New Schulich Research Finds Managers Often Withhold Performance Feedback, and Negative News May Reach Women Less Often
TORONTO, ON – Thursday, October 22, 2026 – Honest performance feedback is essential to learning, professional development and career advancement. Yet new research co-authored by Schulich School of Business Associate Professor Alexander Coutts finds that managers and supervisors frequently withhold information about performance, even when that information is positive. The research also suggests that women are more likely than men to be shielded from negative feedback, potentially undermining their ability to make informed decisions about their careers and opportunities.
The study, “The Signals We Give: Performance Feedback, Gender, and Competition,” was published in Management Science. Coutts, Associate Professor of Business Economics & Policy at Schulich, conducted the research with Boon Han Koh of the University of Exeter and Zahra Murad of the University of Portsmouth.
The research team conducted an online experiment involving 2,620 participants in the United States, where some acted as managers tasked with giving performance feedback to other participants. The findings reveal a striking reluctance to share performance information: approximately one in four managers partially or completely obscured what they knew. Positive feedback was withheld almost as frequently as negative feedback, even when the information could help recipients make decisions.
“Feedback is only useful if people are willing to give it honestly,” says Coutts. “What stands out in our findings is that people often withhold information even when it could help someone make a better decision.”
The researchers also found evidence of gender differences in how feedback is delivered. When performance signals were vague and the information would not directly influence an immediate decision, managers were more likely to withhold negative than positive feedback. This tendency appeared particularly pronounced when the recipient was a woman: managers obscured vague negative feedback from female recipients 34.2 per cent of the time, compared with 17.5 per cent for male recipients.
Further analysis suggests that some managers were motivated by a desire to protect women’s confidence or self-perception from potentially discouraging information. The researchers describe this pattern as consistent with “ego protection.”
“Trying to protect someone from disappointing news can have unintended consequences,” says Coutts. “If people receive less candid feedback because others assume they need to be protected, they may lose valuable information that could help them assess their performance and decide which opportunities to pursue. Good intentions do not necessarily produce fair outcomes.”
The findings have implications for organizations and managers. Feedback can influence decisions about promotions, leadership opportunities and career choices. When performance information is selectively withheld, individuals may be left with an incomplete picture of their abilities and prospects. Over time, these differences could affect job performance and contribute to gender gaps in career progression.
The researchers suggest that organizations make transparent feedback a clear expectation of effective mentorship and leadership. The findings also underscore the importance of creating workplace cultures in which candid, constructive feedback is viewed as a responsibility rather than something to be avoided in the name of kindness.
