Curious About 720-Degree Appraisal: Is It Just Overlapping Systems or Something More?

Friends, I have a query! Mathematically, a circle comes to a cessation at 360 degrees. When we mention 720 degrees, are we talking about any overlapping of two systems where one involves one aspect and another deals with a separate one? Since I have not come across any 720-degree appraisal, I am a bit intrigued to know the same.

Regards,
Rajesh B
Valuelanes, Bangalore

Doing a 360 annually is not anything new. The 360 we use has a report that compares the current 360 to the previous 360 so that we can see the changes over time. Does that sound like a 720? We also have an Organizational Management Analysis report that presents a compilation of the information obtained from the individual 360 results of a group of managers. Delivered via the Internet, the report provides a factual summary of the perceptions of a management group with input from the managers' bosses, peers, and direct reports.

Bob, that's true. There is a very slight improvement over 360 degrees. But the fact is, you don't see major breakthroughs in HR so often. So even small enhancements to current tools are beneficial.

Ajmal Mirza

Hello Ajmal:

"That's true... There is a very slight improvement over 360 degrees."

Some 360 providers don't want employers to see what has improved—often the improvement is marginal at best.

"But the fact is, you don't see major breakthroughs in HR so often..."

I agree, but the book "First, Break All the Rules: What the World's Greatest Managers Do Differently" could be a breakthrough if readers were to ask for help in putting its insights to work. We have been doing it for a long time.

"So even small enhancements to current tools are beneficial..."

I agree, but is a 720 anything more than two 360s?

Hi Robert,

My remarks were regarding what is happening in the general industry. I also need to read more about the 720-degree concept as I believe it is still developing.

"I agree, but is a 720 anything more than two 360s?"

Yes, I believe that it is more than just two 360s. It would involve direct relations between appraisals rather than just comparisons.

"But the fact is, you don't see major breakthroughs in HR so often..."

With this, I mean to emphasize that we should accept even small enhancements to our current tools if they can improve our work.

I agree that your consultancy might have been using similar techniques before someone else gave it a fancy name. Nevertheless, the technique, as you would also agree, is beneficial for the HR community.

Ajmal Mirza

Hello Ajmal,

A 720 is still two 360s, but as you say, with a different name. Since we have already developed a 720, what makes the one you described different?

First let me clarify.... I not an authority on the subject as I stated earlier... That I still am reading the subject
Some of the points of difference I came across are [actual quote for the document]
+
720 degree does not propose to be of only two assessment but a continuous assessment...
Further, I belive that preparing of the tool has to be done keeping in mind that the outcome is going to be evaluated again after some specified period.... So the assessment sheets and forms are to be prepared accordingly....
The more I read it... I come to believe that it is different from traditional 360 degree...
Would be able to comment further only once I have read the subject thoroughly
Ajmal Mirza

I am Raj, working on a project on 360-degree appraisal. My project title is "360-degree scan correlated across leading organizations in an experience band of 2 - 10 years." This appraisal system encompasses all personal relationships and peer groups of the employee to appraise him/her. I believe that the environment in which performance is generated extends beyond the workplace, and therefore, a mother would be a suitable person to appraise as she knows the individual better than anyone else.

My project includes 8 organizations, each with 10 employees, and 11 respondents for each employee. I am conducting this study in Hyderabad and require industry contacts to facilitate the project.

With regards,
Raj

Hello Ajmal,

Anyone who uses a 360 can include external raters, so that isn't new either. It appears you may be overly impressed with the words used to describe the 360 process. A 360 can use all internal raters, all external raters, or a combination of both. We even have a two-boss 360, which makes no sense to me, but some employers want it. A 360 is a 360, and it doesn't matter who does the rating, internal and/or external raters. Be aware that providing feedback to the subject of the 360 is seldom enough to get the subject to improve his behavior.

Hi Raj,

I believe that the climate in which performance is generated is off the work.

Is this the binding philosophy of your research and analysis?

Performance can never be generated out of work - this is my belief. There are definitely deviations in the behavioral aspects of an individual within and outside of an organization - which is true and that is the reason for finding variations in the assessment tests taken at various places (rather environment).

Environment can play a vital role in shaping the values/personality, etc., during the formative years which will have an impact on the individual from the performance perspective too, but the theory of performance related to environment outside the work - sounds a bit intriguing to me!

