Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Feedback Process
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Executive Summary McLean & Company Insight
A 360 feedback assessment is more than just a plug-and-play assessment. A clear definition of its
purpose supported by a strategic roadmap is required to maximize the benefits to both employee
development and organizational goals.
Situation • Employees work with many different people both inside and outside their organization, yet often only receive feedback
from one person – their manager. Without a 360 feedback assessment, employees lack access to a holistic and valuable
view of their behavior from multiple perspectives.
• Some organizations use 360s for performance-based decisions, which often backfires, leading to negative
consequences including a culture of mistrust, skewed feedback, and legal issues.
Complication • Poor feedback skills result in raters providing feedback that is vague and inaccurate and ratees being unable to interpret
and respond to the feedback effectively.
• Lack of follow-through by ratees negates the purpose of the process, making the entire assessment a waste of time and
resources.
Solution • Thoughtfully design and implement the 360 feedback process for developmental purposes to overcome common
obstacles and realize employee and organizational benefits such as retention and engagement.
• Evaluate if the organization has foundational elements in place and is culturally ready for 360s to ensure they have a
positive impact on employee development.
• Provide sufficient training so ratees and raters understand the purpose, their role, and how to provide and interpret
relevant feedback.
• Ensure ratees create an employee development plan, have the opportunity for targeted learning and development, and
receive the support they need to address feedback.
McLean & Company | 2
A 360 feedback assessment provides individuals with a holistic
view of their behavior
360 Feedback Assessment 360 Feedback VS. Crowdsourced Feedback (CSF)
360 feedback is the process of aggregating • A formal, long-term process focusing on • An ad hoc survey, meeting, or email (one-off
multiple raters’ observations and perceptions of future development, often involving multiple or ongoing), that is backward looking with
an employee’s proficiency in specific 360s to track developmental progress. immediate action.
competencies and job expectations for
• For developmental purposes. • Often used for performance reviews and
developmental purposes. This is usually tracked
• Feedback is on set competencies or recognition.
over time by executing follow-up 360s,
enabling more targeted individual development behaviors. • Feedback can be on anything; for example, job
plans. • Feedback is from multiple sources (internal or expectations, a project, or team goals.
external) who can observe the competencies, • Feedback from multiple sources (internal and
Other names: 360 feedback is also referred to
including the ratee’s manager. external) except the ratee’s manager.
as multi-rater feedback, multisource
feedback, or multisource assessments. • Feedback goes to the employee; the • CSF always goes to an employee’s manager; the
employee decides if the manager sees the employee receiving the feedback is optional.
feedback.
360 feedback often has the following elements:
Purpose defines the link to Competencies reflect the role-specific
Participants normally involve an employee’s knowledge, skills, and attributes that are most
employee/leadership
manager, direct reports, and peers as well as a self- important to the success of the 360 participant.
development and outlines the
evaluation. In some cases, 360 feedback can also They are described by behavioral statements
integration into other HR
come from internal or external clients of the that are the foundation of the assessment
programs (e.g. high-potential
employee or the skip-level manager. questions.
program). McLean & Company | 3
However, when used incorrectly, 360 feedback assessments can do
more harm than good
It's tempting to use 360s for performance-based decisions:
Promotion and McLean & Company does not
Performance appraisals and succession planning Program entry decisions recommend 360s as inputs for
compensation decisions decisions performance-based decisions. This
Managers don’t always have Feedback from 360s can Using 360 feedback can provide insight blueprint guides the implementation of 360
enough information to evaluate help make the case for into whether an employee exhibits the feedback for employee development
performance or to make informed promotion or succession required competencies to enter a purposes.
compensation decisions. plans with key program, for example, a high-potential
stakeholders. program.
McLean & Company Insight
Using a 360 feedback assessment for performance-based decisions (e.g. compensation or promotions) is risky as it creates a culture of mistrust. It’s hard
to rebuild a culture of trust once broken, impacting both the quality and sincerity of the feedback gathered.
