Interviewer: Hey! Hi Nikhil. How are you?

Interviewee: I am fine.

Interviewer: So today we are going to discuss on the topic, does regular supervisor feedback
lead to an improvement in performance? Please let us know about yourself. Give a brief
introduction. Like what's your name? Where do you work?

My name is Nikhil Pandey, and I work at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre. My
designation over there is Scientific officer C. Currently I'm posted at headquarter of Bhabha
atomic research center which is in Mumbai. The department in which I'm working is a
research reactor maintenance division.

A: Okay, and how long have you been in this organization?

N: I joined this organization on the 1st of August 2019.

A: Okay. So it's entirely new for you.

N: Yeah.

A: So, how is work? How is your office

N: Right now, my job is to complete all the checklist currently. I haven't assigned any work.
What we have to do is that we have to complete our checklist. In a checklist, there are many
systems in a research reactor and we have to go thorough with each system. The most prior
thing is to complete that checklist within one year or two. At best, you can complete it in one
year. It can also take two years in some cases. Apart from that, I'm currently pursuing my
M.tech . That is also running parallelly.

A: okay. Tell me about the culture of your workplace?The nature of your work? Many of us
don't feel so much excited about the work .What about you?

N: In my case. I'm not like super interested in my work, but it's not even dull. It depends on
the day when a person says that he's not enjoying it. Maybe he's considering the past few
days of his work. So overall, if I see then yeah, it is good. It is exciting, but I can't say that
I'm super excited about it always and super interested in it. Yeah, it is good. The checklist
thing is perfect because in that you have tiny targets like you have to prepare one system, and
in that you have many and many subsystems. So at a particular point, you have to focus on
only one subsystem. Soon as you complete one subsystem, you go on another one, and you
get it signed by your senior that yes, you have completed this particular work. So it's like a
game for me in, particularly in the checklist while in the project as it is the starting phase, so
its the most difficult part. Because the thing is new to me. And that you have to start from
scratch. There are few research papers for me in which I can take reference. Somedays, I feel
very excited when I get a particular thing done and many other days. I feel disappointed
because I see that the project is not moving. So it's amixed feeling
A: Okay. And that was quite a lot of insights about how your organization works and how
they get you to work when you are a new entrant into the organization. So, moving on we
will move to our topic, I just wanted to know that what is feedback to you. Do you like this
idea of receiving or giving?

N: Till now I was there in a training program for one year. And in that feedback directly
meant that you have to study a few subjects. Not a few subjects

A: Sorry to interrupt Nikhil. We will move onto your story or your experiences on how You
have been given feedback. But right now, I wanted to know what is feedback. I wanted to
know what's the first thing that comes up to your mind when you you hear this word
feedback.I want you to know that perception of yours about feedback

N: It's a kind of grading given to you from your organization for your work that how you are
doing it how sincere you are towards your work, and are you able to complete that particular
work within the target day.

A:Okay. That was nice. Moving on.

A:We now want to hear your story that how many times in a year do you receive your
feedbacks? And what was the experience like,

N:you know a year we get feedback. Only once we get formally we get only ones in a year.
Okay, but if you'll say informally that suppose you are given a task from a senior that has to
take one or two week. So yeah that depends on the task. Usually takes Around two weeks.

A: Okay, and what type of feedback should have generally received from your supervisor.
Are they positive or are they criticized in whatever feedback you generally receive?

N:It is a mix of both mostly 70% times. I have received positive feedbacks 30% That is a lot
30% is not received negative feedback sizes.

A:But 70 years of very good number that 70 times you have received positive feedback.
That's very good.

N:Yeah, but that depends on the people who who are around you that there are there are
people who get almost 95% feedback 95% positive feedback. Guess so Compared to them 70
is average

A: Okay, so you like comparing feedbacks as well? You are very competitive. It seems like

N:if you are not competitive in an organization, then you become by being there itself
because that most atmosphere in our organization is such that that you can't get complacent
over there. So you have to Competitive you have to be Very sensitive towards your goal.
A:Okay, then that's very nice perspective of you know of saying that you should be
competitive enough to work in an organization.

N:Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It depends on the person if a few times a person is competitive Your
Dreams a person is not competitive. So that person also becomes competitive by seeing his
surroundings.

