The Development and Validation of the Feedback Orientation Scale (FOS)

Abstract

The 21st century has been marked by a focus on employee development and continuous learning to engage and retain employees. To stay competitive, organizations must to move away from a one-size-fits-all approach to employee development. Organizations are challenged to understand the unique needs and motivators of each individual. Effectively using performance feedback in a way that addresses individual differences can be a competitive advantage to support engaging work environments. Given the impact of the feedback recipient on the feedback process, it is important to understand individual differences in how people respond to feedback. Feedback orientation, a construct proposed by London and Smither, is an individual’s overall receptivity to feedback. The current research developed and validated a multidimensional measure of feedback orientation. This new instrument will be a valuable tool for researchers and practitioners to better understand individual differences in the feedback process.