Don’t use 360s for reasons other than development or face unintended consequences, such as:
Culture of mistrust Skewed feedback Survey fatigue
Ratees are more likely to resist the 360 feedback process for Ratees may overtly or A 360 feedback assessment is resource intensive,
fear of negative outcomes, rather than leveraging it. Raters are unconsciously put pressure requiring a significant time commitment from both
likely to avoid providing constructive criticism for fear of on raters to skew feedback, raters and ratees. Going through the assessment and
retaliation. or raters may skew feedback then not getting the promotion, pay increase, etc., can be
Legal issues to help or hinder the rated viewed as a waste of time for all involved. Without a
There is potential for legal challenges if anonymous feedback is employee based on their clear benefit for both raters and ratees, the value of the
used to justify performance-related terminations or to withhold relationship. assessment feedback is lost.
promotions. McLean & Company | 4
Neuroscience further emphasizes the risks of using 360 feedback
for performance reasons
The SCARF model contains the main factors that can activate a reward or threat response in common workplace situations. 360 feedback used for
performance-based decisions alone can trigger a threat response in participants.
Social standing in Being able to Sense of control Being a part of a Perceived equity in
relation to others predict what will over one’s social group – treatment
happen next environment friend or foe
Giving peers who are in direct Uncertainty around how Sending the assessment 360 feedback used for Giving colleagues such a large
competition with an employee the feedback will impact results straight to an performance sets employees role in making performance-
the power to impact the employee’s chances at employee’s manager up to perceive managers, based decisions may be
performance-based decisions increased compensation without allowing the peers, and direct reports perceived as unfair. Personal
decreases the employee’s or promotion leads to
employee to decide whether as foes: colleagues are there relationships and biases may
sense of reputation and fear and distrust of the
or not they want to share to judge you and impact be seen as skewing the
connection with their team. process. them decreases their sense your future at the process. This decreases trust
of agency. organization. This can make and empathy toward
See McLean & Company’s Neuroscience and HR blueprint for more information it more difficult to colleagues.
about building neuro-friendly HR practices.
collaborate effectively. (Rock)
Using 360 feedback for developmental purposes reduces this threat response in participants. McLean & Company | 5
Use 360 feedback to enable targeted employee development and
realize organizational benefits
McLean & Company recommends using 360 feedback exclusively
360s used for development improve…
for employee development to:
• Increase feedback integrity. Retention
• Prevent employee discomfort and mistrust.
• Improve the effectiveness of targeted individual 35% 39%
development.
of new employees cite of employees leave
360 feedback helps employees create a comprehensive development plan development opportunities as organizations due to lack of
that: one of the most important factors career-related skills
Improves self-awareness: Uncovering multiple perspectives in accepting a new position development (Source: McLean &
helps employees see where their self-perception differs from (Source: McLean & Company New Company Exit Database, 2020;
what others observe, helping to identify unknown strengths and Hire Database, 2020; N=33,138). N=22,224).
Thoughtfully implemented 360 feedback helps close this gap in employee expectations
opportunity areas. and increase retention.
Minimizes bias: Collecting feedback from a variety of diverse
sources helps minimize bias that can be present from a single Engagement
source. 360 feedback supports key engagement drivers including:
Targets key behaviors: The assessment can be customized to the • Learning and development by providing employees with targeted
most relevant competencies and behaviors to ensure individuals feedback in key development areas.
of employees
are whodevelopment
focusing their underwent the
on 360 Feedback
areas process
that are most saw
important. • Co-worker and manager relationships by providing a channel for
an increase in their average behavior ratings year over
71% year, indicating the successful targeted development of key
peer-to-peer and upward feedback and supporting a feedback culture.
(McLean Engagement Report)
behaviors.
McLean & Company | 6
(Source: McLean & Company 360 Feedback Database, 2018-2020; N=5,646)
Overcome obstacles to establishing an effective process through
thoughtful implementation
• McLean & Company provides an easily customizable assessment tool that can be used in a self-service manner by HR,
No
No tool
tool to
to employees, and raters.
gather
gather • Prior to using the tool, ensure required elements are in place (e.g. competencies) and strategically plan the rest of the process to
feedback
feedback
help achieve a smooth implementation.
• Assess the organization’s culture of trust and feedback maturity, to help predict and prepare for the general receptiveness of
Lack
Lack of
of employees and build the communications and training to be used during implementation.
employee
employee • Clearly articulate the purpose of the 360 feedback assessment, reassure employees of its confidentiality, and reiterate the
buy-in
buy-in
developmental purpose of the feedback to help gain buy-in.