A: I just wanted to know you were about to tell us some story about the those training times
when you receive the feedback and I interrupted you somehow. I'm sorry for that. But can we
listen to your that story?

N: Okay in training program and we had three trimesters. Okay in one year and each
trimesters was further. Divided into two Semesters A and B Sub tri miister, you can see and
in each sub trimester. We had six subjects and the proper classroom program was there for
those six subjects? Okay, they use to run for around one month and after that one month for
about 10 to 15 days. Exams were conducted for it. Like school days or college days and for
that we were awarded marks and on the basis of all those marks our rank was decided and on
the basis of that rank. We were allowed to choose the posting that we want to so if a person
who gets first rank in the batch, he has all the options. In from which he can choose Of the
posting and subsequently the second ranker you choose from all other options left. So that
was the scenario. Those marks was were a kind of feedback that how were you performing
because at that time our work was just to study and score good marks. Yeah, that is it.

A:Okay. Okay. So in the meantime you said about like in one of the answers you said about
it depends on the people who we are surrounded with that helps us to shape, you know in
whichever way possible. So if you are looking at your colleagues who are getting 90%
positive feedback, so you will strive for at least making upto that. That too. Looking that
supervisors also play some role and you know in shaping you in shaping the personality of
the interns or in shaping the personality of their Juniors do the same.

N:yeah also the I do feel that because at times when you get bad ratings or feedback, then
supervisor supervisor is a kind of third person in This thing that the If he's from an outsider's
eye. Means he won't get personal with those feedback and So he can guide you at what place
you went wrong at what place you were very good and at the same time he he might he may
tell you that not to get too enthusiastic about good result because those things can be very
short-lived, you know, so you have to be You have to be. Strike at that point of time at like a
story in both the scenarios. So we he tells you to act like that. Okay.

A:So moving on to we would quite be interested to know that. How is your supervisor? How
do you consider your supervisor to be is he good or is she bad? She would whatever for
supervisor you have.

N:In my case my supervisor is very formal relation between us he I can't say much about him
because there's very little interaction. Between us till now but he is good because at times he
tells me that okay, you're lagging behind a particular checklist or you are moving at a good
pace. So yeah, he tells me at what point I'm getting my work delayed or at what point?
Excuse me. For the moment,

A:okay.
N:Hello.

N:Yeah, sorry for the interruptions

A:completely fine with us nikhil.

A: Yeah, we wanted to know that you have just said that there is a very little interaction
between you and your supervisor may know about how many times in a week or in a month
you get in touch with him?

N: Once in a Okay, and the duration of that interaction is not more than four or five minutes.

A:Whoever also mentioned conversation and you have been given some tasks. You have
been given some checklists. You have to submit some tasks and I don't know and I'm very
nice regarding this. I don't know whether you submit them or with a you have your systems
uploading it. I don't know about it what you receive certain feedbacks with that. Yeah. I just
wanted to know how constructively you supervise give you Feedback Plus What's what's the
type of feedback gives to I mean how he frames the sentences or is informal or is informal

N:see in case of checklist? He is the one who asked the question about the subsystems before
asking. Those see first of all we have to prepare for that particular subsystem. And if we get
stuck somewhere then he's there to help you. He's just like a teacher who is teaching you
something not every time he's not there for you every time you have to Prepare about
subsystem, but if you get stuck if you get any doubt, then he's there for you. But when you
say that, yes, I have completed. This thing is there to test you that how much have you
prepared and then till that point. He's very informal with you. He will explain you each and
everything very politely but as soon as he starts taking the checklist, like asking. Question
and that point of time is quite very formal. Not quite formal. He's very common and so at that
point he Like he doesn't utter a lot of sentences only good or bad. That's it.

AOkay.

N:Hello.

A:Yeah Have you completed your answer you want?

N:Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, I have completed my hands.

A:So I wanted to know now know that how do you receive these feedbacks, you know,
whatever you get from your supervisor whether it is good or whether it is bad. How do you
receive them? How comfortable are you and receiving the feedback box?

N:I am comfortable with that means see first you have to inform the department that you
have started a particular checklist and then they take down the date on which you have started
that particular checklist that particular subsea system or subsystem and then you have to also
inform them that okay on this day. I have completed. So how much time? That particular
subsystem is taking. On the basis of that they give you feedback not only on that but the
supervisor who asked the question even he gives you feedback that how thoroughly a person
has prepared on that particular task.
A: Okay.

