Everybody appreciates getting positive or constructive feedback and when the process is done properly, it can be a great help to both the individual and the company. Despite the evidence to support this, studies have shown that the very lack of feedback is the main reason why people choose to leave a company, so it is vitally important that you ensure that your organisation provides this feedback to its employees. This is a wise move, because it will help you assess where your employees need development in skills to help them to increase their performance levels.

So, why do we have 360 degree feedback? This concept has resulted from a need to increase both the frequency and quality of feedback to individual workers. It is more than the usual annual appraisal, where you visit the manager’s office to be told what you are doing well and how you can improve.

In the past, it has been left to the manager to provide feedback: because of the more complex nature of the managerial role and increased workloads, this task has been neglected. 360 degree feedback allows for an increased amount of feedback through a wider circle of providers and includes peer evaluation, self evaluation and direct reports. At the end of the process, the individual in question will have at their disposal a detailed report that enables them to compare their perceptions of work with those of their peers. Once the report is completed, there is provision for a performance coach to provide guidance regarding any necessary improvement plan.

360 degree feedback has a number of benefits: the insight that employees gain regarding their behavioural weaknesses allows them to better manage their careers, working on interpersonal skills and attaining leadership qualifications and their employer reaps the benefits of having a highly skilled and experienced workforce and the associated increased productivity and quality of work.

What elements make the 360 degree feedback process successful?

There are six of these.

1. The most senior management must be willing to embrace the process and be supportive of its implementation. As well, employees must obtain the necessary skills to give constructive feedback. The most important factor is that managers have to be willing to implement any skills that they have obtained to give appropriate coaching.

2. Any survey that is conducted should relate to the companies ethos and the competencies that they are looking for, addressing the skills necessary to attain individual and company success.

3. Every member of the team is required to attend a 360 degree orientation. At these training sessions they will be instructed with regards to the fact that 360 is not to be used in performance appraisal, but only as a developmental tool. The importance of confidentiality is stressed to assure those who are being rated and those doing the rating.

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

5. These surveys are collated into a report, including any comments made verbatim and presented to the individual. The report should be in an easy to read format. Senior management is usually given a group summary report where numeric ratings are tallied to indicate strengths and weaknesses on a group level. This information can then be used to decide upon training initiatives that match the needs of the group.

6. If any coaching has to be completed it is given to those who require it. A good coach stays impartial and is concerned with helpful and realistic goal setting. It is possible for managers to become involved in coaching as it has the ability to reinforce skills that have been attained and guarantees that they remain accountable.

So, how can this benefit your organisation? It all depends on how much you are willing to put into the process. The degree of change is directly related to the amount of feedback given and to the level of support that is provided. 360 degree feedback can be a very potent tool to engender the feedback required to make those changes in your organisation.