“
The 360 Feedback process needs to be executed flawlessly. It can't
be something that's done off the side of your desk – you need to be A 360 feedback assessment is more than just a plug-and-play assessment. A
extremely planful in your approach.
Competencies are the building Feedback maturity impacts raters’ The level of trust employees have in the
blocks of the questions within the readiness to give feedback that is organization, the 360 feedback process,
360 feedback assessment. Employee constructive and valuable and the ratee’s and each other dictates their willingness
behavior cannot be assessed in a 360 ability to receive and act on the feedback to give honest and accurate feedback.
feedback assessment without them. effectively.
If 360s were previously implemented, evaluate Ask: If using McLean & Company’s Engagement Survey, look
their success and identify obstacles. Ask: • Are 1:1s occurring regularly? at scores for the following questions:
• How were they received by ratees and • Is feedback given in multiple • My manager provides me with high-quality feedback.
raters? directions (top-down, bottom-up, • The executive leadership team acts on employee
• What was the average completion rate? across)? feedback.
• Did raters provide valuable feedback? • Is crowdsourced feedback currently • My department’s executive leader acts on employee
• Did ratees act on the feedback received? used (e.g. after project completion or feedback.
• What was it used for (e.g. performance, for recognition)? • I am encouraged to pursue career development
development)? • Is feedback collected in other forms? activities.
If the above data suggests the organization has a mature feedback culture, proceed freely. If the data suggests there is room to improve the feedback
culture, continue to build this culture in tandem with the 360 rollout, paying special attention to the communication of the assessment and the training
of ratees and raters.
Use McLean & Company’s
McLean & Company Insight Foster Effective Feedback Skills training to help
Don't let the lack of a mature feedback culture prevent you from build a feedback culture.
Document findings and complete the relevant
leveraging 360 feedback. Feedback skills can be taught with thoughtful checklist questions in tab 2 of the
training and regular practice. 360 Feedback Process Workbook. McLean & Company | 14
Assess organizational trust to identify obstacles to honest feedback
If this foundational element could be improved, use McLean & Company’s Equip Managers to Lead Through Informed Trust and Accountability
training deck to continue to build a culture of trust as the 360 process is developed.
Document findings and complete the relevant
Even if there isn't a culture of trust organization-wide, there may be specific groups or departments that
checklist questions in tab 2 of the
have a culture conducive to 360s. If this is the case, proceed with the specific group or department instead.
360 Feedback Process Workbook to confirm
how to proceed. McLean & Company | 15
Define the purpose of the 360 feedback assessment and confirm with
process sponsor(s)
McLean & Company recommends using 360 feedback for development purposes
Meet with the executive sponsor(s) and relevant HR program owners
only. Within the overarching purpose for development, determine what specific before creating the process. Communicate the following to gain their buy-
aspects are in scope. in:
• Introduce the what and why of the 360 feedback assessment.
What HR programs will it be integrated with or inform?
• Highlight how 360 feedback will help achieve organizational
For example:
goals.
• Leadership development program
• Executive coaching • Clarify the purpose and how the data will be used. Reinforce
• High-potential program that this is being used for development purposes only.
• Ad hoc employee development • Explain how robust development plans will ensure results are
How will the feedback be used? acted upon.
• By employees for creating development plans to excel in their
• Emphasize the importance of confidentiality in the process to
current role
maintain trust with participants and preserve the integrity of the
• By employees for creating development plans to grow into a future
assessment.
role
• By HR to identify trends and opportunities for new development • Ensure senior leadership knows their role as sponsors of the
Willprograms
the aggregated data report offered by McLean & Company be 360 feedback assessment.
leveraged? • Ensure that leadership is committed to ongoing development
• If feedback is only for use by individual employees, this is not
before proceeding with 360 feedback assessment design and
necessary. implementation.
• Data aggregation of all reports is necessary to:
o Identify general trends in strengths and opportunities among • Gather information, where possible, to inform scope in Step 2
ratees. (e.g. organizational capacity for this process).
Document the finalized purpose in tab 3
o Inform the creation of new programs to meet common of the 360 Feedback Process Workbook. McLean & Company | 16
developmental needs among the ratee group.
