A 360-degree appraisal is one that gathers feedback from all directions- just as the name suggests. A traditional employee performance assessment comes mostly from the opinion of management, and it focuses on an employee’s progress or lack thereof.
A 360-degree performance review, on the other hand, collects feedback from 7- 12 of the employee’s peers. The reason for this is so that employees can see how their performance affects other employees. It gives employees a holistic view of other people’s opinions of their work and character.
Who All Participates in a 360 Review?
As previously stated, there is normally 7 – 12 people giving their feedback. These people might include managers, peers, anyone the employee oversees, and really anyone at the company that the employee works with on some level. Self-evaluations can play a big role, as well. As it is intended to provide a holistic appraisal, it requires multiple people and multiple positions.
What Does a 360-Degree Appraisal Assess?
Again, the results of this feedback are intended to show one employee affects the work of other employees. Therefore, some qualities that it assesses may change some according to the position that an employee holds. However, there are some basics you can expect to find on a 360-degree performance appraisal:
- The contributions an employee makes
- How well the employee communicates and interacts with others
- Their leadership qualities
- Their competencies including goal setting and planning
- The effectiveness of their work habits and more
These performance reviews can assess anything managers want them to, but it is also a wise idea to get feedback from employees on the assessment.
Why Choose a 360-Degree Performance Review Over Other Assessments?
Though traditional employee reviews may be comfortable, they are not always the most effective. A 360-performance review has some benefits that are difficult to overlook. The first of these is the fact that it is such a balanced review. It is important for coworkers to be involved in the feedback process, especially since they work much more closely with the employee being reviewed. They can often provide insight that management might never see.
Another benefit is that because there are so many opinions being factored in, the assessment is likely more accurate. It also lends more credibility to the overall review. When just one or two managers are providing input, the feedback may seem a bit one-sided.
Also, 360-performance reviews are ongoing. Unlike a traditional employee evaluation that is completed every six months to a year, the 360-degree appraisal is continual. This gives employees the opportunity to see where they stand and in which areas need improvement throughout the year.
Can you see how using 360-degree performance appraisals could benefit your organization and your employees? Are you ready to put this powerful method of employee reviews to work? The first step is to decide if you will complete them yourself or have an external company come to perform them on your entire company.
If you prefer to perform the 360-degree appraisal in the house, you must decide on an online platform to use and choose the questions that will be asked. Making most of the questions open-ended will improve the level of feedback. Consider your organization’s and employee’s goals. Those should be helpful guidelines for creating your questions.
