In today’s competitive business landscape, fostering a highly performing-team is crucial for achieving organizational goals. While traditional performance reviews provide valuable insights, they often rely on self-assessments and manager evaluations, limiting the comprehensiveness of feedback.

360-degree feedback surveys can change how you assess and help individuals and teams in your team development plan.

What is 360-degree feedback?

360-degree feedback and 360-degree feedback surveys are similar but sometimes used interchangeably.

360-degree feedback is a thorough process that collects input from various viewpoints, such as managers, colleagues, subordinates, and customers. It’s like observing every aspect of an employee’s job performance. This includes their achievements, interactions with others, and their contribution to the team.

360-degree feedback surveys are questionnaires designed to gather multi-dimensional feedback. They focus on an employee’s work, such as communication, teamwork, leadership, and problem-solving skills. Additionally, the feedback in a 360-degree feedback survey is always kept anonymous.

360-degree feedback collects varied feedback to evaluate an employee’s strengths, weaknesses, and overall impact fairly and comprehensively.

This comprehensive evaluation empowers employees to identify areas for improvement, focus on developing their strengths, and contribute more effectively to the team’s success.

The benefits of 360-degree feedback

Beyond evaluating accomplishments, 360-degree feedback provides a comprehensive view of an employee’s performance through multiple perspectives.

This feedback helps employees identify areas for improvement and leverage their strengths to succeed in their current roles. It also helps them achieve their career goals.

1. Unveiling hidden strengths: 360-degree feedback surveys uncover unknown strengths that individuals and managers may not know about.

2. Finding blind spots: People often don’t realize their blind spots, where their performance doesn’t meet expectations. 360-degree feedback shines a light on these blind spots, enabling individuals to address them head-on.

3. Customized plans: Surveys help create personalized development plans for each employee based on their needs and goals. These custom plans provide the roadmap for continuous improvement and professional growth.

4. Strengthening team dynamics: 360-degree feedback improves team relationships by promoting open communication and trust. It encourages team members to give helpful feedback and support each other’s growth.

5. Empowering employee growth: 360-degree feedback supports employee development by giving helpful feedback and promoting self-directed growth. This promotes a culture of constant learning and improvement.

360-degree feedback is not just about the feedback itself; it’s about the process of self-reflection and development. Organizations can foster a culture of improvement.

They can do this by allowing employees to take ownership of feedback, set goals, and receive support from managers and peers. This approach helps unleash the full potential of teams. This helps release the full potential of teams.

How to create a 360-degree feedback survey

To create a 360-degree feedback survey, follow steps to collect helpful data and achieve positive outcomes for staff and the organization.

1. Define the purpose and goals

Before diving into the survey development process, clearly define the purpose and goals of the 360-degree feedback process. What do you hope to achieve by conducting this feedback? Are you focused on individual development, team improvement, or organizational effectiveness?

2. Identify raters and feedback dimensions

Determine who will provide feedback and the performance dimensions you want to assess. Raters typically include managers, peers, direct reports, and customers or clients. Select specific behavioral or skill-related aspects that you want to evaluate. For instance, for teamwork, you might include items like collaboration, communication, and conflict resolution.

3. Craft clear and concise questions

Develop precise questions that are easy for raters to understand and respond to. Avoid jargon or overly complex language. Use a mix of rating scales, open-ended questions, and behavioral examples. Use a 5- or 7-point scale to rate things, from “Strongly disagree” to “Strongly agree.”

4. Ensure anonymity and confidentiality

Protect the anonymity and confidentiality of raters to encourage honest and open feedback. Consider using online survey platforms that provide built-in security features and allow for anonymous responses.

5. Provide clear instructions and guidelines

Provide clear and concise instructions and guidelines for completing the survey. Explain the purpose of the feedback, the confidentiality of responses, and any specific expectations for providing feedback. Encourage raters to be specific, provide examples, and focus on observable behaviors rather than personal opinions.

