360 Degree Feedback is Best Employee Performance Appraisal System

It is important for each and every employee to be evaluated from time to time to understand their strengths and weakness at work, their performance level, how they much have been contributing towards company growth and what room is present for their further improvement. To help the management to determine the above aspects, there have come up various types of evaluation tools in the market. But the truth is that not all of them are positive result oriented. Hence, it will be wise to contact a vendor who can provide customized solutions to meet the specific needs of the management, evaluators and the organization as a whole.

A wonderful tool for growth and development

The 360 degree feedback can be rightly stated as a time tested method to be implemented in any type of organization, be it small or big. It can help to improve employee job satisfaction and overall productivity. Responses to all the questionnaires are generally offered through the web, thus helping employees to view themselves similar to how the others view them. Usually, 8-15 people offer the feedback. The assessed individuals are encouraged by the resulting report to capitalize upon their existing strengths and identify those areas which require changes.

Well thought-out strategic initiative

Majority of the 360 degree performance feedback are found to be strategic initiatives. Hence, they have been designed for supporting leader development, enhancing productivity, improving competitive advantage as well as job satisfaction and morale including retaining the high performing employees. But such programs tend to have a beginning only with the evaluation of the senior leadership and then it moves on to the managers, front line employees and other staffs present in the organization. The 360 performance appraisal does to support initiates taken with respect to performance improvement, learning organization, continuous improvement, total quality management, kaizen, process re-design, quality circles and re-engineering. When it comes to offering powerful and valuable strategic perspective of the whole organization, all employee feedback could be aggregated within a single report.

Confidential, secure questionnaire

People familiar with the individual’s performance are invited towards answering secure, simple questionnaire, but with an assurance of their replies being kept anonymous. Then the individuals are rated by the responders on the most valued workplace skills. Also, they offer comment about the performance and suggestions on improvements in own words.Employee performance appraisal format is really essential to collect such valuable data of your employees.

Report tends to combine all received responses

The responses received from everyone gets combined in a week or two and made into confidential report. It is generally presented to the concerned employee who has been evaluated with regards to offering various types of support, mentoring and coaching. The report, in majority of the cases is kept private, to help guide the individual in self-development. At times, the result is fed within the other processes, compensation, performance management or succession planning.

Plethora of information

Therefore, enabling the employees to view themselves just like how the others view them, this 360 employee performance appraisal system provides them with numerous piece of valuable information. This can be used by the individuals/groups to act upon, to highlight their areas for further development and improve their strengths and find out their weaknesses. It also helps to forge strong partnership among the organization and the employee and to help maintain continuous growth process.

How 360 degree process can help?

It provides assistance in the following ways:

• Encourages ongoing learning
• Enhances self-knowledge
• Supports mentoring and coaching initiatives at all levels
• Offers guidance towards creating positive changes
• Identifies those areas which require further development
• Stimulates the individuals to perform to their optimum

Why it has been named as 360 degree appraisal?

A common criticism that is noticed with the standardized performance appraisal has been stated to be the elation of just few aspects related to the employee’s work and performance by the over-extended supervisors. Individual’s self-assessment on the contrary, is not seen to lead towards growth and development always. This is because in perspective it is found to be limited in nature.

The feedback’s power is such that the data is collected from wide range of viewpoints. Frank feedback is provided by the responders on individual behaviour and ranging from every compass point, like peers, managers, external and internal customers, direct reports, etc.

Know the aggregate results

The one major benefit for the organization, derived from implementation of the 360 degree tool is individual and group growth. Strategic rich measurements can also be derived from the aggregated results with regards to the human capital, target training, guide marketing, etc. without actually having to breach individual confidentiality.

A fast growing trend

The feedback tool is witnessing constant evolving for over half a century and is currently experiencing remarkable, inspiring performance improvements. With the introduction of the web, this tool has been taken to new heights, pertaining to its global accessibility, reliability, efficiency and speed. It is for this reason that the 360 degree appraisal is found to have become popular among organizations and HRs across the globe since the last decade and is only growing further.

Past experiences

Previously, the 360 degree appraisal was carried out on pen and paper. During those days, the evaluator had to face a hard task trying to administer the project among whole lot of employees in the organization and to derive correct and authentic results.

Online evaluation

It was in 1998 that the first net based 360 evaluation tool was developed for employee performance appraisal system. Users for the first time could control own questionnaire design and also use the provider facilities. Even the responders found the same very simple and also much more confidential when compared to the pen and paper approach. Simple clicks on the choices and typing in their comments is sufficient with the online approach. Also, after getting responses from the last responder trying to compile the entire report becomes quite effortless. Overall, this system ensures that that the mind bending calculations are no more necessary and is completed effortlessly and easily. Moreover, the entire task is completed with the wink of an eye. Final report can be availed from the internet based 360 degree appraisal program within 2-3 seconds and passed onto the management and given to the concerned employee as well.