8-Step 360 Degree Feedback Process Timeline

Creating a 360 degree feedback process can be a valuable tool for gathering comprehensive feedback about an individual’s performance within an organization from multiple perspectives.

Below we identify the key steps in any 360 degree feedback process and give you an idea of how long each step might take within your organization. From defining the goal of the 360 process to re-evaluating participants, you can use this schedule to develop your implementation plan.

1.    Define the Purpose of the 360 Degree Review

Common goals include leadership development, performance improvement, identifying blind spots, and promoting self-awareness.

Time: It can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks to define the purpose of a 360 review, depending on several factors:

• Complexity of the Organization
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Clarity of Goals
• Decision-Making Process
• Resources Available

2.    Select Raters

Selecting raters is one of the most important steps of the 360 feedback process. Participants will need to choose enough feedback providers to ensure that the data is comprehensive and relevant. The number of raters included will depend on the employee’s job function and working relationships.

Time: It may take 1-2 weeks to choose raters, including supervisors, direct reports, peers, and perhaps external clients.

3.    Design the Questionnaire

Create a questionnaire or survey that captures feedback on various aspects of the subject’s performance. Include questions that assess skills, competencies, behaviors, and other relevant factors. Ensure that questions are clear, specific, and measurable.

Time: it may take several weeks to design a comprehensive and effective questionnaire. Here are some considerations that can influence the time it takes:

• Scope and Objectives: Consider the specific areas or competencies you want to assess, the level of detail needed, and the desired outcome.
• Competencies and Behaviors: Take time to identify the specific skills, knowledge, or behaviors that are critical for success.
• Question Types: Common question types in a 360-degree review include Likert scale (rating scale), open-ended questions, multiple-choice questions, and ranking questions. Each question type requires different design considerations and may involve additional time for formatting and wording.
• Review and Iteration: Seek feedback from relevant stakeholders, such as HR professionals, supervisors, and subject matter experts, to ensure the questionnaire is comprehensive, clear, and relevant.
• Resources and Tools: If you have access to pre-existing questionnaires or assessment tools, it may expedite the process. Alternatively, if you need to create the questionnaire from scratch or customize an existing template, it may take longer.
• Formatting and Presentation: Ensure the questionnaire is accessible for everyone and easy to understand. Taking the time to format and test the questionnaire for usability can contribute to participant engagement.

4.    Communicate the 360 Degree Feedback

It is crucial that you communicate the process to all stakeholders, including the purpose of the 360 degree, the process, and how feedback will be gathered and utilized.

Time: It could take 1-3 weeks to communicate the process if in-person meetings are used with employees, supervisors, managers, and raters.

5.    Distributing surveys

A solution like Explorance Blue will centralize and automate your 360 degree feedback process through integrations with your HRIS, CRM, or LMS. The solution allows you to distribute the questionnaires quickly, monitor participation, reset submissions, and change rater assignments.

Time: It may take up to 1 week to distribute the survey, but with Explorance Blue, that time can be reduced significantly.

6.    Collate and Analyze Feedback

Once all of the questionnaires have been completed, it’s time to compile the data into comprehensive reports to share with stakeholders. Explorance Blue has the capability to provide reports and insights to all roles and levels in your organization quickly.

Time: Using an online system will allow for the quick production of detailed 360 feedback reports in 1-2 days.

7.    Conduct Feedback Discussion

Schedule a meeting between the subject and a designated feedback facilitator (e.g., HR representative, coach, or supervisor). Review the feedback report together, discuss the insights, identify patterns, and develop an action plan for improvement.

Time: Depending on how in-depth you’d like the feedback sessions to be, each meeting could take 1-2 hours per participant.

8.    Implement Action Plan

Creating the development plan for each participant in the review is the essence of the process. The feedback obtained from the 360 evaluation becomes the basis for an actionable development plan. Reviewing the areas for improvement will identify key areas for development for the employee. This gives the employee the chance to improve their skills by using opportunities such as training, workshops, conferences, coaching, mentoring, etc. Remember to set specific goals, determine strategies, and allocate resources if necessary. Regularly review progress and provide ongoing support to ensure success.

Time: The completion of the development plan could take 1-2 weeks.

It is important to establish 360 degree feedback in your organization as a process and not a one-off event. To do so, you should clearly communicate at the start of the process that subsequent reviews will happen each year. Since specific goals and opportunities were outlined in the development plan, it makes sense to check in on the progress of these items. Re-evaluating participants enables you to see if any changes have occurred and also provides the chance for new feedback. Re-evaluations should occur 8-12 months after the first 360 review.

Remember, the success of a 360 degree feedback process depends on clear communication, trust, confidentiality, and a focus on growth and development. It is important to establish a supportive and non-judgmental environment to foster a positive feedback culture within the organization.