We all like to get positive or constructive feedback and when it is delivered in the right way it can really benefit both the individual and the business. Even so, with evidence to support this idea, it is the fact that people do not receive feedback that is considered to be the major contributor to their decision to leave their workplace, so it really is important to provide feedback to your employees. It is a wise decision as it allows you to find out where employees may require support or skills development to enable them to raise 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.
Historically, it has been the manager's role to provide feedback and, due to increasing workloads, the manager's feedback has been scant at best. What 360 degree feedback does is widen the circle of feedback providers to include peer evaluation, direct reports and self evaluation. The end result of this process is that the individual has access to a comprehensive report that allows them to compare their own perceptions of their work to those of their close associates. Once they have this report, a performance coach will assist them in making any necessary adjustments through a targeted 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 are the main components of a successful 360 degree feedback process?
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. All surveys that are given must have a relationship with the mission statement of the company and the skills for which the company is searching and should consider the skills that are needed to obtain both individual and company success.
3. All those involved in the rating process are required to attend a 360 orientation. This is where they will learn that 360 is to be used only as a developmental tool and not for performance appraisal. The confidentiality of responses and the process of surveys is to be stressed, reassuring both the "raters" and those being rated.
4. Questionnaires or surveys are filled in. Most of these surveys are filled in online where special encryption software can guarantee the security of the data collection.
5. Completed surveys are collated and placed into a report which includes verbatim comments and then given to the individual in question. The report should be easy to read. Senior management is presented with a summary of the group, in which the ratings are tallied numerically, indicating strengths and weaknesses as a group. Such information is useful to make decisions regarding training to coincide with the needs of the group.
6. Coaching that is considered necessary for improvements is then given to those requiring it. Impartiality is one of the best qualities of a good coach as is their ability to focus on realistic, useful goal setting. It is also appropriate for managers to adopt the role of coach as it will help to cement any skills gained and guarantee accountability.
So, what can all this do to help your business? The success of the process depends upon how much effort you are prepared to put into it. How much change you are able to see is directly related to the degree of feedback presented as well as the level of support offered. 360 degree feedback, when used properly, can be extremely powerful in producing the amount of feedback you will need to make those necessary changes in your business. - 16069
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.
Historically, it has been the manager's role to provide feedback and, due to increasing workloads, the manager's feedback has been scant at best. What 360 degree feedback does is widen the circle of feedback providers to include peer evaluation, direct reports and self evaluation. The end result of this process is that the individual has access to a comprehensive report that allows them to compare their own perceptions of their work to those of their close associates. Once they have this report, a performance coach will assist them in making any necessary adjustments through a targeted 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 are the main components of a successful 360 degree feedback process?
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. All surveys that are given must have a relationship with the mission statement of the company and the skills for which the company is searching and should consider the skills that are needed to obtain both individual and company success.
3. All those involved in the rating process are required to attend a 360 orientation. This is where they will learn that 360 is to be used only as a developmental tool and not for performance appraisal. The confidentiality of responses and the process of surveys is to be stressed, reassuring both the "raters" and those being rated.
4. Questionnaires or surveys are filled in. Most of these surveys are filled in online where special encryption software can guarantee the security of the data collection.
5. Completed surveys are collated and placed into a report which includes verbatim comments and then given to the individual in question. The report should be easy to read. Senior management is presented with a summary of the group, in which the ratings are tallied numerically, indicating strengths and weaknesses as a group. Such information is useful to make decisions regarding training to coincide with the needs of the group.
6. Coaching that is considered necessary for improvements is then given to those requiring it. Impartiality is one of the best qualities of a good coach as is their ability to focus on realistic, useful goal setting. It is also appropriate for managers to adopt the role of coach as it will help to cement any skills gained and guarantee accountability.
So, what can all this do to help your business? The success of the process depends upon how much effort you are prepared to put into it. How much change you are able to see is directly related to the degree of feedback presented as well as the level of support offered. 360 degree feedback, when used properly, can be extremely powerful in producing the amount of feedback you will need to make those necessary changes in your business. - 16069
About the Author:
Theo Benmanson has been instructing personnel for that last 15 years. He has written many articles on the topic. Click the links for additional articles on 360 degree feedback. Or visit his website at www.engauge.co.uk.
