360 Degree Employee Assessments are an invaluable tool for companies and employees. Results can foster skill development, increase productivity, and drive company growth. As a multi-rater assessment system, the information gleaned can help individual employees improve performance, and help companies identify issues before they become problems. For example, if a reoccurring theme is seen in 360 results, it might indicate an issue with company culture or business processes that can be addressed before they balloon into problems.

The only downfall in the use of 360 degree feedback assessments occurs when they are improperly planned, and results are used to punish or reward employees.

The key to a successful 360 Degree Feedback Assessment is planning!

1. Survey Questions 

In the design of the 360 degree survey it is essential to determine the overall goal of the assessment and ensure that questions connect to specific business processes and goals. Identify the skills, behaviours, competencies and processes that are pertinent to the company and determine what factors to assess. Ensure all questions are specific, vague questions will lead to vague answers that don’t provide the insight needed to improve performance. 

Learn more: A Guide to Generating and Structuring Questions for Employee Performance Reviews

2. Pre-360 Employee Information Session

Before launching the 360 degree feedback assessment, have an information session with employees to explain the assessment and address any concerns employees might present. It is vital to stress that 360s are not a tool for punishing or rewarding employees, it is a tool to help employees gain insight on themselves so that they may develop a personal career development plan that allows them to grow with the company. Employees should be reminded of the requirement to leave personal preferences and biases out of the assessment and provide professional, accurate responses. 

Learn more: The 4 most common 360 degree feedback mistakes

3. Post-360 Training and Development Plans

The goal of 360 degree feedback is to help employees and companies grow. Every employee should have a one-on-one meeting to provide feedback, review assessment results, and identify specific areas in need of improvement. A training and development plan should be created with each employee to help them develop the skills they need to succeed. Whether it’s soft skills like effective communication and customer service, or hard skills like data entry or coding, every employee wants to learn and grow, and the onus is on the company to foster and encourage that growth. 

Learn more: How to Use the STAR Model to Provide Feedback