In that case, the Org Climate will never have any relevance or prominence in the HRM.

I am just furnishing my views - and please understand that I am not an authority to speak about this and am never questioning your theory as well - just trying to explore and understand.

Regards,

Rajesh B

Valuelanes

Bangalore

Dear All,

A 720-Degree Appraisal is a biannual 360-degree feedback process typically followed in the retail sector, predominant in the Western world.

Best regards

Hi Sankalp,

I have been reading on this subject for some days now (not from very reliable sources though)... but the point you have mentioned has not figured in the readings till now.

"720 Degree Appraisal is a Biannual 360 Degree feedback process followed typically in the Retail sector predominant in the Western world."

Could you please guide me as to where I can get more information on this subject? If you could post the article or link to it, it would be really helpful to me.

With regards,

Hi Ajmal,

One of the few links available is http://boothco.com <link updated to site home>. This, however, does state that typically reassessment is after a year. But I am aware that in cases where there is a contingent workforce, it happens in faster cycles, especially when feedback is on the contingent/temp workforce, typically in the retail sector.

The comments are based on what we read at B-School. I don't have the text, but will ask my professor who is still there for some material on 720 Degree.

In the retail sector - I had been to a retail software and technology exhibition in Birmingham in June 2003, where there were 5 vendors who were also exhibiting HR Software for the retail sector. A couple of them were also offering 720 Degree Survey Feedback. Unfortunately, I don't have those brochures with me. If I do come across them, I will share them with you. Is this something you are trying to implement or is it just an area of academic interest?

Cheers,
Sankalp

As promised - I checked with some sources and the following information is what I got. Hope it helps...

A. The understanding about 720-degree feedback is very murky. Different people define it in different ways.

1. Dave Ulrich (who is a major HR guru in the US) says when you gather feedback from people outside the company, it is 720-degree feedback. His article in which he makes this point is attached.

2. Clark Wilson (who is a consultant and has copyrighted the term '720-degree feedback') uses it to mean repeating the 360-degree process more than once so that you can measure progress.

3. TV Rao (Indian HR guru) says 360-degree is assessing a person as he/she is, using multiple raters. 720-degree feedback is when you assess potential as well, again using multiple raters.

B. As far as organizational use of it goes, I don't know the answer to that. But I guess there will be organizations using it since there are a lot of consultants who offer this service. And the consultants are mostly offering Wilson's process as that is copyrighted.

C. I don't think it will be very relevant for a contingent or a temp workforce. If you look at it from Ulrich's viewpoint (pt. 1), then it is relevant in an org that is affected to a large extent by people outside the org, who could be customers, suppliers, etc. From Wilson's and Rao's viewpoint, it is relevant when you are thinking in terms of developing people, and these people have to be individuals who you will retain for some time because the activity would require a lot of time and effort.

Thank you, Sankalp, for your valuable insights. I found the material on the Clark Wilson Group website very informative. I have recently read the PDF file "Capitalizing on Capabilities" by Dave Ulrich and Norm Smallwood, as you suggested. I also looked for the material you mentioned about T.V. Rao; however, I couldn't find it online. I may check my library for his insights.

These resources have helped clear some of my doubts, but I believe that to gain a deeper understanding, it would be beneficial if someone could create a book or paper titled "360-Degree Feedback." Such a resource would greatly enhance our knowledge on the subject.

This doesn't make sense... every time we have a 360 feedback/appraisal, it's still a 360 feedback/appraisal rather than... 1st feedback = 360, 2nd feedback = 720, 3rd feedback = 1080, and so on. One could call it a 720 feedback if there was another dimension added to it, i.e., 1st dimension = subordinate, peer, boss, 2nd dimension = customer, impacted function (e.g., Finance), vendor. Analysis Paralysis...

Please let me know if you need any further assistance.

Hi!

What I have been able to gather about 720-degree appraisal is as follows:

360-degree appraisal is restricted only to internal stakeholders like peers, superiors, and subordinates. In 720-degree appraisal, feedback is gathered from external stakeholders as well, such as immediate clients who work closely with the appraisee, surveyors, or company outbound partners. This broader range of feedback can enhance the assessment process.

