Giving criticism is hard. Devising and delivering truly constructive criticism is even harder, especially when it is communicated over video chat. But thoughtful criticism builds effective teams, and it is critical for any employee’s professional (and personal) growth. So why do so many leaders have trouble giving constructive criticism?

Most leaders don’t love delivering feedback. They often fear that employees will overreact or take offense to criticism. No leader wants to be responsible for a wave of negativity, even though some studies show that employees actually prefer constructive criticism to praise, so they can improve their performance.

So how can leaders successfully deliver constructive criticism, especially remotely?

Check in briefly but regularly

It’s more essential than ever to regularly check in on employees by a quick chat or email, to see how they are doing and to ask what they need. This is also the opportunity to give any timely feedback that might help your employees. By keeping check-ins regular and casual, feedback becomes routine and expected—less scary—both in the giving and receiving. If you do have to deliver a bigger, more sensitive piece of constructive criticism, go with a video conference. These meetings can be just as effective as face-to-face meetings if your camera is capturing the language of your entire upper body, not just your face.

Show compassion and kindness

When your employees trust you, they will be more open to your words and more willing to implement your feedback. And while it can be hard to establish trust without daily in-person interactions, compassion and kindness can do a lot of the heavy lifting. When you have to deliver constructive criticism, take care to share the same pleasantries and compassion you would in person. Let employees know you are on their side and that you are all part of the same team, even if you have to recommend improvements.

Celebrate wins, big and small

When out of sight can mean out of mind, it’s critical to balance constructive criticism with recognition for good work. Remote work creates challenges, such as loneliness and isolation, and fear of missing out on social or professional opportunities. As a leader, it’s important to reward great work with public recognition, which might include calling out the employee in a group chat or conference, posting to a recognition wall, or including key players on an employee-appreciation email.