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Employee Experience

How 360 Degree Feedback Can Help Boost Performance

Long gone are the days of traditional performance reviews—360 feedback is becoming the new normal. As younger generations are entering and becoming the majority in the workplace, so are the preferred ways of receiving feedback. 

Millennials, who are now becoming the majority of managers across organizations, and Gen Z workers are more interested in the type of feedback more so than the frequency of it. For example, both generations want open and transparent leaders that prioritize employee well-being, as well as diversity and inclusion.

A majority of Gen Z prefers multiple, brief check-ins and real-time feedback from their managers—and preferably face-to-face. Millennial preferences aren’t too far off, either—most prefer consistent feedback, which is why a 360 degree feedback is most effective.

So what is 360 degree feedback? It is a method of employee performance review that provides each worker with feedback from their direct supervisor or manager, peers, direct reports, other coworkers, and sometimes even customers.

360 feedback questions are often provided in a template with affirmations and opportunities for relevant skills and performance areas, such as:

  • Collaboration
  • Communication
  • Initiative
  • Attitude
  • Professionalism
  • Quality of Work
  • Meeting Goals
  • Job Knowledge

Some 360 feedback examples include input from a direct supervisor, indirect supervisor, peers from the employee’s direct team or department, coworkers from other teams or departments, and an opportunity for the team member to provide feedback to their direct supervisor or manager. In providing opportunities for improvement to their direct supervisor or manager, workers might discuss leadership skills (i.e. addressing micromanagement, communication skills), project management (i.e. delegating workload, clarity of instructions), and engagement (i.e. trustworthiness, approachability, expresses empathy).

360 Feedback Tool Benefits

1. Develops self-awareness

Sometimes adding new perspectives outside of a norm can provide fresh insight into affirming positive behaviors and bringing to light areas of improvement. It also provides an opportunity for peers and coworkers outside of teams and departments to provide recognition, appreciation, and objective feedback.

2. Identifies strengths and weaknesses

With heightened self-awareness, employees can acknowledge strengths and weaknesses, and lean in on their team for support. This can boost employee accountability and productivity, as well as strengthen the overall team and organizational culture.

3. Improves goal setting

By understanding external perception and feedback, individuals and teams can improve goal setting. If an employee receives constructive feedback, like needing improvement on presentations, honing their presentation skills could lead to the team meeting or exceeding their goals more consistently. 

4. Enhances the performance review experience

360 feedback helps close the feedback loop and thus enhances the performance review experience by providing more useful, real-time constructive criticism to employees. Additionally, 360 degree feedback can help combat bias through a fairer, more balanced assessment.

Namely’s talent management solution offers 360 feedback, goal alignment and tracking, and continuous feedback to empower, engage, and re-ignite your people. To ensure the best strategy, explore performance reviews and feedback best practices.


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