How Does 360 Feedback Work?

How does 360 feedback work? 360 feedback gathers input from multiple sources, including managers, peers, direct reports, and even internal or external customers. This feedback process provides a clearer view of your personal strengths, areas for improvement, and overall performance. Here’s how it works and how it can support your development. To learn more, visit Actus.

1. What is 360 Feedback?

360 feedback, also known as multi-rater feedback or multi-source feedback, is a performance management tool that collects insights from multiple people. These feedback providers can include:

• Direct managers
• Peers and colleagues
• Direct reports
• Other stakeholders, such as customers or team members

The person receiving the feedback, called the feedback recipient, also completes a self-assessment. This is compared to the feedback from others, offering a full and unbiased view of the employee’s performance.

2. How is Feedback Collected?

The process involves sending a custom survey to specific groups within the organisation. These surveys typically include:

• Rating scales to measure behaviours and critical competencies, such as time management, leadership, and communication.
• Open-ended questions to encourage constructive feedback and provide specific examples.

Gathering input from multiple people ensures a balanced view and helps eliminate the biases that can occur in traditional performance reviews.

3. Self-Assessment

Self-assessment is a key part of the 360 feedback process. Employees rate their own performance against performance objectives and job requirements. Comparing self-assessment results with external feedback helps build self-awareness and highlights any differences in perception.

4. How Feedback is Shared

Once all feedback is collected, it is collated into a single report for the feedback recipient and their manager. The report includes:

• Personal strengths
• Areas for improvement
• Gaps between self-assessment and external feedback
• Development suggestions

The manager or a member of the HR team typically shares the results in a meeting to ensure feedback is delivered in a constructive and developmental way.

5. How 360 Feedback Drives Development

360 feedback isn’t just about measuring employee performance; it’s also a development tool that helps employees and organisations grow. Here’s how it contributes to development:

Professional development: Identifies areas for training and skill-building.

Leadership development programs: Helps senior leaders and individual contributors strengthen job-specific skills.

Customer service improvement: Feedback from internal or external customers helps employees enhance their interactions.

Employee reviews: Provides a clear and actionable framework for performance management and employee growth.

6. 360 Feedback Best Practices

To get the most out of 360 feedback, the process should be designed carefully. Here are some tips:

Include diverse perspectives: Gather input from peers, direct reports, and managers.

Train feedback providers: Ensure they know how to give constructive feedback.

Follow up: Use the feedback to create an actionable plan for improvement and growth.

Focus on behaviours: The survey should measure behaviours, not personality traits.

Why 360 Feedback Works

Research shows that 360 feedback improves employee performance and organisational success. By using a multi-rater feedback assessment, it gathers input from multiple people, providing a comprehensive view of employee evaluations. This approach makes it an excellent tool for performance appraisals and aligning individual performance with the organisation’s strategy while supporting both employee development and personal development.

Whether you’re a manager designing a performance management system for improved customer service, or an employee seeking growth, giving feedback through 360 feedback is highly recommended.