What is the feedback sandwich model?
There are multiple techniques available which can help leaders deliver feedback effectively to their teams. The feedback sandwich model is one tool that allows leaders to provide a balance of positive and negative feedback, helping employees to develop in their role and strive for better performance.
This model is also known as the compliment sandwich, where criticism is framed between two positive comments.
Why can this feedback technique be useful?
Feedback, either positive or negative, can be an important facet of your company culture. Strong communication is often a main part of giving feedback. This technique can be useful to clarify what is going well and what needs the team’s attention.
How does the feedback sandwich method work?
The feedback sandwich model, also called the praise sandwich or the constructive criticism sandwich principle, is a feedback strategy that aims at giving negative feedback to employees between two elements of positive feedback. This method is commonly used by leaders and particularly employee managers.
Start with positive feedback, followed by the constructive criticism that forms the core of your message. The ‘middle’ of the sandwich is where the negative feedback is placed. Focus on specific behaviours when giving feedback, as this may help ensure clarity and effectiveness.
The following is a systematic, step-by-step guide to using this model. The feedback sandwich examples we provide can also help clarify each step of the process.
A step-by-step guide to the feedback sandwich method
The feedback sandwich principle is to ‘sandwich’ the negative feedback between two positive pieces of feedback. This can help employees to accept criticism better without losing motivation.
This feedback process may be best approached as a discussion between leaders and employees, with a focus on balanced and transparent conversation. Ultimately, the goal is to provide feedback effectively to support improvement and growth.
Constructive feedback
Before we explain the different steps, keep in mind that this feedback is constructive. Constructive feedback aims at strengthening the working relationship. It is factual and carried out in a way that can help the individual integrate the message and grow from it.
Corrective feedback and critical feedback are often central components of this process. This is because they provide actionable insights and support employee development through clear, specific and sometimes challenging comments.
This feedback takes the shape of advice, suggestions or even coaching that can be useful for the team member moving forward.
Start with positive insight
When engaging in a conversation, praising the person with your first comment establishes the context for the meeting that is about to take place. It may relax the atmosphere and place the team member in a psychologically safe environment. Because professional criticism often feels personal, leaders must manage the employee’s emotional response carefully.
To approach this empathetically, consider the person you’re providing feedback to. If they are a less experienced member of staff, for example, they might be more insecure about their performance.
Therefore, your first comment can smooth the relationship in the meeting and demonstrate that the feedback you’re providing is for the benefit of the employee receiving it. This step helps build the relationship, shows that you share a common goal and helps manage the employee’s emotional response.
Give examples to back this up
When providing your first instance of positive feedback, start by providing an example to illustrate the strength you have highlighted. Think of ways to recognise an employee for their contributions to the team.
Using examples helps contextualise their efforts and encourages them to continue delivering on initiatives you have praised. These examples bring more value to the feedback by helping you focus on the specific strengths being highlighted.
Deliver the negative feedback
Your initial positive comments build trust, ensuring the employee is relaxed, attentive and willing to learn. When delivering negative feedback, which often involves giving bad news, choose your words carefully.
At this stage, consider once again your employee’s personality. As a leader, you can benefit from knowing the individual traits of your employees well. The approach you take to delivering negative feedback might be different from one team member to another.
Introduce negative feedback smoothly, but remain firm and direct to avoid diluting your message. Being specific can also help the employee understand the feedback better and know how they can improve.
While doing so, focus on the employee’s behaviour rather than personal traits to ensure the feedback is constructive and actionable. Afterwards, confirm with your employee that they fully understand the feedback you’ve provided.
Provide pointers for improvement
When delivering negative feedback, ensure the message is framed with actionable steps for improvement. It is typically a leader’s responsibility to develop their team and create guidance where necessary.
Providing some clear pointers to the employee can help them understand what they need to do and how. Clear steps help create a sense of confidence in the employee, making them feel assured and supported as they move forward.
When providing actionable insights, consider presenting them in a clear, step-by-step manner. Look at ways to ensure that an employee feels comfortable with the steps you have suggested. This feedback is constructive because it provides a positive plan for improvement.
