The effectiveness of feedback among Malaysian Government employees in Malaysia / Norafiza Biat, Norhazira Reseli and Siti Salwa Johari

Nowadays, managers feel uncomfortable in giving feedback, especially when it is negative. They do not know how to make feedback a constructive experience, how to give feedback or how specific to make it without sounding self-serving. They are worry that the person receiving the feedback will be defensive, ignore the message or will blame them. According to Xavier (2002), feedback can guide, motivate, and reinforce effective behaviors and reduce or stop ineffective behaviors. Although, feedback is an important management tool, many people feel uncomfortable in giving and receiving feedback. This study tries to identify the best methods of giving feedback, the best ways to receive feedback and the benefits of giving feedback to the staffs at Mara University of Technology (UiTM), Jengka, Pahang. In order to gather data and information about the effectiveness of feedback among the staffs, we use the questionnaires. Therefore, we had selected three departments randomly: Student Affairs Division, Academic Affairs Division Administrative Department. Besides that, we had chosen 30 of respondents from those departments to answer our questionnaires. This study found that the staffs at the three departments are more prefer face-to-face, suggestion box and Short Messaging Service (SMS) as the best methods to receive feedback. They also can receive feedback at any time without having any specific time. When giving feedback, it should be clearly defined and used easy language, so the staff will easily understand and accept it in a good manner. Besides that, by providing feedback, it will help the staffs at the three departments increase their job performance and can identify their weaknesses.