What Is A 360 Review? Comprehensive Assessment

As companies and organizations strive to improve employee performance, the 360 review has become a popular tool for evaluating an employee’s skills, competencies, and behaviors. But what exactly is a 360 review? In this comprehensive assessment, we’ll explore everything you need to know about the 360 review process and how it can benefit your organization.

What is a 360 review?

A 360 review, also known as a multi-rater feedback, is an evaluation method that involves collecting feedback from an employee’s peers, managers, subordinates, and sometimes even customers or external stakeholders. The goal of a 360 review is to provide a comprehensive view of an employee’s strengths and weaknesses, as well as identify areas for improvement.

Why do companies use 360 reviews?

There are several reasons why companies use 360 reviews:

• Objective feedback: A 360 review provides a more comprehensive and objective view of an employee’s performance by gathering feedback from multiple sources.
• Development opportunities: The feedback gathered from a 360 review can help employees identify areas for improvement and create a development plan to enhance their skills and competencies.
• Increased self-awareness: Receiving feedback from multiple sources can help employees gain a better understanding of how their behavior and actions impact others.
• Improved teamwork: A 360 review can help improve teamwork by identifying communication and collaboration issues that may be hindering team performance.

How does a 360 review work?

The 360 review process typically involves the following steps:

1. Identify the participants: The employee being reviewed selects a group of people to provide feedback, which typically includes managers, peers, subordinates, and sometimes even customers or external stakeholders.
2. Distribute the survey: The feedback is collected through a survey, which is typically anonymous to encourage honest and constructive feedback. The survey questions are designed to evaluate the employee’s skills, competencies, and behaviors.
3. Collect the feedback: The survey responses are collected and compiled into a report, which is typically shared with the employee being reviewed.
4. Review the feedback: The employee being reviewed reviews the feedback and creates a development plan to address any areas for improvement.
5. Follow up: The employee being reviewed typically meets with their manager or HR representative to discuss the feedback and development plan.

What are the benefits of a 360 review?

There are several benefits of using a 360 review:

• Comprehensive feedback: A 360 review provides a more comprehensive view of an employee’s performance by gathering feedback from multiple sources.
• Identify blind spots: A 360 review can help employees identify blind spots in their skills, competencies, and behaviors that they may not have been aware of.
• Increased self-awareness: Receiving feedback from multiple sources can help employees gain a better understanding of how their behavior and actions impact others.
• Development opportunities: The feedback gathered from a 360 review can help employees create a development plan to enhance their skills and competencies.
• Improved teamwork: A 360 review can help improve teamwork by identifying communication and collaboration issues that may be hindering team performance.

What are some best practices for conducting a 360 review?

Here are some best practices for conducting a 360 review:

• Ensure anonymity: To encourage honest and constructive feedback, it’s important to ensure that the feedback is anonymous.
• Set clear expectations: It’s important to set clear expectations with participants about the purpose of the 360 review and how the feedback will be used.
• Use a standardized survey: Using a standardized survey with clear and concise questions can help ensure that the feedback is consistent and easy to interpret.
• Provide training: Providing training to participants on how to provide feedback can help ensure that the feedback is constructive and actionable.
• Follow up: It’s important to follow up with the employee being reviewed to ensure that they have received the feedback and create a development plan.

Conclusion

The 360 review is a valuable tool for evaluating an employee’s skills, competencies, and behaviors. By gathering feedback from multiple sources, a 360 review can provide a more comprehensive and objective view of an employee’s performance and identify areas for improvement. To ensure that the 360 review is effective, it’s important to follow best practices, such as ensuring anonymity, setting clear expectations, using a standardized survey, providing training, and following up with the employee being reviewed.

FAQs

What is the difference between a 360 review and a performance review?

A performance review typically involves feedback from one manager or supervisor, while a 360 review involves feedback from multiple sources, including managers, peers, subordinates, and sometimes even customers or external stakeholders.

How often should a 360 review be conducted?

A 360 review is typically conducted annually or bi-annually, although the frequency may vary depending on the organization’s needs and goals.

How can companies ensure that the feedback provided in a 360 review is constructive and actionable?

Providing training to participants on how to provide constructive feedback can help ensure that the feedback provided in a 360 review is actionable. It’s also important to use a standardized survey with clear and concise questions to ensure that the feedback is consistent and easy to interpret.