Feedback that matters

Everyone wants meaningful feedback. But it’s easier said than done. At Osedea, we have been refining our feedback process for years. One thing became clear early on: feedback cannot be static. It has to be iterative and designed for how people actually work together.

This mattered even more in our no-manager structure. Without a traditional hierarchy, feedback is one of the main ways we grow and hold ourselves accountable. Our feedback culture is directly connected to performance and client impact. Better feedback allows team members to continuously improve how they work together. Over time, this translates into higher-quality delivery and stronger client relationships. For us, investing in feedback is investing in the quality of our work.

Our most recent feedback cycle received an overall appreciation score of 9.5 out of 10. That’s a huge win. But it didn’t happen by accident. Here are a few principles that we worked on over time that made the experience more efficient and enjoyable. 

Make feedback non anonymous 

We operate in a transparent, growth-driven culture. Still, when we first explored the non-anonymous feedback process, there was hesitation. People worried they would hold back or sugarcoat their input.

What we observed was the opposite. When feedback is not anonymous:

• The quality goes up. People take more care in how they express themselves.
• Conversations continue beyond the written feedback. Colleagues ask for clarification and deepen the discussion.
• Ownership is clearer. Each person is responsible for their feedback and for how they interpret what they receive.

Research backs this up. Studies on psychological safety show that trust and accountability increase when feedback is direct and contextual, especially in teams with strong relationships. Non-anonymous feedback leads to more actionable insights and better follow-through.

Now during our twice a year feedback process, there is no neutral third party writing reports. Each person analyzes their own feedback and decides how best to act on it. 

Use tools to automate what does not add value

As we grew, we initially ran our feedback process manually. It worked for a while. But with no managers and one person coordinating feedback for around 70 team members, it quickly became unsustainable. That’s when we invested in 15Five.

A tool will not fix a broken feedback culture. But the right tool, wrapped around a thoughtful process, can remove friction. For us, it helped:

• Automate low-value administrative tasks
• Give the team visibility into where we are in the process
• Send reminders and nudges at the right time
• Centralize feedback so nothing gets lost

There is data to support this approach. According to Gallup, employees are far more likely to find feedback useful when it is timely, structured, and easy to access. Tools help with consistency and reliability, which are often the hardest parts to maintain at scale.

Beyond formal feedback cycles 15five has some nice add-ons. Team members have the ability to request or give feedback at any time, track objectives, recognize peers, and document career discussions. This helps reinforce feedback as an ongoing habit, not a once-a-year event.

Ask for feedback on the feedback process

Feedback isn’t a one-and-done exercise. Every time we complete a feedback cycle, we ask the team for feedback on the process itself. What worked. What felt heavy. What was unclear. What could be improved. This is how we moved from “good enough” to a process the team genuinely values.

Continuous improvement applies here too. If feedback exists to help people grow, then the process must evolve with the team’s needs. The 9.5 out of 10 score is the result of many small iterations over time, not a single big redesign.

Guide the team throughout the process

A good feedback process does not run on autopilot. We communicate frequently about where we are, what is expected next, and why deadlines matter. We follow up when needed. We remove ambiguity wherever we can. We apply flexibility when needed. 

Just as important, we actively support the team in improving feedback quality: Training sessions, practical tools and templates, workshops and coaching.

Research consistently shows that people are rarely taught how to give good feedback, yet they are expected to do it well. One-off training is not enough. Like any skill, it improves through repetition, practice, and reflection.

Our goal is simple: better feedback over time. Not perfect feedback, but clearer, more useful, and more respectful feedback, cycle after cycle.