Step 2 After completing this step you will
have:
Define scope and design the assessment • Determined a target population for
the 360 feedback process and
outlined criteria to participate.
• Selected the competencies and
proficiency levels for each ratee
group that will be administered in
1. Prepare for 360 the assessment.
feedback 2. Define scope and
design the assessment • Determined the cadence and
frequency of the assessment.
• Outlined the rater selection and
approval process.
• Scoped the role of the debriefer and
coach.
3. Plan for 4. Interpret and use
assessment launch feedback effectively • Clarified stakeholder
accountabilities.
• Designed the 360 feedback
assessment.
• Set goals and metrics that are
linked to the purpose.McLean & Company | 17
Determine target population and criteria for participation
Implementing an Select participants for the 360 feedback process: Optional: Select a pilot segment
effective 360 • Leaders set the tone for the organization. Going through a 360 feedback Pilot the 360 feedback assessment if
feedback process process heightens their awareness of the required competencies for their role organizational readiness isn’t where it needs to
and how they are perceived against those competencies by different rater be or there is a need to test the process before
takes significant groups. For new processes, start with a small pilot group of leaders to test rolling it out to all participants (e.g. new to the
effort − focus on effectiveness. 360 process).
From the identified participants for the 360
the leadership • Key non-management employees may be included in the 360 feedback
feedback process, select a segment such as
team and key process as part of a development program (e.g. high-potential employees).
department/function, job family, role, business
employees. • Employees who are interested in 360 feedback for their individual unit, or location. For example, a pilot segment
development purposes and their manager and/or HR determine it is needed could be all senior leaders.
and resources allow.
Note: There may be multiple ratee groups.
Record target population and criteria to
Outline criteria to participate participate in tab 3 of the
Minimum number of working 360 Feedback Process Workbook.
Time in role Interest in participating
relationships Ad hoc scenarios
• McLean & Company • 360 feedback is best received • Employees who work in relative
by those who want to • Outline additional scenarios for
recommends that an isolation or who don’t have regular
participate. While some participation that don’t fall under the
employee has been in their working interactions with at least three
programs may encourage other criteria. For example, only allow
role for at least six months individuals in each of the rater groups
employees outside of identified participant
before participating, to ensure participation (e.g. management should not participate. Otherwise, the
development), no one should be groups to request the 360 if their manager
meaningful feedback can be value of 360 feedback will be
forced to participate. or HR nominates them. McLean & Company | 18
given. diminished.
Select competencies that will be used to collect feedback to achieve
the purpose
1 3
Select Select proficiency For each ratee group that will be assessed.
For each ratee group that will be assessed.
competencies levels
Once the competencies are confirmed, depending on the purpose, determine whether
Leverage your competency framework or McLean & Company’s
the ratee will be evaluated against their current or target role (e.g. 360 for current
competencies to select the relevant competencies for each ratee
role development vs. 360 for a high-potential program). Work with the department
group being assessed. As a rule of thumb, do not assess the ratee
leads and/or program owners to select the appropriate target proficiency level for
on all the competencies in the framework (minimum 3,
each role:
Proficiency
maximum 8). Focus only on the ones that the organization wants to Competency Behavior Description
be developed, that fulfill the purpose from Step 1, to avoid survey level
fatigue. Level 1 Baseline behaviors
• Furthermore, for each competency include 3-5 behavior
statements. If there are more than eight competencies, Level 2 Practical application of the behaviors
minimize survey fatigue by minimizing the number of behavior Role models, coaches, and influences demonstration of the
Level 3
2 statements.
Confirm
competencies
Get sign-off from senior leadership.
Level 4
behaviors
Envisions and innovates the next generation of the behaviors
Get sign-off from senior leadership on the list of competencies to be
McLean & Company Insight
assessed.
• Ensure senior leadership is aware of what exactly is being
The problem with including too many competencies is two-fold: the raters will be
evaluated and how the competencies link back to the purpose of
overwhelmed and ratees won’t be able to target development. Narrow the focus to
the 360 feedback process.
the competencies that are most instrumental to an employee’s success in their
Record competencies and proficiency levels for each ratee role or future role and that drive organizational outcomes.
group in tab 3 of the 360 Feedback Process Workbook.
