360 DEGREE FEEDBACK
What is 360 Degree Feedback ?
A 360 degree feedback is a process through which feedback from an employee’s subordinates, colleagues, and supervisor, as well as a self-evaluation by the employee themselves is gathered.
Successful organizations strive to evaluate and guide their employees toward constant improvement, but a standard performance review system is often found wanting. While more and more companies are integrating a technique called 360 degree feedback into their review process, some are finding that it’s not going as smoothly and easily as they had hoped.
Organizations can do a poor job of introducing and using this type of multi-rater feedback process. But, it is possible, with the right steps, to do a good job of introducing and maximizing the value of 360 degree feedback.
360 degree feedback is a method and a tool that provides each employee the opportunity to receive performance feedback from his or her supervisor or manager and four to eight peers, reporting staff members, coworkers, and customers. Most 360-degree feedback tools are also responded to by each individual in a self-assessment.
The feedback provides insight into the skills and behaviors desired in the organization to accomplish the mission, vision, and goals and live the values. The feedback is firmly planted in behaviors needed to exceed customer expectations.
People who are chosen as raters or feedback providers are often selected in a shared process by both the organization and the employee. These are people who generally interact routinely with the person who is receiving feedback.
The Purpose for Using 360 Degree Feedback
The purpose of the 360-degree feedback is to assist each individual to understand their strengths and weaknesses and to contribute insights into aspects of their work that need professional development. Debates of all kinds are raging in the world of organizations about how to:
- Select the feedback tool and process
- Choose the raters
- Use the feedback
- Review the feedback
- Manage and integrate the process into a larger performance management system