Whether you want to improve employee engagement, implement a culture of continuous improvement, or simply see what your employees think about a particular topic, you need reliable employee feedback software.
There are different methods and tools to gather employee feedback, and in this article, we'll explain all of them, helping you to choose the right one for you.
Keep reading to discover the best employee feedback tools you can use to improve performance and engagement.
Methods for collecting feedback
Here are the five most common ways to collect employee feedback:
- Performance reviews: This is a structured, formal evaluation where managers assess an employee's performance and achievements over a particular period of time. Performance reviews are typically done once a year, but some companies organize them quarterly. It all comes down to your business's preferences. Click here to learn how to conduct a performance review.
- 360-degree feedback: This method allows you to collect insights on an employee from multiple sources, including peers, managers, direct reports, and sometimes even clients. It removes bias by providing a holistic view of an employee's performance. Check out these 360 feedback examples to inspire you.
- Real-time feedback: Instant feedback is all about collecting real-time insights from your employees using feedback tools or apps like Slack and Microsoft Teams. This method may be a good option if you want to implement continuous performance improvement and address concerns before they escalate.
- Pulse surveys: You can use quick surveys to get a feel of employee sentiment, engagement, and their opinions on various workplace topics.
- 1:1 meetings: Private meetings or check-ins between a manager and an employee allow you to provide and collect meaningful feedback in a confidential, less formal setting. 1:1 sessions are often used to discuss progress and challenges but also to set goals and create development plans. They are the most personal check-in forms on the list.
To learn more about different ways to collect employee feedback, check out these Google Form templates.
What is employee feedback software?
In a nutshell, employee feedback software is a tool that helps you manage and automate the process of collecting and analyzing feedback from your employees.
You can use an employee feedback platform to quickly gather input from your employees through surveys, reviews, or quick check-ins and store it in one place.
Many tools allow you to categorize feedback based on themes like engagement, performance, or workplace culture.
You can also use them to analyze feedback and identify trends, patterns, and recurring topics. Some of the tools provide you with actionable insights you can use to create reports and employee development plans.
Some managers like to use simple tools based on quick surveys, while others may opt for full performance management software.
Key features of employee feedback software
Here are the five essential features that a good performance review software should have:
- Customizable templates: If you don't have time to create performance reviews from scratch, choose a tool that has templates for different types of feedback forms, but make sure that they're flexible and customizable and that you can edit questions.
- Automated surveys: You should be able to automate sending surveys and reminders so that you can avoid manual follow-ups. Automated reminders not only save you time but also increase response rates.
- Real-time analytics: Choose a tool that provides you with real-time insights and allows you to make informed decisions quickly.
- AI-driven insights: Artificial intelligence can quickly analyze large volumes of employee data to spot patterns and trends that often go unnoticed by the human eye. It can also predict employee performance and satisfaction based on historical data.
- Integrations: Modern performance review software integrates with a variety of HR and communication tools, helping you simplify your workflows and collect feedback without switching apps.
Importance of employee feedback
Here are four good reasons to start with employee feedback surveys:
- Boosting employee engagement: Regular feedback makes employees seen and heard, and people who feel seen and valued are more motivated to do their work and engage with others. According to a Gallup survey, 80% of employees who have received meaningful feedback in the past week were fully engaged, in contrast to people who don't receive regular feedback.
- Improving productivity: It's hard to improve something that you don't measure and track. That's why comprehensive performance reviews should become something regular. Constructive feedback helps employees work on their skills and inefficiencies, which leads to improved organizational performance.
- Reducing turnover: Pulse surveys allow you to identify employee concerns early on so that you can take action to solve them, which can improve employee satisfaction and help you retain your top talent, not to mention that preventing turnover is much more cost-effective than hiring and training a new employee.
- Driving growth: Employees often have first-hand insights that can improve your business processes and drive innovation. Many big companies like Google and Amazon support employee-led innovation by encouraging employees to share their ideas.
Top software for employee feedback: our selection
Here are the 12 best employee feedback tools that we've chosen based on a careful examination and reviews from platforms like G2, Capterra, and TrustPilot.
Effy AI
Effy AI is the best performance management software for small businesses or anyone who is looking for a user-friendly feedback tool that's easy to implement, as 96% of users who have tried it said that the setup was very easy.
However, that doesn't mean its features are limited. With Effy AI, you can generate your own custom feedback forms with only a few clicks.
