Why Is The Feedback Sandwich Bad? And How To Give Better Feedback

Many leaders shy away from delivering negative feedback or, when they do, try to soften the blow. It's human nature to do so, as, like anyone, leaders want to be liked. In fact, a Niagara Institute survey recently found that 80.7% of leaders agreed they want to be liked by their employees.

It’s no wonder that the feedback sandwich has gained popularity as a management tool for softening feedback and preserving relationships. However, is it the best way to give feedback? In this blog, we’ll look at what a feedback sandwich is, why it may be bad, and provide tips for giving better feedback.

Table of Contents

1. What is a feedback sandwich?
2. Why is the feedback sandwich bad?
3. 3 tips for giving better feedback

What is a Feedback Sandwich?

The feedback sandwich method is an analogy for a way of delivering feedback where positive feedback bookends the negative feedback. The intent is to cushion the criticism.

Like a sandwich that consists of two slices of bread on either side of the filling, a feedback sandwich is where the positive feedback surrounds the negative feedback. So when a leader delivers feedback using this method, they do so by providing feedback in this order: positive feedback (bread), negative feedback (filling), and positive feedback (bread).

Why Is the Feedback Sandwich Bad?

While any feedback is better than no feedback, there are several reasons why the feedback sandwich can often fall flat, including:

Negativity Bias

According to verywellmind, “The negative bias is our tendency not only to register negative stimuli more readily but also to dwell on these events…negativity bias means that we feel the sting of a rebuke more powerfully than we feel the joy of praise.” What this means is that the positive feedback will likely be ignored, and the negative feedback will be the focus; thus, any benefits from delivering the positive feedback will be lost.

Positive Feedback May Feel Disengenous

The feedback sandwich is a well-known technique that employees can recognize when it is used. Therefore, the positive feedback feels disingenuous as employees understand it is a means for delivering negative feedback.

It Adds Complexity and Confusion to the Message

Delivering multi-pronged feedback adds complexity to your intended message. The intended message can be hard to decipher, with positive and negative feedback being given simultaneously. Therefore, the feedback sandwich can hinder one from communicating as clearly as possible.

3 Tips for Giving Better Feedback

It’s a myth that employees don’t want feedback. In reality, what they don’t want is feedback that isn’t delivered the right way. According to Harvard Business Review, 92% of respondents agreed, "Negative feedback, if delivered appropriately, is effective at improving performance.”

To deliver feedback in a way employees want to receive it, we’ve compiled three tips you can use to give better feedback.

Make It Timely

Your feedback should be timely and not saved for a quarterly or annual performance review. The United States Office of Personnel Management agrees, “Employees should receive information about how they're doing as timely as possible. If improvement needs to be made in their performance, the sooner they find out about it, the sooner they can correct the problem. If employees have reached or exceeded a goal, the sooner they receive positive feedback, the more rewarding it is to them.”

Give It Often

When positive and negative feedback is delivered often, it doesn’t seem shocking to receive it. Doing so also removes any ambiguity employees may have regarding their performance and where they stand with their leader. Gallup uncovered that “when employees strongly agree they received "meaningful feedback" in the past week, they are almost four times more likely than other employees to be engaged.”

Be Specific

Unlike the feedback sandwich, which simultaneously gives multiple pieces of feedback, a best practice is to be very specific when delivering feedback. The University of Waterloo explains, “Avoid general comments that may be of limited use to the receiver. Try to include examples to illustrate your statement. As well, offering alternatives rather than just giving advice allows the receiver to decide what to do with your feedback.”

Conclusion: Giving Better Feedback is Up To You

You’re not alone if you find delivering feedback to your employees uncomfortable. One survey uncovered that 44% of leaders find giving feedback stressful or difficult, with 21% of leaders avoiding it altogether for that reason. If you’re struggling with giving feedback, we’re here to help. With our suite of communication and leadership programs and 1:1 coaching, an option is available to fit your needs, schedule, and budget.