. When done well, it should inspire employees to keep growing. Use positive reinforcement to highlight strengths and encourage future development.
Balance Positive and Negative Feedback
While positive feedback is essential for motivation, balancing it with constructive feedback is key to growth.
Employees want to know where they can improve. In fact, being kept in the dark about what they can do better can lead to disengagement. Offer solution-focused and supportive coaching to encourage progress.
Recognize Effort, Not Just Results
Results matter, but employees also need to feel valued for their hard work and effort. Praising persistence, creativity, and problem-solving builds confidence. It sends the message that you appreciate team members during the inevitable highs and lows of doing business.
Personalize Your Approach
Not all employees respond to feedback the same way. For example, some people appreciate public recognition while others dread it. Get to know team members. Understand their preferences for receiving positive feedback. It will make your efforts more impactful.
Use the Right Tech
Don’t underestimate the impact of using the right tools. Applauz, for example, offers features like real-time peer recognition and personalized rewards. It helps you turn positive feedback into an ongoing practice instead of an afterthought.
A Guide to Starting an Employee Recognition Program in 2025