How to Conduct a 360-degree Performance Appraisal
- 1). Identify the set of people to ask for feedback. They should have worked with the person for at least one year. One to three years of working together is considered to be the ideal time frame to know a person. In a performance appraisal, feedback from this group of people will be most valuable.
- 2). Include people from all around the employee. This should include superiors, peers, subordinates, co-workers and external customers. Without all of these sources, the 360-degree feedback collection will be incomplete.
- 3). Pick an optimal size of group to collect feedback. Do not exceed 20 people. It is hard to comprehend and interpret the feedback from a large crowd.
- 4). Prepare a survey to collect 360-degree feedback. The questions should be constructed to get feedback on the areas being assessed. Some of the key areas include communication, team work, leadership, technical competence, ethics, integrity and customer focus.
- 5). Ensure confidentiality. Collect performance review feedback with the anonymity of the provider. Use paper forms or electronic forms that don't reveal the provider's identity. Keep the survey data confidential. You may consider outsourcing the task to an external company that has expertise in handing 360-performance appraisals.
- 6). Provide a summary of the 360-degree performance review feedback to the employee. Do not give the collected feedback as it is. Discuss the feedback in person and go over each key area identified in the performance review process. Be sensitive to person's feelings and emotions. Provide constructive and objective suggestions for improvements during the appraisal. Do not forget to genuinely praise the positive aspects found in 360-degree appraisal process.