Building a Culture of Feedback
The Playbook
Feedback—it's the secret ingredient to growth, improvement, and high performing teams. But it's often M.I.A. While companies talk about feedback, many still struggle to make it a part of their culture. Enter Alix Jacobson, former VP of HR EMEA at Netflix, and Sandrien Boogaard, HR Director at GoodHabitz. In our Moving Forward podcast, they reveal why feedback is challenging but vital for organisations. In this post we'll share practical tips from Alix on how to turn feedback from a buzzword into an integral part of your company’s DNA.
Let’s face it. Feedback is often scarce in the workplace.
Alix Jacobson says it best: even in places like Netflix, which she considers very candid, feedback can still be uncomfortable. Why? Because giving and receiving feedback is hard. It often involves tough conversations. Alix explains:
“As humans, we tend to fear discomfort a little bit and want to take the path of least resistance.”
The biggest challenge? Good feedback is rare. Many people get feedback, but it’s not always helpful. It can be vague, unclear, and even unproductive. And without high-quality, actionable feedback, how can anyone improve?
Moreover: Employees are eager for feedback. They want to know what they're doing well and where they can improve. The problem isn’t a lack of interest—it’s a lack of good feedback.
Feedback doesn’t just hit us in the head—it hits us emotionally. As Sandrien points out, feedback isn’t "brain friendly." Peoplen aturally go into “fight-or-flight” mode when they receive feedback, especially when it’s critical. It's like a survival mechanism. The body sees feedback as a potential threat, triggering defensiveness or anxiety.
But here's the thing: feedback doesn’t have to be scary. It’s actually a powerful tool for growth. According to Alix, we can reframe feedback as “a gift, thinking of it as a show of trust, thinking of it as a way to grow.” This mindset shift is one of the first steps is setting up a culture of feedback within the workplace, which can be hugely beneficial to organisations.
A solid feedback culture has huge benefits:
1. Trust and Transparency: Feedback builds trust. When people feel safe giving and receiving feedback, they’re more likely to be honest and open.
2. Continuous Learning: A feedback culture creates an environment of constant learning. People know where they’re excelling and where they need to grow. This leads to better performance overall.
3. Innovation and Risk-Taking: In a feedback-rich environment, people feel encouraged to take risks. They know they’ll get constructive feedback, which helps them refine their ideas rather than abandoning them. This also stimulates innovation, as ideas are improved through collaboration and feedback.
4. Better Decisions: When teams regularly give and receive feedback, they make better decisions. More perspectives lead to more thoughtful, informed outcomes.
Performance reviews should not be the highlight of feedback. In fact, performance reviews are often disconnected from day-to-day reality. When feedback is only delivered once or twice a year, it’s too little, too late.
A more effective approach is ongoing feedback conversations throughout the year. These regular check-ins help employees stay on track, get real-time insights, and adjust as needed. Performance reviews should be the summary, not the starting point.
By shifting to ongoing feedback, employees get clearer insights into their progress and areas of improvement. This makes the feedback feel more relevant and useful. This begs the question, where to start in establishing a culture of regular feedback?
Company culture sets the tone for creating a culture of feedback within an organisation. Alix and Sandrien both agree that if a company wants feedback to thrive, the whole team must be on board. Leaders need to model the behaviour they want to see. If they’re open to feedback, others will follow.
Alix explains that feedback should be baked into a company’s DNA and how this creates a culture of feedback within the workplace. At Netflix, Alix experienced the integration of transparency and candour in company culture. Feedback dinners took place, facilitating the practice within a relaxed, safe space. Take a look:
Feedback should be part of the everyday conversation. Employees should be encouraged to solicit feedback regularly, making it a natural, ongoing process rather than a once-a-year event.
This creates an environment where feedback feels safe and productive. A great feedback culture makes it OK to fail, as long as you learn from it.
Let’s be honest, feedback can feel uncomfortable. But it doesn’t have to be. Here are some practical tips to make feedback giving and receiving less painful and more effective:
1. Start Early—Don’t Wait for the “Perfect Moment”
Don’t wait for the annual performance review to give feedback. Feedback should be an ongoing, real-time conversation. When you give feedback right after the event, it’s fresh, relevant, and easier to act on.
2. Check your Biases and Intent
It's easy to bring personal assumptions or preconceived notions into the mix, but doing so can undermine the effectiveness of the feedback. Acknowledge that you might make a mistake or say something that doesn’t land well—the key is to approach the conversation with the intention of helping your colleague grow.
3. Ditch the “Feedback Sandwich”
You know the drill: “Here’s something good, here’s some criticism, here’s something good again.” The feedback sandwich is a popular technique, but it’s also confusing. The praise can feel fake, and the feedback can get lost in the middle. Instead, be direct and clear. Focus on the behaviour or action, not the person.
4. Be Vulnerable
The best feedback happens when people are real and authentic. Be honest about what you’re seeing, but also be open about your own experience and how providing the feedback can also be hard for you. This approach shows humility and makes the conversation feel like a two-way street.
5. Be Specific
“Do better” is not feedback—it’s a wish. Instead, be specific. Clear, actionable feedback is easier to act on.
6. Reframe Feedback as a Gift
Feedback is not criticism—it’s an opportunity. It’s a chance to improve and get better. If you reframe feedback as a valuable area for growth, it becomes easier to give and receive. Employees can then actively seek feedback to fuel their personal growth.
Building a feedback culture is a gradual process, but it pays off big time. Here’s how to do it:
1. Model the Behaviour You Want to See: Leaders should walk the walk. If they want feedback to be a regular part of the culture, they need to actively seek it themselves and show how they use it to grow.
2. Invest in Feedback Training: Giving good feedback is a human skill that can be developed. Employees and managers need to learn how communicate ina constructive way. Teach them how to be specific, actionable, and human in their approach.
3. Make Feedback a Daily Habit: Feedback should be happening all the time—during meetings, after projects, or even in casual conversations. Create a culture where feedback is just part of the normal workflow.
Building a strong feedback culture isn’t a one-off initiative. It takes time, commitment, and consistent effort. But the benefits are massive: stronger teams, higher performance, and a culture of continuous improvement.
By making feedback a core part of your company’s culture, you’re giving your people the tools they need to grow. And when people grow, so does the business.
So, are you ready to make feedback a regular part of your workplace? Don’t wait for the “perfect moment.” Start now, and watch your team thrive.