A:Moving on to our core topic, which is thus do you think that regular supervisor feedbacks
leads to an improvement in performance?

N:Regular how regular I mean

A:you give the task you submit the task or you complete some tasks and your supervisor
gives you a feedback on that you completed in a week or in a month. It's totally up to you.
But as we have we have some of our friends who are working in startups as well, and I've
talked to them they receive feedback on a regular basis like they receive feedback in a day or
two every other day. They receive a feedback or I was working tcs. So I receive the feedback
in a month or in two months or sometimes it was Six months, so I want to know what do you
think about these regular supervisor feedbacks? Do you think that in general it leads to an
improvement in performance or what are your opinions about these feedbacks that leads to
hampers of a potent or do you think that these feedbacks hampers your performance and
negative 3?

N:In this thing, I would like to say that yes,

A:elaborate your points as much as you can.

N:Yeah in most of the cases. end on a positive note because a person gets motivated when he
gets a good feedback and a person gets to know at what which place he went wrong when he
gets a bad piece of feedback. So and if a person gets good feedback, then the chances of his
promotion also get very high. So it is a kind of motivation for an employee in our
organization, but there have been few cases in which I have seen that employees get. Bad
Feedbacks And they get demotivated buy it because continuously they get bad feedback and
the scope of of getting a good feedback is over for them. So they stopped working hard. For
getting those good feedbacks or whatever the promotion thing is there. So in their cases I
have seen that is it's not a good thing. But if comprehensively I have to say the feedback is a
good thing not if not, very good thing then but it is certainly a good thing.

A:And what do you think is the optimal number that of the feedbacks a person should receive
in a year and or what do you think a person should receive how often a person should receive
a feedback and just like in startups you receive your feedback every other day or week or just
mncs is feedback in a year Arena you and your organization as you're here are cubes. Of
organization receiver Get back in a month or as per your task. Okay. So what do you think is
the optimal number a person should receive feedback

N:optimal number should be decided on the basis of the task that has been assigned to a
person if the task is very small and a person is able to compute it in and duration. Then he
will get the feedback quite early. If he is being assigned. Small tasks for for a quite long time
then he would be getting Seven or eight feed backs within a month, but in few cases a person
gets only one person gets feedback only once in a year. So that depends on the task I think
okay.

A: I wanted to ask you one question, but I got showing involved and That I forgot. Um, okay,
we will talk about it later on. I wanted to know about your views or whatever. You must have
talked to your other friends and or colleagues about and there's perspective of regular
feedback. So that was not what are your views? I want to know what are their views in
general. Do you think how how they understand how they They take it in this regular
feedback system or how do people in general take regular feedback system.

N:My colleagues are also very fresh to the organization

N:. Yeah, my friends. Okay friends that are not in my organization. In some cases I have seen
that.

N:Yes, they are quite satisfied with this feedback system. But many of my friends feel that in
their organization. The feedback is not up to the mark. Of their work suppose. They are
putting a lot of effort in a particular work, but still the grading is not up to the mark. So they
feel demotivated about it. They feel bad about it that this time they worked really hard for a
particular project and still they are getting an average feedback. So that happens and
particularly in private organization. The my friends who are working private organization.

A:Okay, so nikhil I wanted to know what do you think about feedbacks acting as a
motivation in a person's career or in an organization?

N:Yeah, it does motivates a person in an organization suppose a person is getting a good

feedback then certainly, he will get motivated to work even more hard but it is very easy to
say that a person gets negative feedback and he feels motivated. Yes. Next time. I will work
even harder so that I would get a better feedback. But Almost forty percent times. We see that
a person gets demotivated by that. That three that negative feedback, but Many a times it has
been seen that in most of the cases. It has been see lets people get over with it that within a
month. I mean how much time are they are taking to get over with that disappointment and
after that they still go on working as hard as they feel like or yeah, they work hard for getting
a better feedback because eventually a person wants a good thing. Actually No matter how
bad feedback he has got earlier or how good response. He has got earlier.

