Microsoft Ditches Formal Feedback Tool in Favor of Real-Time Conversations

Microsoft has announced that it will be retiring its internal employee feedback platform, Perspectives. This move is significant because Perspectives was closely tied to CEO Satya Nadella's emphasis on growth mindset culture and continuous learning. The tool allowed employees to request input from colleagues as part of their performance review process.

The company will stop accepting new feedback requests through the tool by September 15. Employees have until then to respond to active requests and export their feedback history before Perspectives is fully shut down. This move suggests that Microsoft is shifting its focus away from structured feedback requests and toward regular, real-time conversations between managers, employees, and colleagues.

Microsoft's preferred approach to feedback now appears to be more direct. The company wants managers and employees to share feedback through regular conversations rather than formal peer reviews. This change may reflect a recognition that employee feedback is only valuable when it is timely, specific, and trusted.

Merrill Fernando, the founder of Jozra and a former Microsoft employee, noted that he would sometimes receive 20-30 requests for feedback every six months through Perspectives. He spent whole weekends and nights writing responses, with each one taking around an hour to complete. Fernando also pointed out that AI-generated responses have become common in employee feedback tools, which may make the value of those platforms harder to defend.