How 360 Degree Feedback Works And How It Can Benefit Your Group

We all enjoy getting positive or constructive feedback and when it is presented in the right way it can really benefit both the individual and the business. Even so, with evidence to support this idea, it is the fact that people do not get feedback that is considered to be the major contributor to their decision to leave their job, so it really is important to provide feedback to your employees. It is a wise decision as it allows you to discover where employees may require support or skills development to help them to raise their performance levels.

So, why is 360 degree feedback utilised? It has been generated from the necessity to provide an increase in frequency and quality of feedback to employees. This is in addition to the annual appraisal where the employee visits the manager's office to be given a precis of their strengths and weaknesses.

Historically, it has been the manager's role to provide feedback and, because of increasing workloads, the manager's feedback has been scant at best. What 360 degree feedback does is widen the circle of feedback providers to include peer evaluation, direct reports and self evaluation. The conclusion of this process is that the individual has access to a comprehensive report that allows them to compare their own perceptions of their work to those of their close associates. Once they have this report, a performance coach will help them in making any necessary adjustments through a targeted improvement plan.

There are a number of positive aspects to 360 degree feedback: the insight that employees gain concerning their behavioural weaknesses gives them the ability to manage their careers effectively as they address interpersonal skills and leadership abilities and the business benefits from a productive workforce that has both a high level of skill and great experience.

What aspects make the 360 degree feedback process successful?

There are six such elements.

1. Top management must have ownership of the process and support its implementation. Employees are required to gain the skills necessary to provide constructive feedback. Most importantly, managers should be willing to use the skills that they have attained to offer any relevant ongoing coaching.

2. Any survey that is conducted should have a link to the company's vision and the competencies that they are looking for, addressing the skills required to attain individual and company success.

3. Everyone concerned with the process must attend a 360 orientation. At this orientation they will be told that 360 is only a developmental tool and should never be used in performance appraisal. Confidentiality is also stressed to make sure that all involved are comfortable with the process.

4. A survey or questionnaire is completed. Most of these are completed online which allows for the use of special encryption software to ensure the security of the data collection.

5. Once the surveys are completed, they are organised in the form of a report and presented to the individual. The format of the report should be easy to read. A group summary report is usually presented to the senior management in which numeric ratings are tallied which indicate strengths and weaknesses within the group. This then provides information that is useful in deciding upon any relevant training activities.

6. Any necessary coaching is then offered to individuals to make the necessary improvements. The best coach is one that remains impartial and who focuses on goal setting that is of assistance and achievable. Managers can also adopt a supportive role in coaching; this will reinforce any skills attained and ensure accountability.

How can this be successfully implemented in your business? The deciding factor is the level of effort you are prepared to put into the process. The degree of improvement has a direct correlation with the level of feedback and support that is offered. 360 degree feedback has the potential to be extremely powerful in generating feedback and therefore to make changes in your business.

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