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Why Bosses Should Give Feedback in the Morning

When discussing performance with employees, timing is everything

By Leigh Thompson, WSJ

June 11, 2025 8:00 pm ET

• Managers should provide feedback early in the day, as research shows people are more receptive to constructive criticism in the morning.

• Midweek feedback sessions are most effective, as employees have settled into their work rhythm post-weekend and will have plenty of time to process feedback before the next weekend hits.

• Feedback should be given soon after an event but with some advance notice—at least a day or two—to ensure relevance and prevent it from feeling like an ambush.

Leigh Thompson is the J. Jay Gerber Professor of Dispute Resolution and Organizations and a director of executive-education programs at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. She is the author of several books, including “Negotiating the Sweet Spot: The Art of Leaving Nothing on the Table.”

Managers are constantly told that feedback is essential for employee development, whether it be a formal performance review or casual after-meeting conversation.

But does it make a difference when you deliver that feedback?

Definitely. Timing, it turns out, is everything. Giving feedback at the wrong time can backfire, making employees feel defensive or overwhelmed, while the right timing and structure can ensure that feedback is received productively and implemented well.

Fortunately, management science tell us how to get that timing right.

Do it early

It turns out most of us are “morning people” when it comes to receiving feedback.

Multiple lines of research show that humans operate on circadian rhythms, which influence our alertness, mood, health and other factors. One study found that people have a higher tolerance for physical pain in the morning compared with later in the day. That indicates that employees might be more receptive to constructive criticism earlier in the day.

Similarly, the concept of decision fatigue suggests that as the day wears on, our ability to process and respond to complex information deteriorates. Judges, for example, are more likely to deny parole later in the day, when their cognitive resources are depleted. The same applies to feedback—delivering it at the end of a long day or after a mentally taxing task can lead to resistance rather than receptiveness.

Aim for midweek

Many employees experience anticipatory anxiety known as the “Sunday Scaries,” or feelings of dread as the weekend concludes and the workweek looms. This anxiety often stems from concerns about coming workloads and the challenge of transitioning from personal to professional life. Monday-morning feedback sessions can play into and intensify these feelings, making employees more apprehensive and less open to constructive discussions.

Conversely, holding feedback sessions on Friday afternoons can leave employees ruminating over the weekend. They may spiral into negative thought patterns that hinder their ability to disconnect, recharge and return to work ready to be productive.

This makes midweek feedback sessions—Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday—most effective, because employees have settled into their work rhythm post-weekend and will have plenty of time to process feedback before the next weekend hits.

More is more

Gallup research shows that employees who receive meaningful feedback at least once a week are more engaged. Other, field-based research reveals weekly feedback is associated with better performance and higher job satisfaction.

In line with those findings, organizations are moving toward more-continuous performance feedback, rather than traditional annual or semiannual performance reviews. The takeaway, then, is to aim for regular—about weekly—feedback sessions to maintain engagement and address issues promptly. But make sure to customize frequency to individual employee preferences and the nature of the employee’s work.

Avoid an ambush

All things being equal, feedback is most effective when it is given soon after the event being discussed—but not during moments of extreme stress or distraction.

For instance, if an employee just completed a high-stakes presentation or is dealing with a personal crisis, immediate feedback can feel like an attack rather than supportive guidance, leading to defensiveness. Research on effective coaching, moreover, suggests feedback should be given in a structured setting rather than in ad hoc, emotionally charged moments. This ensures that employees are in the right mindset to hear, digest and act on the input.

The best combination, then, is providing feedback soon after an event but with some advance notice to ensure relevance and avoid an ambush.

Quality over quantity

Long-winded feedback sessions can be just as counterproductive as poorly timed ones, depending on the employee and the goal.

Overall, research suggests that the quality of feedback matters more than its duration. In general, though, short, focused conversations (5-10 minutes) work well for addressing specific issues, while longer discussions (30-45 minutes) should be reserved for broader performance reviews.

Structure matters, too. A well-structured feedback session should include a clear entry point (“I want to share some thoughts on how we can improve together”), actionable insights (“I noticed that when you disagree you tend to raise your voice more than you might realize”) and a positive note to end on, reinforcing support (“I’m very confident you can make progress with this”).