This is one area that I have identified through readings and my own perception. I cannot be completely certain. I would like to ask everyone to keep each other informed of any latest updates they come across.

Please share your opinions.

Good Day! Monica

Hello Monica:

A 360 can include internal and external raters. Calling a 360 a 720 is just changing its name.

Hello Everybody,

Before I comment on the topic, let me say some things that are to be said to avoid any confusions:

1. I'm not the authority on the subject, so anything you don't agree with, we can discuss.

2. I was just searching for some information on 720 and came across citehr in one of the search results. I read ALL the replies from the beginning and thought I should also contribute whatever little I know of the topic from an academic point of view.

360-degree method:

In this method, a person is rated by the following people:

- Top-down Boss

- Cross-functional Colleagues and Internal Customers

- Peers - Immediate & Functional Colleagues

- Bottom-up Direct reporters

Now, this is what is Traditional 360-degrees. What happened over time is that more and more people wrote articles (which we read on the internet), and each of them has given/added what they felt would be a part of 360-degrees. And that's why the confusion. We now think customers/suppliers/stakeholders/family, etc., are a part of 360-degrees (which is not true).

Later, people talked about

540-degree Appraisal

Now, this, in addition to the ones mentioned above, takes into consideration the feedback from External Customers and Suppliers.

720-degree appraisal

This would also take the feedback from Stakeholders & Family.

Many more articles on the web say a 360-degree done twice is 720-degree. Well, at least to me, it doesn't make so much sense if we are talking about using the same parameters time and again.

My organization has a process of doing an appraisal once every quarter - and we follow 360-degree. Now, does that mean my organization has discovered a new appraisal system? THE ALL-NEW 1440-DEGREE APPRAISAL METHOD????

Being a learner, I would still like comments from the group.

Regards,

Manish Modani

Polaris Management Services Pvt. Ltd.

Hyderabad

0-93475-14040

As an organization directly involved in implementing the Global 360 program, I'd be interested in finding out what a 720 exactly contains. We recommend running a checkpoint survey after 6 months to see how the individual is progressing with his Personal Development Program. We normally only use the particular questions that identified his strengths and weaknesses (in other words, a scaled-down survey).

One of my colleagues said she'd also heard of a 900-degree survey. I wonder if HR creates new systems just to make themselves look productive!

Hi,

I would like to know about the 720 appraisal method and how it works in the organization differently than the 360-degree appraisal. Please help me.

Hi,

Can anyone please guide me in understanding all the performance appraisal types like:
- 90-degree
- 180-degree
- 270-degree
- 360-degree
- 540-degree
- 720-degree

I want to know what the differences are between all these types.

Regards,
Shushruti

Hi all,

I have heard that for a 720-degree performance appraisal, family members and stakeholders will also rate the employees. Can anyone tell me who all will be rating the employees?

Hi Bob,

I had been reading some posts on 720-degree appraisal in citehr recently, and I was intrigued. I made searches and came across these posts in citehr in 2005. I have no clue as to who has given a fancy name to this process. 360-degree mathematically converged, and it refers to feedback mechanism. Whatever improvement we think of, needs to be within this circle. The employee is at the center, and he gets rated. 720 degrees, if my little knowledge in math is acceptable, does not make two circles. Two 360 degrees will make two circles.

I am also reading postings on 270 degrees, 360, 540, 720, and I really do not know why they have left out 450 and 630! I think it is just some fancy name given by someone not understanding the mathematical phenomenon.

ZSiva

Dear All,

It is my pleasure to join this page with all of you. I am seeking information related to degree feedback appraisal.720

Thank you.

Hi all,

It's a long-standing confusion I have observed on this topic. The simplest way I can explain a 720-degree appraisal is that it assesses your behavior beyond the office campus. It means evaluating your behavior for 15 hours (24 hours - 9 office hours = 15 hours).

The special thing about it is that we are able to monitor employees' progress in different aspects, such as how much they are improving with: 1. themselves, 2. peers, 3. boss, 4. subordinates, 5. clients, etc. Additionally, we can assess how responsible they are for their own development, improvement, and growth.

Furthermore, we are also able to minimize errors in appraisals by automatically cross-checking our own 360 assessments. Therefore, it is more than just two 360s.

Looking forward to your response.

Rita