Best Practice 360 Review Tips

Organisations these days are moving towards the continuous 360-degree mode of feedback instead of the traditional annual performance review process.  This regular, 360-degree approach is incredibly useful as it provides the opportunity to gain inputs from multiple team members, including the individuals that work closest with them or are collaborating on projects. Periodic reviews where you collate feedback from multiple sources and organise them into one single review is an incredibly useful process for employees to view their progress and familiarise themselves with areas where they can improve.

If you wish to integrate more frequent 360 reviews into your next performance review process, it need not be an overly complicated one or a stressful one. When you plan to transition, you may keep the old practice in place and utilise the 360 review process as an additional means instead of replacing it for current protocols.

This article provides you with a list of four important tips using which you can transition to a 360 review process in a seamless and easy manner. Using these tips you can think of revamping your existing performance review process for the better and derive the best out of your team!

1. Anonymous Feedback or not

It is entirely up to you to decide which practice gels the best with your company’s culture. Do you feel that your team or employees are likely to respond in a much better manner if they know who provided the feedback? Or will it work better if you ask your team to share their feedback anonymously? It’s important to decide upon the right approach before getting people on board and embracing a 360-degree approach. Once you decide the manner in which you will be receiving the feedback from your employees, it is important that you communicate to them your decision. You need to ensure that your employees are well informed about this approach and they are comfortable with the new processes. This step is important as it will ensure their willingness to be a part of your approach. A practice which people are comfortable in using goes a long way in making it a successful one and feedback from peers is one such key in making the 360-degree feedback a successful approach.

2. Decide on how to use the 360 review

It’s important that you are aware and clear of how the 360-degree review is going to be integrated with the existing mode of feedback and what value is it going to add to it. For instance, your existing review process may already have role-specific skills, so you may introduce it for more generic competencies such as the ability of the team to meet a deadline,  communication skills, or people’s integration into the team. Before implementing the new feedback approach, you need to communicate to your team what it will be used for so that everyone can engage right from the beginning.

3. Set Appropriate Examples

It’s natural human psychology to not embrace change unless they see others around them doing the same. Similarly, if you plan to implement the 360 review using a feedback tool, you need to set examples of the management already using and implementing it. When people are informed about this new practice, and they see them being implemented in a successful manner by the management or other workflows, they are likely to be more comfortable by seeing the benefits derived from adopting the new approach. They will also feel encouraged to start giving feedback to their peers.

4. Remember to Follow Up

If adopted appropriately, the 360  review process is an incredibly useful process. When you collate feedback from multiple sources, it facilitates a rounded and accurate view of things. However, this feedback is only helpful when it is put into actual practice. It’s important to follow up after reviews, as it provides the scope for further discussion on how people can use this feedback that has been received, and take the next proactive steps and work towards improving and developing their skills and practices.