How can we define 360 degree feedback? 360 feedback can be defined as a process of feedback or appraisal whereby feedback is received by an employee’s peers, for example managers or other co-workers. It is called 360 degree because it’s about generating feedback from different sources in order to give a well-round picture of a person’s performance.
Because the 360 feedback system is very popular these days, many businesses dive into using the process without complete realisation of what it does or should involve. One of the mistakes that some businesses make is to have a 360 feedback system without any clear aim or without relation to an overall business strategy. Instead, the system works best if it is tied to a specific aim, such as management development.
Some businesses might have inaccurate expectations about what 360 feedback should achieve. The process is a process of gathering feedback, e.g. gathering information about an employee which can be an aid to their improvement. It is not necessarily about directly remedying an employee’s bad performance, which might need to be addressed in other ways.
A key aspect of 360 feedback is that it is confidential. When you lose the element of confidentiality the whole system becomes compromised. People are likely to be less honest when they know their responses are not confidential, and this undermines the whole integrity of the feedback system.