6. Manage the feedback collection and analysis

Use a secure and reliable online platform like Formaloo to collect and manage feedback. Formaloo provides data analysis tools to summarize and visualize the feedback results. Ensure the anonymity and confidentiality of responses throughout the process.

7. Provide feedback in a constructive and actionable Way

After collecting feedback, analyze the results and provide personalized constructive feedback. Focus on actionable steps and resources for development.

9. Facilitate follow-up and implementation

Schedule a follow-up meeting with the individual to discuss the feedback and develop an action plan for improvement. Encourage them to take ownership of their development and track their progress. Provide ongoing support and resources as needed.

9. Evaluate and refine the process

Periodically evaluate the effectiveness of your 360-degree feedback process. Gather feedback from participants on the overall experience and identify areas for improvement.

Examples of 360-degree feedback survey questions

Here are a few examples, and the questions you ask will depend on the individual and the organization. Focus on behaviors and skills, use rating scales and open-ended questions, and encourage actionable feedback for best results.

Teamwork

• How effectively does this person collaborate with others on team projects?
• Can you provide an example of a time when this person effectively resolved a conflict within the team?
• How supportive is this person of their team members?
• How effectively does this person share credit for team successes?
• How well does this person encourage and support team members’ professional development?

Communication

• How clearly and concisely does this person communicate their ideas?
• How effectively does this person listen to and understand others’ perspectives?
• How well does this person tailor their communication style to different audiences?
• How effectively does this person write clear and concise emails and reports?
• How well does this person present their ideas in meetings and presentations?

Leadership

• How effectively does this person motivate and inspire their team members?
• How well does this person delegate tasks and provide clear direction?
• How effectively does this person hold team members accountable for their performance?
• How effectively does this person manage conflict within the team?
• How well does this person create a positive and supportive work environment?

Technical Skills

• How proficient is this person in using the necessary software and technology for their job?
• How well does this person understand and apply technical concepts to their work?
• How effectively does this person solve technical problems and troubleshoot issues?
• How up-to-date is this person on the latest technical developments in their field?
• How willing is this person to learn new technical skills?

Problem-solving

• How effectively does this person identify and analyze problems?
• How creative and innovative is this person in generating solutions to problems?
• How well does this person implement solutions and evaluate their effectiveness?
• How well does this person learn from mistakes and improve their problem-solving skills?
• How persistent is this person in overcoming challenges and finding solutions?

Decision-making

• How effectively does this person gather and analyze information to make decisions?
• How well does this person consider all relevant factors and potential consequences before making a decision?
• How clear and well-reasoned are this person’s decisions?
• How willing is this person to make tough decisions even when there is no clear right answer?
• How effective is this person at adapting their decision-making process to different situations?

Formaloo: Your ultimate solution for 360-degree feedback success

To effectively implement 360-degree feedback, organizations need a robust platform that seamlessly integrates with their existing processes.

Formaloo is a top survey tool provider. It helps businesses easily create, distribute, and analyze 360-degree feedback surveys.

Formaloo’s extensive features make it the perfect choice for organizations seeking to simplify their 360-degree feedback process:

• Survey design & branding capabilities: Design surveys that match your brand and collect the feedback you want.
• Email customization: Personalize email invitations and notifications to improve the feedback experience for participants.
• Employee portal: Create a user-friendly employee portal for viewing feedback, tracking progress, and accessing development resources.
• Task management: Assign tasks, track progress, and collaborate with team members to ensure timely feedback collection and analysis.
• Evaluation status tracking: Monitor the status of evaluations in real-time, ensuring timely completion and feedback delivery.
• Built-in reporting: Generate reports that provide insights into individual and team performance.
• Security: Your data is safe with Formaloo’s strong security measures, like encryption and access controls.

With Formaloo’s powerful features and user-friendly interface, organizations can easily integrate 360-degree feedback into their existing workflows. That empowers employees to reach their full potential and drive team success.

Sign up with Formaloo today to boost your team development strategy and create surveys that solve problems! Follow us on our YouTube channel for more useful tips and tricks.