Exploring 360-Degree Feedback: Why Do Employees Resist and How Can We Improve It?

Hello everyone,

This is Neha Sharma, new to this forum, currently pursuing an MBA and specializing in HR. I actually want to do my summer project on 360 degrees. I want to know how effective 360 degrees is in a company and if it is so effective, why is it not accepted by the employees? I also know companies that claim to use 360 degrees, but they actually use 270 degrees or less. Why is this so?

Many only ask social questions like, "Is the employee pleasant to work with? Does he or she work well in a team environment? Does the employee show a customer service attitude?" Why does the form have no questions about job performance?

Please suggest how to work on this topic for a company where 360 degrees is not acceptable by the employees.

Regards,
Neha

Hi Neha,

Welcome to citehr.com forum and we hope this proves to be a truly learning experience for you!!

Answer:

360 degrees appraisal is a very important tool for the company and it's effectiveness is not readily recognized for the following reasons:-

• A lot of apprehension is faced in terms of relaibility and authenticty of the feedback. Here what is important is the level of maturity of the participants to give unbaised feedback- which is very critical.



• Subsequently, once having an overview of the questions, methods of data collection and meaning of ratings, participants get into the active mode of introspection. Speciifc areas where they have received low ratings are critically examined and questions are asked specific to those items. The effective moderation of the process is very essential and critical!.

• The most volatile part of the session is when the open-ended feedback consisting of strengths and areas needing feedback is given to the participants. Invariably, this is the part, which causes a lot of introspection and awareness of ones own styles of functioning and impact.sometimes they feel is politically vindicated and try to justify that it's not right at all!!..mind you it is supposed to be done in a holistic manner.

• Setting action plans and identifying areas needing attention and focus, an important part of the is done in the end. This is where most companies fail to do so..once over the people forget and carry on with their usual mode of working.

The focus is towards changing the style of functioning to achieve better results.

Answer: Job performance is grey area if it is to be evaluated by others who do not know exactly how you are performing or what are your targets..for instance if you(HR Manager) were to be rated by your colleagues junior in marketing..what she/he can comment in right perspective on your job performance..

In a way , you are right in a transparent organization where it is effectively communicated to all the employees the KRAs of everyone then it can be included in the apraisal as well.

Great..this is a real challenge..before you do that first do the following:-

1. Read up all the material on this processes.(become an expert!!)

2. Study the pros & cons

3. Impact of this process on the performance by the companies which have implemented 360 degrees.

4. Prepare powerpoint presentation addressing this issue..imagine that you have been called by CEO/MD to convince the batch of employees to undergo the 360 degrees appraisal..

This will prepare you well for the assignment.

Cheerio

Rajat

Welcome to CiteHR.com.

It's a good point whether the company is ready for a 360-degree appraisal process. Where everything counts, from reception attitude to monitored activities. I think, for a long-term perspective, it should be adapted in phases. What do you think at the preliminary stage, like, you may not have done for a long time.

Hello Sir...
Thank u for providing such valuable thoughts and suggestions.....n i already started collecting data on the topic...
sir wht i think employees r restricing themself from the 360 feedback could be bcse many people either don't know what's expected of them or don't know whether or not their behaviors align with what's expected" ..
and even they dont want to get exposed(manner they think) by so many people...consciously or unconsciously nt prepared to intake ther weaknesses...might be bcos there is no formal system in place through which people receive information on how others perceive their behavior and their performance...
Sir m i sayng rgt...
Regards
Neha
PS : Rajat Sir ur concept of Sun and reaching to the nature while thinking realy works....n our whole class is started practicing ur way of creativty...
all those missd ur session is like waiting for ur another session...n we too..

Hello Neha,

Great to know that you have started collecting the data.

"Sir, what I think is employees are restricting themselves from the 360 feedback could be because many people either don't know what's expected of them or don't know whether or not their behaviors align with what's expected."

Very true!

"And even they don't want to get exposed (in the manner they think) by so many people... consciously or unconsciously not prepared to intake their weaknesses... might be because there is no formal system in place through which people receive information on how others perceive their behavior and their performance."

Very right once again... after all we are all human beings with sensitivities. As pointed out earlier, it needs to be handled holistically by the Top Management, and HR Professionals have to follow Dave Ulrich's Model of being Change Expert to implement the same. I suggest that you read up the write-ups on this topic by Dr. T V Rao (www.tvrls.com).

"PS: Rajat Sir, your concept of Sun and reaching to nature while thinking really works... and our whole class has started practicing your way of creativity... all those who missed your session are waiting for another session... and we are too."

Thanks for the feedback!! You know why it works? Because man is a part of Nature which he invariably unconsciously forgets as he is busy with the nuts & bolts of life... once we learn to commune with Nature, it gives us solutions & ideas... I am glad that you all have started practicing it.

I am awaiting the dates from your course coordinator, and I suggest that please collect actual problems or cases/data which we would try to solve in the coming session.

Cheerio,
Rajat

Hello Rajat,

Here are excerpts of research work for 360°. It should be useful.

Regards,
Umalme

Dear Neha,

The 360-degree appraisal is a great concept on paper, but it falls flat in implementation. Its success lies in the way it is implemented. There are very few companies, especially large ones, that have made good use of it. The ones who have failed with it have just adopted it and distributed the forms without proper definition and explanation.

The theory and the implementation plan assume:
- Most staff do not work in a vacuum.
- Staff interact daily with people to get the job done.
- Interaction could be with internal or external people.
- Internal interactions could include upwards, downwards, or sideways.
- External interactions could include customers, suppliers, etc.

For the success of the 360-degree appraisal:
- Each staff member's job must be analyzed.
- Each staff member's daily interactions must be analyzed.
- Only those who have regular (at least once a week) contacts should be given the form.

You don't appraise the person; you appraise the performance of the person. If you only contact a person once in six months, you can hardly evaluate their performance. The performance appraisal must be descriptive and not based on value judgments or moral standards.

Performance appraisals are based on set criteria, not wishful thinking. Those selected to receive the forms must be well briefed about the criteria and how to use them. This lack of understanding is often the reason for the failure of 360 appraisals in many cases.

Regards,

Leo Lingham

Dear Shruti,

It is true that 360-degree kind of appraisal is good, but it is time-consuming and hence not adopted by all companies. Many companies do not embrace this concept simply because it is not feasible in the Indian industry environment.

Thank you.

Best regards