Giving feedback is rarely something that we look forward to, but rather something we often avoid or mildly dread. Unfortunately, the word itself has become loaded with baggage. When we hear the word feedback, most of us think of it as a lightly-veiled, corporate euphemism for criticism. Despite the negative connotations, it’s undeniable that feedback is a valuable tool for improving employee and management team performance. And part of the reason that we dread it so much is that we’re doing it wrong. Here are some helpful tips that will assure that you provide feedback effectively.

Glassdoor just released their Top 50 Winners for Best Places to Work 2015, and they did so right on the heels of the US economy’s best hiring month in three years. We’re finally out of the hiring slump and the wheels of commerce are turning again. Along with this hiring increase has come a bolstered sense of confidence among the labor force, and those people who have been hunkered down at a job they don’t particularly like are now starting to explore their options elsewhere. Is your company a place where your employees want to stay?

Many of our customers are geographically dispersed and rely on Skype, conference calls and virtual meetings to stay connected. We have been told that our brand of training and team building may soon be replaced by headsets and videoconferencing—that companies can’t afford to bring their far-flung teams together to meet—that some consider spending time together to be a waste of time. We believe the opposite and see the power of the f2f on a daily basis. Memorable shared experience: An adventure, a fun outing or a good laugh all accelerate bonding and build community.