Unlocking the Power of 360 Degree Feedback for Growth and Success

The use of 360 degree feedback surveys has increased and continues to increase very rapidly. The idea of conducting employee surveys is not new, but the concept of getting several employees to evaluate a specific "target employee" in order to obtain the most objective information possible about that person's performance is relatively new.

But why does 360 degree feedback work, and what can it do for an organization? Before we answer the question of why 360 degree feedback works and what it can do for an organization, it probably makes sense to describe and define what it actually is.

The term 360 degrees implies a circle of assessors around the "target employee" who give anonymous feedback. A department manager, for example, is likely to have colleagues, subordinates and superiors. If one uses a traditional definition of 360 degree feedback, some or all of the people "around" the employee will be invited to fill in a form with assessments and comments on critical competence areas for the employee.

But all employee levels can be selected to receive feedback. Even if an employee has no subordinates, colleagues and superiors can in most cases provide sufficient feedback for the employee to gain a better understanding of his strengths and weaknesses.

It is also not inconceivable that people outside the organization, for example suppliers or customers, can participate in the feedback. Although this is not very common, feedback from known "outsiders" can be helpful to the process.

The assessors selected should have direct experience of working with the 'target employee' on an ongoing basis. It is clear that the bias of those giving the feedback will play into the process. It is therefore important to involve a sufficient number of people to even out some of the inherent biases in a survey.

In a 360-degree feedback survey, the ultimate goal is to gain a clear understanding of how others in the organization view the performance of the "target employee" in relation to specific competencies or performance factors, for example related to accountability or collaboration. The raters provide a rating (usually on a scale of 1 to 5) based on their perception of the employee's performance for each of the competencies listed on the feedback form. At the end of the form there is usually space for general comments. All this is of course done anonymously, and the employee can see the average marks for each competence as well as a compilation of the comments. The results are then used to create a development plan for the employee that focuses on strengthening the areas that may need attention.

Now that we have identified the basic process, the question remains as to what makes 360 degree feedback work and how the organization can benefit from it. There are several critical factors that will help ensure a successful implementation of 360 degree feedback in the organization:

• Cultural integration. 360 degree feedback must become part of the organization's culture. This is achieved by clearly communicating what it is, why it is being done, and what the results will be used for. But it does not stop there. For the tool to truly become part of the culture, it must be used consistently, and development plans must be drawn up to correct any deficiencies. Remember that the aim is to provide feedback that helps the employee to become more aware of their own behavior and performance level, and then improve their performance.
• Responsibility for participation. Since it is important to have a large enough diversity of reviewers, it is crucial that reviewers understand that when they are asked to provide feedback by a certain date, they must not ignore the request. The expectations must be clear to all employees regarding the importance of 360 degree feedback and the need to complete surveys on time.The relevance of the competence. It is not complicated to develop the survey form. But it is important to make sure that what is to be measured is actually measured when selecting which competences are to be included in the survey. Making the survey forms specific to each position is one way of ensuring that it is job-specific competence that is evaluated.
• Simplicity. If the process is too complicated, it will be difficult to gain acceptance. It is usually best to use an automated solution, as it usually includes automatic alerts and performs all calculations and compilation of results. Manual processes can · be cumbersome and time-consuming and can put a damper on long-term integration into the organization.
• Positive results. Like most other activities, 360-degree feedback cannot just be perceived as an exercise. It must be perceived as a viable and useful tool that helps employees to improve at work. If nothing happens after the feedback is collected, the employees will begin to perceive it as another useless exercise. Make sure the feedback is used to create good development plans that are then implemented. Over time, there will be a gradual improvement, and employees will see a real benefit from participating in the process.

In conclusion, the rising popularity of 360 degree feedback surveys stems from their ability to provide a comprehensive view of an employee's performance through multiple perspectives. To ensure successful implementation, cultural integration, responsibility for participation, competence relevance, simplicity in processes, and the generation of positive results are crucial. IceHrm's automated solutions can simplify and enhance the 360-degree feedback process, fostering a culture of continuous improvement within the organization.