A: Okay, my next question would be that how much a person can leverage his or her
performance on the basis of feedback. He receives what do you think?

A:You can take your time and you can come up with an answer.It's not needed that you have
to you have to be very spontaneous to this. You can take your time with them and then we
can come up with.

N:I think I 70% of time times a person can relate to the fever that are you understanding
what I'm Kaiser Yeah thirty percent of the time. He's a person. These that he had quote a lot
of a void and the rating is not up to the mark But in that thirty percent also, there's 30% of
times in which a person sees that this time. He had not put that much of effort. But still he got
a good feedback because his earlier records were quite good. Maybe that can be a reason or
maybe he his he had made such a good impression on his supervisor that Supervisor didn't
notice On his present performance Even these things happen in an organization.
A:So have you noticed a change in your behavior as well? Whenever you have received your
feedback?

N:Yeah. I'm quite impulsive about them.

A:Can you share your experiences with us revived

N:many a times I get good feedback. And at that point of time are I'm quite happy, but when
I get a bad feedback then at that point of time my whole day Gets kind of ruined because I get
totally exhausted in the thoughts of negative feedback. Yeah. Yeah.

A:So if there's a hypothetical situation where you are receiving and negative feedback
continuously, what do you think? Your behavior would be like or what do you think in with
state of your mind you would be

N:Yeah, I wouldn't be here. bit depressed.

A:And so leading to this saving to the sounds that I would want to ask you another question.
So anything that just now we discussed about feed bags can lead to an improvement in
performance. What do you think that these kind of negative feedbacks can also lead to
frustration or the pressure when whenever you are receiving? Good feedbacks are not our
people. What is it? How does it influence a person?

N:I can say only about myself in this particular

A: much appreciated that then

N: whenever I get a negative feedback continuously suppose. I'm getting a negative feedback
twice a week for two months. It's quite obvious that I will feel. It about this but but I can
guarantee you that that for those two months only I will be frustrated. And if I mean, I always
search for the silver lining in this suppose on the first day of the third month if I get a positive
feedback then I will concentrate on that thing. And I'm keep on working so that my track
record gets better.

A:Okay, so you are not a portion of the things like frustrated, you know where you are
supposed to be one of the things one who quits

N:Yeah, I don't quit very easily and And most of the times I don't have any option to quit I
have to go to bed. I have to complete that task

A:coming use real sure that you'll be on your own you might have thought about it. Have you

N: sorry I didn't get you

A:when you'll be leading your own team or when you'll be senior Instead of someone ends
and the upcoming use you will be leading many people. So what do you think will you
change and the structure of the feedback given to you or would you change the structure of
the feedback given by you and your organization just like you would give something
different whatever your whatever your supervisors are giving to you or would you maintain
this Legacy of This type of feedback given
N:See i won't change the structure rather. I won't be able to change the structure.

A: No, it's just like it's just like for an example feedback sound

N:but the manner okay. Yeah. Yeah the manner in which it feedbacks are given in that. I can
add my few points like the feedbacks don't need to be very blunt. These N8are presented. He
bluntly whether these are. Out of bad, so I would not be very blunt about these things and As
I already told you that my interaction with my supervisor is just for five minutes, you know
week so I would try to work upon that and I would at least try to increase that time that if not
very frequent. But that meeting should be more than 5 minutes. It should be at least for 15
minutes. Because he's at A particular time in just five minutes. They can't be a possible two-
way communication between them either most of the times only supervisors is giving you
feedback but it's very unjust that a person is only receiving his feedbacks. See even he wants
to know that why he got that particular feedback. It can be both positive or negative. He
wants to know that thing I would like to change.

Okay

. Otherwise, they structure is quite good. Are

A:you giving very beautiful answer that the receiver also should know why is given in the
street anymore my is given such a feedback. I didn't do this point. I wanted to know would
you believe in the coming years? Would you believe like receiving the feedback from? The
from your suit Between Juniors as well as we lived in a world where competition is going on
or where you want to grow mutually. So the other thing that you will follow this idea of
receiving feedback such as well from your Juniors while you are giving them feedbacks of
how you can lead them with her or how you can supervise them better or what are your
thoughts on that?

