Whether you are a manager or an employee, using 360° feedback effectively can make a big difference in your professional development. If you're looking for a complete guide to getting the most out of this assessment tool, you've come to the right place - and don't forget to download the free template!
What is 360º Feedback?
360º feedback is a process in which a person being evaluated receives information about his or her performance, competencies, behaviors and/or results of his or her goals from different people with different roles. Instead of receiving feedback only from our direct supervisor (90º), we would also receive it from peers (180º), direct reports - if we have them (270º), and internal, external customers or suppliers with whom we also work (360º)..
In other words, each person is evaluated by others with whom he or she has a working relationship and with whom he or she interacts on a regular basis.
Benefits of using 360° Feedback
360-degree feedback offers a number of benefits for both employees and organizations. Here are the top five:
Diversity of perspectives
It is very human to limit ourselves to the people we trust the most and listen only to those who tell us what we want to hear. However, 360º feedback gives us the perfect balance when the results come from different perspectives. We all know that it is not the same how we are perceived by our line manager, our colleague, the colleague we sometimes outsource a project to, or the client we have dealt with. All of these roles provide a clearer and more objective picture of how we interact and work. Won't the outcome be fairer if we hear so many different voices? Of course it will!
Improved self-perception
By being assessed from a 360-degree perspective, people gain a complete view of themselves and greater self-awareness. Not only do they get a report on their strengths and areas for improvement, but they also get a clear picture of how they behave in certain situations and how they are perceived by others. In addition, if you include a self-assessment in the process, they will be able to reflect on and compare their view with that of other assessors.
Reduces turnover
Feedback is open communication, and honest communication is commitment. Who wouldn't want to stay in an organization where information flows? Employees who feel listened to and valued will stay! We all love to go to a dressing room that has four mirrors instead of one, because we know for sure if the clothes fit us well or not, it never fails!
Creates a culture of openness
360º feedback processes foster transparency and constructive collaboration in teams. This transparency builds trust and encourages each person on the team to be more productive and more united. No one feels comfortable in a closed-door company.
Identifies development opportunities
The crown jewel! Most employees want to develop and grow, but how? Simply by identifying opportunities for improvement and professional growth. By understanding the strengths and weaknesses of each team member, we know how to create the best action plan to help the talent flourish even more, fostering continuous learning and even preparing the person being evaluated for future internal promotions.
How to Give 360° Feedback: Step-by-Step Process
The process of implementing 360-degree feedback may vary depending on the organization and software used, but there are a number of key steps to follow:
1. Define the evaluation criteria: Before beginning the 360-degree feedback process, it is important to clearly define the evaluation objectives and criteria. This includes identifying all indicators to be evaluated: competencies, values, goals, and behaviors, as well as establishing expected or required performance standards.
2. Select the Right Evaluators: It is critical to select evaluators who are capable of providing objective and constructive feedback. These evaluators may include supervisors, peers, subordinates and, in some cases, customers or suppliers. It is important to select people who have a clear and informed perspective on the performance of the person being evaluated.
3. People Analytics: Once the reviewers complete the review questionnaires, which are typically a combination of multiple choice and open-ended questions, we need to compile the data and perform a thorough analysis to identify strengths, areas for improvement, patterns and trends. This can take months of work if done manually, which is why we recommend that you run your 360 feedback processes with a tool that provides you with real-time reporting, as we do at Hrider.
4. Facilitate the feedback session: After analyzing the data, managers or the human resources manager should coordinate a feedback meeting to discuss the results with the person being evaluated. This meeting should help interpret the results and develop an
action plan based on the data in the reports.
Choosing the right tool for the 360º feedback application
Choosing a 360° feedback tool is critical to achieving effective results. There are many options on the market, so it is important to consider several factors when choosing the right tool for your organization. Some of the factors to consider are:
· Ease of use: The tool should be easy to use for both evaluators and respondents. An intuitive and user-friendly interface will facilitate participation and ensure a higher response rate.
· Look for a specialized system: Many generalist systems were originally designed to solve other processes, such as payroll or recruiting, so when they try to take on the challenge of automating a process as different as performance reviews, they tend to be inflexible and lack the necessary depth.
· Flexibility and customization: The tool should allow for the customization of assessment templates and models to meet the specific needs of the organization. This includes the ability to add custom questions and adjust scoring criteria. Look for a system that is flexible enough to evolve with your organization's needs over time.
· Reporting and analysis capabilities: The tool should provide detailed reports and graphs that make it easy to interpret the results. We recommend that you choose a system that is powerful enough to provide real-time individual and organizational reports at the click of a button.
· Security and privacy: Look for a SaaS that cares as much as you do about the security of people's data. They are your most valuable asset, and it is important that the solution you choose addresses multiple levels of security: physical, technical, and organizational. Your employees' data must be well protected.
Free template
At Hrider, we have a model library so that if you don't want to design your own evaluation model, you can use one of the ones that our human resources and talent management experts have created for you. Here you have a template to evaluate the 360º feedback in your organization!
Get a 360 feedback template