Conclude the conversation with positives
Reiterate the positives to finish the conversation. That’s because a team member might feel demoralised at this stage as they have received criticism. However, acknowledging how openly they receive feedback can help reinforce a growth mindset.
To keep them motivated, remind employees of their progress and how far they have come. This can give them a motivation boost and help them stay focused on progress and improving their approach.
Deliver feedback regularly
The frequency of your feedback can matter. Once you’ve provided employees with actionable insight, regular check-ins can help validate that they are implementing your feedback well.
During the check-ins, further feedback and guidance can be provided. This approach can form an ongoing development plan where the leader coaches their team member and where the employee continuously works on their development.
The above steps allow leaders to deliver their feedback in a constructive way, develop their teams and build an environment of trust and motivation for growth.
Pros and cons of the model
Not all tools to provide feedback are effective or have the same impact. Some leaders feel that the sandwich model dilutes the message and minimises its relevance. The feedback sandwich may be used by a variety of professionals, including online educators, to deliver criticism in a way that aims to maintain receptiveness and self-esteem.
In the following section, we elaborate on the pros and cons of this feedback technique, particularly in terms of being effective. These pros and cons can help leaders assess if this is the appropriate technique to provide their feedback based on the specifics of the situation.
Pros of the feedback sandwich model
Leaders who are in favour of the feedback sandwich model use it to approach their teams or team members in a softer way. Professionals such as sales personnel, health service managers and sports trainers can also benefit from using this model to deliver feedback effectively and maintain motivation. The following are some of the advantages of this feedback method:
- Smooths the criticism: this feedback model eases the delivery of the difficult comment. This helps both the leader giving the negative message and the receiver.
- Constructive comments: as part of the feedback, you deliver constructive comments to employees. These provide a way forward for the employee who knows what to do to improve.
- Increased receptivity: the model creates an environment of trust where the team member receiving the feedback can be receptive to the leader’s comment. This receptivity comes from the initial positive comment that opened up the conversation.
- Ends the conversation on a positive note: the last step of this method has a positive impact on the long-term relationship between the leader and the employee. It asserts the reason for the criticism, which is to develop the competencies or attitudes of the employee.
- Makes it easier for leaders: not all leaders are comfortable with delivering criticism. The model is a smooth way to do so and might be easier for leaders who find it difficult to engage in criticism.
Cons of the feedback sandwich model
Some leaders may be reluctant to use this feedback model because they feel it can bring confusion for the employee. The feedback sandwich, also commonly known as the compliment sandwich, is a technique that frames criticism between two positive comments. The following are some cons of this feedback method.
- Detracts from compliments when they are due: the method uses compliments at the beginning of the conversation and at the end. These compliments are diluted as they are delivered with negative feedback. It can take away the recognition when it is due.
- Can create employee confusion: as the feedback is blended with positives, the employee could leave the conversation confused and not know if their leader is satisfied with their performance or not. Mixed messages can undermine an employee’s trust and leave them uncertain about how to improve. As a result, the feedback might be ineffective.
- It might not work for some employees: this type of feedback helps managers who may struggle delivering criticism. However, it might not be the right approach for employees who need direct insight into their performance.
Leaders may wish to assess if this type of feedback is appropriate for the situation and whether or not to use it. Because every situation is different, choose the feedback method that best suits the specific needs of the employee.
Other ways to deliver feedback
The pros and cons in the prior section clarify when to utilise the feedback sandwich model. There are other techniques that can be used by leaders to deliver their feedback most effectively. Here are some alternative feedback strategies we suggest you look into:
- 360-degree feedback: this approach involves gathering feedback from a range of different sources such as clients, customers, colleagues and managers.
- Coaching conversations: this technique aims at developing employees through coaching.
- Upward feedback: this type of feedback is linked more to employee voice. This feedback takes place when employees express themselves with their leaders or with senior executives.
- Constructive feedback aims to achieve positive outcomes from the conversation. It usually takes the form of advice or suggestions.
Feedback is often an important factor in organisational success. The sandwich technique can work for specific feedback situations and can be combined with other tools and techniques. In doing so, leaders can continuously provide feedback to team members and contribute to their professional growth.