You can use it for various types of feedback, such as 360 feedback, performance reviews, and 90-day reviews.
Pros:
- AI-driven feedback: Our tool uses AI to provide instant, data-driven feedback and performance reviews, allowing you to do more accurate assessments and spot things that may go unnoticed otherwise. This feature can also summarize a large volume of feedback data and provide you with actionable insights and personalized development plans. Check out these employee development plan examples for more inspiration.
- 360° reviews: With Effy AI, you can collect and analyze multi-source feedback in only a few clicks and get a holistic and unbiased review of an employee's performance. You can do 360 feedback for managers, peers, or subordinates.
- Scalable for small teams: Effy AI is simple enough for small businesses, but it can scale as your company grows, making it flexible for teams of all sizes. What's more, our forever-free plan is available for companies with up to five employees. You can create unlimited reviews and access all premium features for free.
Cons:
- Limited integrations: Effy AI has integration with Slack, but it may have fewer integrations with HR tools compared to some other platforms.
- Less fit for larger teams: Effy AI started out as a performance management system for small businesses, and it may lack some advanced features for large-scale performance management in enterprises.
Lattice
This workforce management software can be used by various teams as it combines HR and performance management features.
Pros:
- Plenty of features: Latice offers various types of feedback (performance reviews, real-time feedback, different types of surveys), but it also has features like OKRs, goal-tracking, and employee engagement tools.
- Customizable templates: Lattice is user-friendly, and it comes with plenty of templates that are easy to customize and adjust.
- Advanced analytics: Lattice uses AI for quick data analysis. It also creates reports that are easy to understand.
Cons:
- Higher price: It's on the pricier side, so small businesses may feel it’s out of their budget.
- Steep learning curve: Some users mentioned that Lattice has a bit of a learning curve due to its extensive features.
Nectar
Nectar is an employee recognition tool that allows you to quickly and easily celebrate employees' progress. It can also be used as a tool for internal communication in your company.
Pros:
- Peer-to-peer recognition: Your employees can acknowledge each other and celebrate milestones using a real-time feed that looks like a social media platform and boosts employee engagement.
- Affordable pricing: Its basic plan is pretty affordable compared with some other employee feedback tools.
- Useful integrations: It integrates with tools like Slack and Microsoft Teams so you can celebrate your achievements without leaving those apps.
Cons:
- Limited performance management features: Nectar is primarily a recognition and communication tool. Although it can be used for quick feedback, it doesn't have advanced performance management features like some other tools.
- Occasional technical issues: Some users reported that the platform is occasionally glitching.
Bonusly
Bonusly is a platform for reward and recognition that uses gamification to boost participation. It can also be used for collecting employee feedback, although it may not be suitable for performance management.
Pros:
- Peer-to-peer recognition: You can use a real-time recognition feed to provide peer-to-peer feedback.
- Point-based reward system: Bonusly has a unique system for encouraging people to participate and engage. They get to collect points that can be exchanged for rewards like gift cards and retreats.
- Engagement analytics: It has advanced engagement metrics, like pointing out top recognizers and receivers.
Cons:
- Limited performance management features: Bonusly may not be able to fully replace comprehensive performance management systems.
- Limited rewards catalog: Some users mentioned they would like to see a wider range of rewards, although this depends on the region.
Leapsome
This people management software consists of seven separate models. It can be used for performance management and employee feedback, but also for other HR operations, including payroll management and time tracking.
Pros:
- Quite a lot of features: It combines performance reviews with features like goal-setting and OKRs. Its learning module can be used as an employee development software, together with other modules, or on its own.
- Very customizable: Its templates are very flexible and customizable, and you can edit every element using the drag-and-drop principle.
- Strong analytics and reporting: The tool has very advanced analytics features. For example, it can predict groups that are at high risk of turnover.
Cons:
- High price: Leapsome targets large companies, and the price may not be suitable for small businesses.
- Learning curve: Some users reported a steep learning curve during the initial setup.
Motivosity
Motivosity is a platform for employee recognition and reward, and it's used to boost engagement thanks to its interactive interface that resembles social media.
Pros:
- Peer recognition and feedback: Motivosity encourages employees to share recognition and request feedback in real-time through the recognition feed.
- User-friendly interface: The tool is easy to use, with interactive features that resemble social media (feed, profiles, comments, reactions, etc).