N: Yeah. I think it should be implemented. And I'd rather it is being implemented in

organization most of the organization. It's not necessary that a senior person gives you
feedback. Even the Juniors of you can give you feedback and that to formally A proposed I
just explained if a person comes to us and explain the particular subsystem then. I can give
him a feedback that in a written. Yes, I would that I am quite happy with it or if I'm not
happy with it. Then where is the what is the field where I mean to say, I'm not actually the
word is not clicking here right now that happy word is not I'm Decide rather Yeah, I'm happy
that I'm satisfied with it.

A:Okay, we have discussed most of our points. And just framing my questions. I'm sorry for
this. A short minute

A:Okay, let's go. We can also discuss about like what we can discuss about a few verses. Do
you receive any formal or written feedback or digital feedback or what kind of feedback you
received and just like you said when to Also earlier that you received and orally feedback.
Okay, which is between you and When your your supervisor only is there not a trend in your
organization where each of the each of your colleague gets to know about your feedback or
gets to know about your raking what your supervisor has to say about you or is the system
available in your organization or it's just the verbal feedback you receive.
N:No. A mix of both you get verbal most of the times you get verbal feedback, but there has
to be a particular written feedback. Those things are not very frequent. But yes you do you do
get them.

A:Okay, and what's the frequency of those feedbacks

N:o-written one for that? It's I already told you once in a year once in a lake in my
organization.

N:It was like you can receive a feedback once and twice in a year or you can receive a
feedback in once in a year. So is it very hard coded like you will see? Once in a year or is it
like the pinch? You would whatever how many how many times you want to receive it? I
would like it change to twice in a year. Okay, and can we know the reason for it? And here
we comes to long till 365 days a person is not getting to know about his work though. He
knows his work. But what is The impact of that Look on his supervisor. He does not know in
order it only one is I think in 180 days a person should be given a written feedback though.
He gets wrong. I mean his supervisor prompt him about his written feedback in their oral
feedbacks, but still I feel that in within 180 days. A person should be given when feel written
formal Pizza

A:. Okay. And do you think like when I was in my company, I I thought for some days like
people behave a certain way when whenever their ratings are to be given to them like as in
like there is a due date when you are about To receive a rating so They will improve their
performance at that period of time so that your supervisor has you know has a kind of
impression that you woke or do you think these kind of activities also prevails in an
organization and it is just it is just for the name seek when people when people tries to you
know, what do you say it's for the namesake when only mother feedback receiving is for the
namesake? Whenever you are about to receive a feedback you In she'll be even then you get
back to whatever you were in the past years.

N: It is very natural for person to get changed at the point of feedback because everyone gets
conscious about that the time that okay now I'm going to get a feedback so There would be a
change in a person

A:. Okay,

N:so and I think supervisors are also noticing that because even they have gone through the
same piece and even they are undergoing at the same Pace because it's a human nature. So
yeah, some of the consideration would be made on that thing also that okay now the law How
much a person is? Doing his work at the last minute. It's kind of there's a kind of analogy
with the I think there's a kind of analogy with it in like you appear for examination. You do
prepare at the last moment. Although you have studied for the whole year. But most of the
times students are unable to sleep. They keep on studying for the whole night. It's a good
thing.

A:Okay, look a little conversation. You'll also told that you know, one year of a weight is one
here is a very long time.

N:Yeah,
A:so you should be receiving feedbacks twice in a year or so. Yeah, but don't you think
whenever you receive a feedback you receive generally on the The His days on the on how
you were performing on the last days at your work and as and I want to say just like after this
month you are about to receive your feedback. So you will be analyzed mostly on what you
were doing this month

N:. Yeah, I mean TQ. Yeah. Yeah if you will. See proportionately then just in the last month
because the supervisor is able to reconnect the things that are most recent to him. But that
doesn't mean that he would forget about the starting of the year because you have done some
very brilliant working at the starting of the year or you have committed a blunder at the
starting of these days when he won't forget. Yeah, most of the times recent work would be
considered

A:. Okay, we are about to close this interview and about 13 to 14 minutes. So I wanted and I
wanted to know what do you thing about this feedback whether this?

A:To Anakin as we're approaching the end of the semester. What do you think this feedback
system should be in the organization that existence should be in their own in the organization
or do you think that we can go without them also?

