Comparative Feedback
Introduction and Purpose
Comparative Feedback involves individuals or teams being organised around a clearly defined goal and competing against each other to achieve it. The method enables individuals to benchmark themselves against their peers, motivating them to improve and meet expectations while potentially outperforming their competitors. Knowledge that performance is being monitored, measured and assessed creates a sense of accountability, motivating increased effort to achieve a goal.
Examples include:
The method can be directly connected to biodiversity by setting competition goals that promote environmentally responsible behaviour and collective stewardship. For example, teams might compete to enhance biodiversity on site, such as through planting native species, creating pollinator areas, or improving green spaces. In workplace or educational settings, competitions could also target reductions in waste, energy use, or single-use plastics, all of which contribute to biodiversity protection by reducing environmental pressures.
- Increases in recycling amongst staff and students at a French university (Dupré & Sébastien, 2016)
- Decreases in energy consumption behaviour amongst employees in a metallurgical company (Siero, Bakker, Dekker, & Van Den Burg,1996)
Key Features
Timeframe:
- Allow up to 6 months to establish biodiversity goal(s), KPIs, and data measurement tools, assess current levels of activity related to the specified goal, benchmark corporate expectations, develop feedback communication channels, and establish incentives.
Materials Required:
- Performance Data Templates - Templates for the quantitative and qualitative metrics being assessed (e.g. biodiversity metrics)
- Benchmarking Reports - Collect benchmarking data that provides performance standards from industry or best practice.
- Feedback Templates - Create templates or forms to collect and present Comparative Feedback, highlighting strengths and areas for improvement.
- Training Materials - Guidance/training materials to help employees understand the Comparative Feedback process, the biodiversity goal, Key Performance Indicators, how to interpret feedback, and how to act on it.
- Communication Tools - Presentation Software (e.g., PowerPoint) to present Comparative Feedback and assessments to competing individuals or teams.
- Collaboration Platform (e.g. MS Teams, Padlet) for teams to collaborate on strategy and actionable insights.
- Monitoring and Reporting Systems - Performance tracking software (e.g. Engagedly, Leapsome, PerformYard) to track performance data over time and facilitate the generation of comparative reports.
- Feedback Loop Mechanism - Regular feedback sessions to discuss Comparative Feedback and progress. Materials for these meetings may include agendas, discussion points, and action plans.
- Incentive Programs - Materials to reward individuals/teams that outperform others and/or demonstrate significant improvement based on Comparative Feedback.
- For any data collected with people, ethical consent forms and participant information sheets to ensure informed and voluntary participation
Skills Required:
- Project Management – to plan, coordinate, and oversee the implementation of the Comparative Feedback initiative, ensuring timelines, objectives, and responsibilities are clearly defined.
- Analytical (Quantitative and Qualitative) – to collect and interpret data on performance, identify strengths and weaknesses, and generate evidence-based insights to guide improvement.
- Technical Proficiency – to use digital tools and software effectively for tracking performance metrics, analysing results, and disseminating information across the organisation.
- Communication – to deliver feedback that is clear, transparent, and constructive, ensuring that information is understood and actionable.
- Interpersonal Skills – to foster trust, encourage open dialogue, and create a safe and supportive environment where employees feel confident to discuss their performance.
- Coaching and Mentoring – to support employees in translating feedback into realistic and achievable action plans, building confidence and motivation for improvement.
- Problem-Solving – to identify and address challenges that may arise during implementation, ensuring that the feedback process remains fair, effective, and solution-focused.
- Facilitation – to guide group discussions or review sessions in a balanced and inclusive manner, maintaining respect and equity across participants.
- Cultural Awareness – to remain sensitive to the organisation’s broader mission, values, and history, ensuring that the Comparative Feedback strategy aligns with its culture and ethos.
Potential Impact:
- Alignment of individual and organisational goals
- Increased motivation, collaboration and a sense of collective responsibility
- Obtain a deeper understanding of biodiversity issues
- Recognition of role in addressing biodiversity challenges and empowerment to act
- Development of a supportive organisational culture
- Feedback used as a constructive behaviour-change tool
- Facilitation of tracking and monitoring progress
- Explicit embedment of biodiversity goals into organisational culture
Instructions
To implement Comparative Feedback within an organisation, use the following steps as a guide:
- Identify clear and specific biodiversity goal(s) – e.g. reducing energy consumption (switching off lights, turning down thermostats, powering off computers, etc.,)
- Develop Key Performance Indicators around the goal(s) – e.g. amount of energy consumed
- Collect data – e.g. a weekly measure of how much energy each team/office has ‘consumed’
- Comparative Feedback report – e.g. provide a weekly report on how energy each team has consumed
- Highlight best practices and suggest ways to improve
- Offer recognition or rewards for achievements, ensuring these align with organisational values and biodiversity goals – e.g. acknowledge departments or individuals through awards, certificates, or internal communications
- Conclude with a short reflection or debrief session to discuss learning, motivation, and how positive changes can be maintained after the competition ends
Rationale
Comparative Feedback motivates individuals to improve their skills and performance by enabling them to match or exceed the achievements of their coworkers. It provides insights into the strategies used by high performers, supporting the identification and development of effective practices within the organisation.
Benefits:
- Encourages continuous skill development and performance improvement
- Enhances understanding of effective work strategies and best practices
- Promotes collaboration and collective learning within teams
- Helps identify individual and group strengths and areas for improvement
- Provides a constructive and objective basis for assessing team performance
- Supports a culture of transparency, accountability, and shared progress
Links to Resources
Oak Engage offer guidance on effective employee feedback techniques.
Gallup offer guidance on how to give feedback that improves performance.