- Engagement insights: This feature allows you to track detailed engagement metrics and employee sentiment.
Cons:
- Limited performance management features: The tool focuses mostly on engagement and motivation, and it lacks advanced performance management features that some other tools have.
- Limited customization: Some users mentioned they'd like to see more customization options.
Culture Amp
This employee experience software offers a combination of performance management, feedback, and development to help you build a positive workforce culture. Their survey templates are backed by years of research on human behavior.
Pros:
- Multiple types of feedback: You can use this tool to gather real-time feedback quickly but also to run more complex employee surveys.
- Actionable insights: Culture Amp not only has detailed analytics but also provides you with actionable insights and allows you to transform raw data into stories that you can show to top management.
- Customization: It has highly customizable surveys that can fit various needs.
Cons:
- High price: Culture Amp targets mainly large businesses and enterprises, and it comes with a higher price point, which may not be suitable for smaller companies.
- Complex setup: Some users mentioned that the initial setup was complex and time-consuming.
15Five
15Five is a modern performance review software based on the principle that a performance review should take no more than 15 minutes to complete and five minutes to review.
Pros:
- Continuous feedback: 15Five is a solid continuous feedback tool with its weekly check-ins and quick performance reviews.
- User-friendly interface: The tool is very intuitive and easy to use. You can both complete the surveys and analyze responses pretty quickly.
- Additional features: It can also be used for goal-setting and employee recognition.
Cons:
- Limited analytics: It may lack some advanced analytics features compared to some other, more complex tools.
- Inflexible reports: 15Five uses its templates for reporting and keeping consistency, but some users mentioned it'd be great to be able to customize the reports a bit more.
Officevibe
Officevibe is an HR tool whose main goal is to improve employee engagement, but it can be used for various purposes, like employee skills assessment, learning and development.
Pros:
- Multiple types of feedback: You can use Officevibe for pulse surveys, real-time employee feedback, periodic surveys, anonymous feedback, and more.
- User-friendly interface: The tool is straightforward and easy to use.
- Engagement insights: Officevibe goes beyond usual engagement metrics, and it measures 10 key engagement drivers, including a sense of belonging and growth opportunities.
Cons:
- Limited performance management features: As Officevibe primarily focuses on engagement, it may lack some advanced performance management features that other tools might have.
- Integrations: Some users said they'd like to see more integration options.
TINYpulse
TINYpulse is an employee feedback and engagement tool that's now part of WebMD, a holistic employee well-being platform that primarily targets the healthcare industry but can be used in other industries as well.
Pros:
- Multiple types of feedback: TINYpulse provides real-time feedback, pulse surveys, and anonymous employee feedback, among other features.
- Actionable tips: The platform suggests ways to improve engagement based on your data.
- Employee recognition: You can also use it to show appreciation and motivate your team.
Cons:
- Interface: Some reviews mentioned that the interface could be updated.
- Limited customization: Surveys and templates are less customizable than in some other tools.
Engagedly
Engagedly is one of the talent management tools that stands out for its gamification features and modern app.
Pros:
- Comprehensive features: It combines various types of feedback (real-time feedback, 360 feedback, pulse surveys) with performance management and learning tools.
- Very customizable: It has very customizable surveys that can fit all your needs.
Cons:
- High price: The starting price is $625 per month, which may be out of reach for many small businesses.
- Steep learning curve: The initial setup can be a bit tricky due to a wide range of features.
Quantum Workplace
This workforce management software can help you improve employee performance and engagement, and it supports you during the entire employee lifecycle – from hiring to employee retention and succession planning.
Pros:
- Broad features: Quantum Workplace combines real-time feedback with goal-setting and other engagement features.
- Robust analytics: It has some unique metrics, like Retention Radar, which uses AI to pinpoint employees with a high risk of turnover.
- Very customizable: The tool has plenty of templates, but they're all very flexible and customizable.
Cons:
- High price: Quantum Workplace is built for mid to large companies, and its price may not be accessible to small businesses.
- Learning curve: Some users mentioned that the tool often adds new features, but it takes time to figure out how to use them.
Conclusion
We hope that you now have a better understanding of the top employee feedback tools so that you can find the right one for you.
If you don't want to create feedback forms from scratch but prefer to let AI help you, we've got you covered.
Effy AI lets you generate feedback forms with only a few clicks.
