What is 360° feedback?

360 degree feedback provides information on an individual from a number of sources: their manager, their peers, their direct reports and potentially their clients and customers. It gives managers and individuals’ better information about skills and performance, and working relationships. The feedback that people receive gives them an unprecedented, ‘global’ view of how people see them and its purpose is to help the individual to develop their skills as a leader and manager.

What can people discover about themselves?

360 feedback should not bring any surprises to people. It should help them to understand how their behaviour is perceived by others and confirm the behaviour that is most likely to get results. If implemented appropriately, it can give good information about the difference between the way individuals see themselves and how they are perceived by others.

Photograph showing 7 co-workers in a circle looking at the camera symbolising 360 degree feedback

Does 360 feedback work?

If 360 feedback is to make a difference, it is important to ensure that:

The questions asked are short, clear and relevant to the person’s job.
The respondents are credible to the recipient (in many instances recipients choose the respondents).
Feedback is only given by individuals trained to give it.

Done well, 360 feedback challenges the recipient's perceptions of their skills and performance, and provides the motivation to change. It can challenge perceptions in three ways:

The feedback on an aspect of behaviour is the opposite of what the recipient expects.
An aspect of behaviour is shown to be more (or less) important as an explanation of their performance than the recipient thought.
The results highlight relationships between aspects of behaviour.

360 Degree Feedback – The Process

In 360 feedback, normally, 8 to 10 people fill in questionnaires describing the individual's performance. Often the individual fills in a questionnaire for themselves too, assessing their own performance. Ideally the whole process should be anonymous and the feedback presented to the recipient by a skilled coach.

The questionnaire usually consists of a number of statements rated on a scale, for example from one to five, and often includes the opportunity to add free text comments. The report should summarise the answers given. It often shows the actual ratings given for each question, as well as averages for each question and for each competency, and any written comments (a ‘competency’ is an area of performance measured by a group of questions).

360° feedback online

Traditionally, 360 feedback was collected using pen and paper questionnaires. The opportunity to do 360 feedback online has done much more than reduce the time and effort required to distribute questionnaires and collate the answers.
Questionnaires are now interactive, so that:

Confidentiality is improved, as questionnaires and reports can be protected by passwords.
Questionnaire rules can improve the quality of feedback by, for example, requiring that a minimum number of questions are answered, and a minimum percentage of critical feedback, or of positive feedback.
Accuracy is improved - an online system can ensure that essential data is provided.

Other benefits of online systems are:

Reports are available online; answers can be collated instantly, so reports are immediately available and up-to-date. Reports can also include comparison with previous feedback.
The amount of administration required is much reduced. Individuals can be responsible for managing their own feedback, for requesting feedback and for chasing late questionnaires.
Demographic information can be collected, and the fact that data is held in a database simplifies analysis and the production of summary reports.

Photograph showing a young woman sitting in a white room using a laptop computer

Photograph showing 6 co-workers standing as a group, dressed in smart office clothing

"When it's done well, 360° feedback challenges the recipient's perceptions of their skills and performance, and
provides the motivation
to change"

Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development

@staff360

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