It's a universal truth that feedback is supposed to be constructive, offering insights into areas for growth and improvement. But every so often, a piece of feedback comes along that’s so hilariously honest or delightfully bizarre that it leaves managers grasping for words and clutching their sides in laughter.
Oh yes, in the land of employee feedback, where seriousness and sincerity reign supreme, there's a special corner reserved for those comments that make you double-take, spit out your coffee, and wonder if someone’s pulling your leg.
Today, we tip our hats to these honest souls who, whether intentionally or not, have turned the mundane world of performance reviews into a comedic masterpiece.
The Brutally Honest Appraisals
There’s nothing quite as refreshing—and terrifying—as unfiltered honesty.
Take, for example, the feedback offered by an employee who had clearly reached the end of their tether:
“John is a great guy, but if he hums one more show tune in the office, I’m going to lose my will to live.”
Or this gem from someone who, quite frankly, deserves a medal for their primal instincts:
“Susan’s meetings are like my nan’s couch: pointless and uncomfortable.”
And who can forget the employee who decided to use their feedback form as an opportunity for some free therapy:
“I can't deal with Mark’s passive-aggressive emails anymore. They haunt me at night.”
Because nothing says ‘constructive feedback’ quite like airing your workplace grievances and deepest fears.
The Comically Diplomatic
Then we have the feedback that’s so masterfully diplomatic, it’s almost art.
Like the employee who described their boss’s management style as:
“Innovative, in the same way that a cat walking across a keyboard is innovative.”
Translation: chaotic, unpredictable, and occasionally funny.
Or the one who, rather gently, suggested that:
“Dave’s approach to deadlines is not dissimilar to how I approach my diet: with a loose grip on reality.”
A diplomatic way of saying that deadlines—and diets—are mere suggestions in Dave's world.
The Bizarrely Creative
And then, there are those feedback comments that seem to come from another dimension altogether.
Consider the employee who, instead of discussing their workload, provided feedback in the form of an obscure haiku:
“Under fluorescent lights, chaos reigns in spreadsheets’ glare, coffee is my muse.”
Or the one who, for reasons known only to them, decided to draw a picture of a unicorn alongside the words:
“This is how I feel when deadlines are moved.”
We’re not entirely sure what it means, but it’s certainly memorable.
The “Please Hire a Translator” Comments
Sometimes feedback is so cryptic it requires a degree in linguistics to decipher.
Like when an employee responded with:
“More synergy, less synergy, you know what I mean.”
...No, we really don’t.
Or the classic:
“Our team dynamics are like a game of chess on a trampoline.”
…Make of that what you will.
Need Employees Who Give Feedback You Can Actually Understand?
If you’ve ever been left speechless by feedback that reads more like a comedy script than constructive criticism, perhaps it's time to reconsider your hiring strategy.
At Coburg Banks, we excel in finding candidates who provide meaningful, insightful feedback that won’t leave you questioning your sanity.
We promise to help you recruit team members who can communicate clearly—without the unicorn drawings or existential haikus.
So if you’re ready for feedback that actually makes sense, get in touch. Your sanity will thank you.
