Introduction

Performance appraisal is a vital key that helps an organization in making management decisions that impact the growth and development of the employee and the company. It helps to determine whether employees deserve promotions or whether there are needs for motivations or strengths developments.

As much as performance appraisal helps to determine how an employee is performing, an upcoming performance review is a stressful situation for both employees and managers. When done right, it offers immense benefits to the employee and employer. But there are several inconsistencies such as infrequency, one-way feedback, poor rating system, focusing on the negative, employee blindsiding, and reliance on memory, among others that affect the process.

One of the most unfavorable discrepancies in the performance appraisal is reviewing an employee based on one method, which fails to give comprehensive feedback on the employee’s strengths and weaknesses. To better understand an employee, the process must be combined with a 360-feedback tool, also known as the 360-survey tool.

What is the employee 360 feedback tool?

A 360 feedback tool is also referred to as a 360 evaluation tool. It is an assessment that collects response or feedback about an employee from different perspectives, which includes reporting manager, peers or colleagues, subordinates, and others. The information collected is combined into a report which gives vital information on the strengths and weaknesses of the employee. It can be used for the following.

– Evaluation of teams

– Employee development

– Leadership development

– Performance appraisal

– Performance management

– Performance metrics

– Self-assessment

– Training needs assessment

Why is 360 feedback important?

360 feedback survey gives a fuller picture than relying on the traditional performance review process as it seeks information from multiple sources. It helps to understand the performance gaps and how an employee can fill these gaps. It highlights the personal development gaps, employee strengths, weaknesses, and constructive ways to improve.

The tool measures behaviours and competencies; addresses skills such as planning, goal setting and listening; concentrates on subjective areas such as character, teamwork, and leadership effectiveness; and focuses on providing feedback on how others perceive an employee under the process. It is a useful developmental tool that helps employees to be more effective in their roles.

360 feedback surveybenefits leaders, teams, and the entire organization and is an important tool for the benefits it offers. When done correctly, it offers the following benefits.

– It helps to understand the employee’s personality, strengths, weaknesses, beliefs, emotions, thoughts, and what motivates them.

– It allows you to focus on your company’s strengths and weaknesses.

– It measures ‘how things get done’ rather than ‘what gets done’, meaning it focuses on the process and not on the outcome.

– It promotes discussion between the employees and the supervisor that leads to the improvement of goals.

– It improves working relationships

– It encourages personal development as it helps to uncover blind spots.

– It clarifies behaviour and allows you to make a sincere judgment on a person’s behaviour.

– It is the most powerful tool to enhance performance as it increases accountability, improves relationships, and provides clarity on how you can improve performance.

The honest and unbiased feedback provided by 360-degree feedback survey is a win-win situation to both the organization and the employee, as both support the growth of the company. It is undoubtedly the future of the assessment process as it helps to improve the performance of the employee while appreciating the efforts taken by them.

When to do 360 reviews for your team?

The 360 feedback survey focuses on employee behaviour, and hence can be used when the company wants to promote the kind of culture that the organization desires. While some organizations perform the 360 reviews annually, others do it monthly or even half-yearly. There is no one-size-fits-all version to this tool as every organization, every employee is different, and hence the 360-degree feedback questionnaire is customized to fit the needs of the organization requirement.

Unlike traditional performance appraisal, 360 survey tool requires a lot of planning. It is vital to decide in advance, as the questionnaire needs to be designed and. It is recommended that the 360 feedback tool is used when the company wants to –

– Promote a change in the organizational culture

– Achieve a specific business strategy

– Enhance individual performance and team effectiveness

– Improve the human resource management systems of the organization

When to exercise the 360 degree feedback tool depends on what changes would impact the business, and what behaviour would help improve organizational health. It is vital to know that the individual being evaluated under this tool is committed to using the results of the survey in a constructive manner. They must take it as a chance to develop themselves professionally and contribute to the company’s development.

How to create a 360-degree feedback survey

A 360 feedback survey harnesses the power of regular feedback and offers a solution to behavioural changes that are needed for an individual to develop in an organization. Technology has advanced so much that you can easily get a free 360 degree feedback questionnaire online. You also have experts such as talenx.io, who can make it increasingly easy to apply this efficient and effective tool. The online survey has indeed made life easier. But you can do it on your own as well.

Here is how you can create a 360 degree feedback survey.

– Meet with the employee to make them understand the process and how it can help them. Understand their goals and vision of the future.

– Validate the employee expectations with their manager to make sure they are aligned with the 360 feedback survey initiative.

– Develop a questionnaire that typically contains a rating scale to measure the dimension of job performance.

– Send out the review questionnaire to the participants. Make sure to mask the identity of the author and ensure the confidentiality of the participants.

– Encourage the participants to provide constructive feedback about the subject employee.

– Review the data collected and prepare a report to create the most meaningful feedback for the subject.

– Deliver the results to the subject and carefully discuss the actions that need to be performed to be able to develop themselves.

– Don’t forget to document the conversation, the plan, and the resources the subject will need, such as training modules.

Most of the results received from a 360 survey tool will include a comparison of their self-rated review with the ratings of superiors and the average ratings given by colleagues. It facilitates a clear understanding of what the subject lacks and what are the steps to be taken to improve them.

Things to look for in an employee 360 feedback tool

The 360 feedback tool offers honest and actionable feedback that initiates learning and development. The feedback given is valuable, while a structured approach is required to develop and nurture it. Typically, the tool is used to evaluate and strengthen the area of improvement. Here are some things to look out for in an employee 360 feedback tool.

1. Employee centered:

A 360-degree survey that is employee-centered lets them choose who reviews them and compare their self-assessment with the survey feedback given from their peers.

2. Short and concise:

The survey must be short and have concise questions that replicate a conversation between two people and offers a manageable amount of feedback.

3. Strength and opportunities:

It must focus on the strengths of the subject as well as opportunities to learn instead of fixating on negative comments.

4. Beyond numbers:

Ratings do not offer learning, behavioural development, or reinforce change. The tool must be focused on qualitative data instead.

5. The intention:

The intention of the survey tool must be to evaluate performance and offer development while moving beyond ratings and numbers that define performance review.

A typical 360 evaluation tool evaluates the strengths of an individual and develops areas of improvement because of which it is gaining a lot of popularity now more than ever.

Conclusion

Employee 360 feedback tool is a performance review tool that offers a lot of qualitative data about an employee, which allows them to develop themselves and, in turn, contribute to the growth and development of the organization. The tool supports strengthening an employee’s talent by filling performance gaps. Every organization, small or big, must adopt the 360 evaluation tool in their performance review process to understand the talent gap that employees have. Don’t look for a free 360 degree feedback questionnaire, customize it to your needs.

Several professionals can offer their services in implementing a 360 feedback survey with one of the best being talenx.io. For more information on the employee 360 feedback tool, contact the experts at talenx.io.