Peter Maxwell Davies, an English composer and conductor says, “if you don’t get feedback from your performers and your audience, you’re going to be working in a vacuum”. This statement is pretty much applicable to the corporate world as well.
Timely feedback is the key to be a perfectionist. Feedback has been the traditional method to get things on track. We have witnessed this from our growing years. Our behaviors were noted by the elders in the family and corrections were done in a gentle way. Similarly in our professional lives, the only way to enhance performance is to receive feedback from people whom we are working with – under, above and around us. Personal development, which is essential in the workplace, needs good, well expressed, honest, and specific feedback.
What is a 360-degree feedback survey?
One of the best feedback tools for professionals is 360-degree feedback. It also known as multi source feedback that comes from members of an employee’s immediate work group. Most often, 360-degree feedback will include direct feedback from an employee’s subordinates, supervisors and colleagues. It also involves self-evaluation. In some cases it may also comprise feedback from external sources, such as customers, suppliers and other interested stakeholders which reveals how others perceive you.
It’s used for planning and mapping specific paths in their development. In few organizations results are used in making administrative decisions related to pay and promotions. Usually it is best used for development than ‘evaluation’.
How to go about 360-Degree Feedback survey?
To start the process 10-12 raters are to be pulled, out of which at least 6-8 (other than self) ratings must be obtained. Raters should offer confidential and anonymous feedback about the individuals. The accumulated report helps individuals to reflect and start working on their developmental aspects. Honest and realistic feedback will be much more valuable to the participants in their self-development. Each individual who receives feedback will then be encouraged to work on the development areas. It’s advisable to re-run the survey after 9 months to know the progress and to know the extent of improvement.
The feedback includes parameters such as: job performance, behavior at workplace, managerial effectiveness and skills like delegation, communication and team play. It also includes higher aspects like ethics, fairness, etiquette values, like professional courtesies. These are only an indicative list and we can customize the parameters for each organization.
If you wish to know more about 360-Degree feedback, write to info@hrfootprints.com
