Feedback and managerial rituals that build an appetite for leadership in younger generations

Generation Z refers to people born between 1995 and 2000, while Generation Alpha relates to people born between 2010 and 2025. Both groups share the fact that they grew up in a world of technology. The priorities for both are a flexible approach to work, personal development, a good atmosphere, and, consequently, appropriately structured feedback. How can it be communicated in a way that supports development without clipping their wings?

What is the significance of feedback for Generation Z and Generation Alpha?

Feedback is constructive information aimed at building awareness and developing employee skills. According to the Rocket Jobs portal, Generation Z needs it more than ever before. These are people who, for the most part, are not afraid to ask questions, challenge existing patterns, and expect answers.

The role of a manager for this group is not limited to that of a “supervisor.” Gen Z wants to feel that they have a mentor, a guide, and above all, someone who can listen. Appreciation, conversation, and constructive evaluation are the basics that Generation Z and Generation Alpha expect in real time, not just once a year. Feedback gives a sense of bonding, supports relationships, and provides a reason to engage in work. It is also an expression of respect, and as the Aterima HR survey shows, 89.9% of employees expect it from their employer.

However, there is a condition. Feedback must be appropriately structured and tailored to the recipient. For example, neuroatypical people, who are particularly sensitive to feedback, may perceive even constructive criticism as a lack of acceptance. That is why it is so important to provide feedback in an empathetic manner, clearly separating the evaluation of actions from the assessment of the person, while emphasizing their strengths. Then, feedback becomes not only a guide for development but also a building block of a sense of security and trust.

Managerial rituals as a daily form of feedback

It is worth remembering that feedback is not just a one-off conversation. It is a culture of constant communication and rituals that support development. These include, among others:

• Regular 1:1 conversations that create space for an open exchange of views on goals, needs, and professional development;
• Daily stand-up meetings, i.e., short, approximately 15-minute conversations with the entire team, during which current tasks are discussed, priorities are set, and possible obstacles at work are identified. This form allows you to maintain the rhythm of communication and increase the transparency of activities;
• 360-degree feedback, through which employees receive feedback from various sources: their manager, colleagues, and sometimes even customers;
• Internal mentoring that supports the development of leadership talent. It allows less experienced people to learn from practitioners.

How to construct good feedback? Practical examples for the IT industry

Good feedback in the IT industry should be specific, quick, fact-based, and tailored to the individual. However, it is worth remembering that expectations for feedback may vary depending on a person’s role within the team. To simplify, developers are, in most cases, task-oriented and highly goal-oriented. In addition, they value a flat organizational structure without feeling that they are lower in the hierarchy.

Testers are also, in most cases, task-oriented people who need to know what needs to be done step by step. Analysts, on the other hand, like challenges, dynamics, and surprising tasks. Knowing these differences in approach across roles, it is worth adopting proven techniques that work in the day-to-day work of an IT team.

One effective technique for giving feedback in IT is the so-called sandwich method. It involves starting with a positive comment, then pointing out an area for improvement, and ending on a positive note again. This way, the recipient does not feel attacked, and the feedback is easier to digest.

Example of feedback for a programmer

“You’ve optimized this piece of code really well, making the application run faster. However, it would be worth adding unit tests to avoid errors in future iterations. Overall, it’s clear that you’re taking better and better care of the code quality. Good job!”

Example of feedback for a tester

“Your accuracy in recent tests has been impressive and has allowed us to catch several significant bugs. However, it would be helpful to supplement the test documentation with more detailed scenarios to give the development team a clearer picture. I appreciate that you always approach testing with great commitment and responsibility.”

At j‑labs, feedback is fundamental.

At j‑labs, we not only recruit people based on their attitudes, but we also regularly check their attitude towards work, customers, and projects. This is the responsibility of a dedicated supervisor, the so-called Delivery Manager, who also acts as the Engineers’ Supervisor. This is a unique solution in our industry, as the person in this position regularly collects and provides feedback, thereby increasing employee security and supporting the company’s development.

We are downright “feedback freaks” – the topic of feedback always comes up in our internal conversations. We collect feedback at every stage of the ADF process: from candidates, even if they are not ultimately hired, from technical interviewers, and from Delivery Managers involved in recruitment on the client side. We also collect feedback from client recruitment teams—both from their technical recruiters and managers. What’s more, feedback also comes during the work process, from the team implementing the project, once the candidate has joined and is delivering solutions.” – Maciej Sipko, Delivery Manager at j‑labs

I want to become a feedback freak too and manage my team even better! 

How to support leadership talent when managing a team?

Leaders often emerge naturally in teams. It is worth noticing them and investing in their development. When you know who takes the initiative in the group, influences others, solves problems, shares knowledge, and wants to develop toward management, gradually increase their responsibility.

You can entrust them with coordination tasks, such as leading team meetings or organizing projects. It is also a good idea to introduce mentoring, in which juniors support more experienced employees. It is also worth allowing them to participate in strategic discussions and decision-making processes, which helps them develop a sense of responsibility and a broader view of the organization.

The next step is to focus on developing managerial skills. It is worth organizing workshops on team management, delegation, and feedback.

An effective way to develop is to learn through modeling behavior. Job shadowing, i.e., the opportunity for a future leader to shadow a more experienced manager, can be helpful here.

Building leadership talent requires clear career paths and space to experiment and learn from mistakes. With this knowledge, you will undoubtedly find it easier to create an environment where younger generations want to get involved and take on responsibility.

Finally, remember that developing leadership talent is not only about giving feedback, but also about receiving it. It is good practice to ask for feedback on how team members perceive your communication style. The answers can be very valuable because they show that feedback works both ways, develops empathy, and helps you better understand how challenging it can be to give constructive feedback.