N: It should be there in an organization. I can't tell you much about private organization
central government organization today there are more than a hundred five hundred six six
organization Affiliated to send central government. in that only three departments are there in
which this particular feedback system is very strong. And that is Department of atomic
energy ,Department of space and third one is the ISRO So we if there would not see if there
would not be a feedback system in government organization. Then, you know, the statistic
you of the government organization. So what gets the world the work that has been Assigned
to a government, right?

I mean that should not happen at any cost particularly in the domain in which you get a lot of
projects. Many a times you see that no Road needs to get repaired, but the department doesn't
give Attention That road remains in a bad situation, but in our case we get feedback and on
the basis of those feedback we get our promotion. Hello. A:

A:Are you there highlighted one organization where you don't understand the gravity of the
problem? Yeah, but you you don't you what you said was that you? First your walk to another
day, you know and that leads to some months and to some years. So it's very problematic for
an organization toward culture. So does this mean that a feedback system is is necessary for
an organization to improve as well

N:and certainly because in our organization what I see is or you can See The Work off
Department of space that they they are launching a lot of their projects 20 they have not a lot
of projects we have gained a lot of language just because of this feedback system because
there's a scheme in our organization that is known as Priss OK impress. You get increment?
In And this this Priss is further divided into three types that is organization this organization
and this group and Priss any individual. So suppose if you complete your work commendably
then that Then that Your presence here is the full form is present is I do it's not clicking but
you would get few that extra amount of money after three or four months. This press thing
happens twice a year or thigh say and there are three modes in it individually that if you have
done something on your own or if there's a team of you Then that comes Group or there's a
department thing that in BARC. There are almost nine to ten group are I mean group but the
group doesn't come under that priss groupand in those group there are around. 13 to 14
departments in in each group o that it does that whole department does a work nicely then
they get that risk group. So these things also motivates a person because it's not about that
your you will get your monthly salary but apart from that also a little bit of increase
increment and that increment is Not very high, but stull our it doesn't want the way T. Okay,
you are getting this press because it becomes it becomes a kind of metal to you that okay this
time I have got this press thing.

A: Okay, so you want to do say and feedback Plus or ratings plus a little amount of money or
a little amount of appreciation in any form whether it's like theme in your organization or
whether it's like an increment or a bonus or a small bonus adds to the performance. You will
be highlighting the next year and the next year.

N:Yeah, certainly it does.

A:Except And what do you think according to you? If you'll be given such ratings and and
and then added bonus how much will your performance increase as compared to whatever
you are doing right now?

N: When you still now, I haven't got any of this press thing so I can

A: but we can't think of a hypothetical situation

N:without that will motivate me a lot to work even even more harder and put put my more
than hundred percent and my project. Because because That that person is not just money
kind of Medal of Honor in our organization because very few of people get that. But still
everyone craves for that, like people may get demotivated about it. You can see that there's a
there can be an opinion but most of the times I've seen that each and every individual works
for that purpose. He wants that particular the kind of race, but everyone wants to run in that
race.

A:Okay, so you just know All the loan like it. One wants to be in the race of Priss and if you
are craves for it, yeah, so it because it has some added bonuses or it has some added benefits
attached to it. But I feel talk about the regular feedbacks. You'll see suppose you have
received a good feedback. , there's like today you have receive a good feedback about your
work. So motivated when you are you to submit Get your next task to your superWiser are
how motivated or how efficiently work on the next task given to you?

N: If I would get a Good feedback, but there's no point of asking this question now,
obviously, I wish things would be very motivated for my next project

A:. And what kind of a motivation motivation is that, you know, I just wanted to ask you do
you do you go to your office early in those days when you're about to submit your next
project or will you? Extra Fortune And now the starting about that particular topic or getting
thought about that particular topic. I wanted to say I want to ask those things you will
improve or you wouldn't want to you want to lose if you have been received a nice feedback
about you only
N: I would Put my efforts on improving myself. And yes, I would go earlier he my office and
working late for the new project., and yes of the times it does happen that I work late in my
office it is because we have to work because the government organization it is said that you
have to just work for eight hours or eight and a half hours, but Some in my organization what
I've seen that it is based on the work that has been assigned. If the work is not getting
completed then you can't leave so you have to be there so most of the time it take more time
that we have to give more time in my organisation .