360 Degree Feedback

BegainingLook at a dialog between two colleagues of an organization after the performance appraisals are over.

David Kyle

I think our supervisor is biased against me.

Why do you think that?

David Kyle

I have performed very well throughout the year, yet he has not given me the correct

rating. He rated me as ‘satisfactory’.

DavidKyle

I wish the rating was done by many people who know

me and my work, apart from our supervisor.

Yes, he does tend to under-rate people he

doesn’t like.

DavidKyle

I did but I am not satisfied with his

explanation.

So, didn’t you discuss with him in the

feedback interview?

Let us learn about performance appraisals, the feedback process and

360 degree feedback in detail.

Such problems may arise in many organizations where the performance

appraisals are done by single individuals like the supervisor. To overcome such problems, a system known as the 360

degree feedback is used.

360 Degree Feedback

What is Performance Appraisal?

Performance Appraisal (PA) is the process that is used to evaluate the personality, performance and potential of the employees of an organization.

It is a process of evaluating and communicating to an employee how he or she is performing the job and establishing a plan for improvement.

Hence, it is a system of review and evaluation of job performance to assess accomplishments and to evolve plans for development.

What is 360 Degree Feedback?

360-degree feedback is an appraisal or assessment process used to improve managerial effectiveness by providing the manager with a more complete assessment of the employee’s effectiveness, his performance and development needs.

360 degree feedback is also known as Multi-rater feedback, Multi-source feedback, Full-circle appraisal or Group performance review.

History of 360 Degree Feedback Contemporary 360-degree methods have roots as early as the 1940s.

Most scholars agree that 360-degree performance appraisal has historical roots within a military context.

During the The first known use of a multiple-source feedback method was during World War II, by the German military..

During the 1960s and 1970s, in the corporate world, organizations like Bank of America, United Airlines experimented with multi-source feedback in a variety of measurement situations.

Who Should Do the Appraising?A few of the suitable people who can carry out the appraisals are as follows:

360-Degree Feedback

Immediate supervisor

Peers

Rating committeesSelf-ratings

Subordinates

Uses of 360 Degree FeedbackThere are several uses of the 360 degree feedback system, such as for:

• Self-development and individual counseling

• Part of ‘organized’ training and development

• Team building

• Performance management

• Strategic or organization development

7

6

5 • Validation of training and other initiatives

Advantages for Employee

It serves as a method of collecting

information from as many sources in an

employee’s environment.

••It is an honest assessment as

viewed by a variety of

constituents.

••It provides

confidential input from

many people of how an

employee fares in his job.

••It helps

employees in seeing

themselves as others see them.

••It provides

information which neither employee nor

his/her superior may be aware of.

•

Advantages for Organization

Promotes constructive

feedback and open

communication

Develops a culture of continuous performance

improvement

Embeds values and expected working competencies

Builds leadership/

managerial capability

Provides feedback about leadership and management ‘strength’

Can be a powerful trigger for change

Traditional Feedback vs. 360 Degree FeedbackTraditional Feedback

ME

Supervisor

ME

360 Degree Feedback

OthersMe

Supervisor

Internal Customers

Co-workers

External Customers

Direct Reportees

Skip - Level Reportees

Measurement Parameters360 degree feedback system appraises the employee and evaluates the employee on various measurement parameters such as:

PersonalBrand

Commercial Awareness

Coaching and Developing

Others

Building Relationships

Strategic Thinking

Developing the Organization

Managing Performance

Managing and Leading Change

Business Skills

Feedback Questions

What do you like and dislike about working

for this organization?

What elements of your job do you find most

difficult?

Has the past year been

good/bad/satisfactory or

otherwise for you, and why?

What do you consider to be your most important

achievements of the past year?

What do you consider to be

your most important tasks

in the next year?

What elements of your job

interest you the most, and least?

What kind of work or job

would you like to be doing in one/two/five years time?

What action could be taken to improve your

performance in your current position by you,

and your boss?

What sort of training/experience would benefit you in the next

year?

Performance Evaluation RatingsO

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• Performance evaluation ratings reflect the decision by your appraiser’s pertaining to the results you produced over the review period.

• Appraiser’s will rate each performance expectation/goal and Competency using anchors listed below:

Appraisal/Feedback InterviewDepending upon the type of appraisal of the employee, there are three types of appraisal interview scenario that can arise such as:

Performance is satisfactory; employee is promotable

Performance is satisfactory; employee is not promotable

Performance is unsatisfactory, but correctable

Appraisal/Feedback InterviewThere are a few key points that a manager or appraiser should keep in mind for conducting an appraisal Interview, such as:

He should be

direct and

specific. He should never

get personal.

He should encourage the

employee to talk as well.

He should develop an action plan from the information gathered.

Information/Results ObtainedThere are several areas about which information is gathered from using the 360 degree feedback system for appraising an employee. Some such areas are as shown in the image given below.

A. Development Areas

B. Strengths

C. Discrepancies

D. Hidden Strengths

Expected Results

Unexpected Results

Strategies for Success in 360 Degree Feedback

Explain what it is, what it does, how it’s used, and its' benefits to all

concerned, continually

Disconnect it from any compensation

decisions (raises, bonuses, etc.) - make it

developmental

Provide information on its purpose and

process to assessors

Conduct structured feedback

workshops for feedback recipients

Appraisers and employees should

know the instrument they are using

thoroughly

Don't force it on people

• What recommendations can be provided to an organization considering the implementation of a 360-degree feedback system?

There are three key recommendations of implementing the 360 degree feedback system successfully:1. Make it fit into the organization 2. Make it psychometrically sound 3. Use with care

Recommendation for implementing 360 Feedback System

Make it fitMake it

Psychometrically Sound

Use with Care

1. Increase Employee Participation

2. Train Feedback Providers.

3. Communication is Key

1. Increase Rater Familiarity

2. Promote Rater Accuracy

Recommendation for implementing 360 Feedback System

Limitations regarding 360 feedback

• What limitations exist to the success of these programs?

It is time-consuming and expensive Anonymity does not automatically result in unbiased employee answers Managers and employees are not trained Given data is subjective, not objective Determining who should be included in the survey is complicated