McLean & Company | 19
Determine the cadence and frequency at which the assessment will
be administered
Determine cadence Determine frequency
Administration timing: Select a time or timeline during which the assessment will be administered. Each organization is unique and the
Timing will be informed by organizational context and cadence. For example, do not administer the organizational context, capacity, and purpose
assessment when: inform the frequency of administration. For
• Large volumes of new staff have been hired or promotions have recently occurred. example, if the purpose is for a high-potential
• A major reorganization has occurred and the culture is unstable. program, administer the 360 at the beginning
• It’s performance review time. Avoid any association of the 360 assessment with performance-based and end of the program to measure development
Administration format: Select the format that minimizes the risk of survey fatigue and aligns with progress.
decisions.
the purpose and the capacity available to administer the assessment. For example, the number of
360s in circulation will impact survey fatigue, so if a rater has to complete three 360s in two weeks In general, administering the assessment should
there’s the risk of diluting the quality of the feedback or not completing the assessment at all. not be a one-off. To get the most value from the
Cohort-based: Administer the assessment in waves based on cohorts. When possible, start with a pilot. assessment, administer it at least twice to be
For example, administer the assessment for a pilot of senior leaders and then three months later able to compare changes in behavior.
administer the assessment for another cohort (e.g. managers), and so on.
• Use this format if there is consistency in the purpose for multiple groups of individuals (e.g. if the McLean & Company recommends
assessment will be used to inform the development of a group of high-potentials or executive administering the 360 every 12-18 months.
leaders). This gives the recipient enough time to act upon
Individual: Administer the assessment in waves, administering for one individual at a time.
feedback and see the impact of their
• Use this format if there are multiple individuals who have the same raters and survey fatigue for development.
those raters is the primary concern. Record the assessment administration
All-together: Administer the assessment all at once. timeline, format, and frequency in tab 4
of the 360 Feedback Process Workbook.
• Use this format if there is only a small group of ratees receiving the assessment and a diverse set of
raters, where survey fatigue won’t be an issue. McLean & Company | 20
Outline the rater selection and approval process
Selection criteria Target number
Have ratees choose their own raters, as they know who will be best Establish a target number of raters (ideally10-20) to ensure that data collection
suited to provide feedback. Provide criteria to help them determine is manageable while increasing the likelihood of meeting the raters per category
potential raters. threshold.
Use criteria to help ensure the 360 feedback assessment is sent
to a diverse rater group in terms of role, seniority, and • Invite a minimum (4) raters per category, who aren’t the direct
identity characteristics, confirming feedback represents supervisor/manger, to guarantee confidentiality and the ability to view each
diverse perspectives. category within the report.
Approval process
Sample criteria Determine who will sign off (e.g. manager or HRBP) on the rater list
The rater must interact with the employee frequently enough compiled by the employee, to ensure diverse perspectives are being captured.
(or they have worked together long enough) to be able to • It is critical that the 360 feedback assessment administrator ensures no
provide a meaningful assessment. Sometimes an entire rater rater receives more than 3-4 requests for feedback at any one time to
group (e.g. peers) may not fit this criteria, so they should not be avoid survey fatigue.
included as it will create confusion for them. • While raters should be highly encouraged to participate, only the direct
The rater is a credible source of information and they’ve spent manager is mandated to do so. Otherwise, there is a higher risk of
enough time (minimum six months) with the employee to insincere or invaluable feedback due to raters who are still suspicious of the
accurately assess them. process or just don’t have the time to invest in providing constructive
Each category of rater includes individuals who have had both feedback.
positive and challenging relationships with the employee, so Document selection criteria, target number of raters, and the approval
ratings are not skewed either positively or negatively. process in tab 4 of 360 Feedback Process Workbook.
The rater is available to participate and is not already involved
in multiple other 360s.
McLean & Company | 21
Debriefer
Debriefer role
role
Acts as an impartial third-party facilitator who guides the ratee’s understanding of the report
and helps them develop a realistic perception of the feedback and identify specific
Scope the role of development areas.
Select a debriefer
Avoid using debriefers who are the
Outline expectations
Typical debriefer expectations include
the debriefer and ratee’s manager or a rater, if possible.
Often HR or an external vendor (e.g.
attending training on debriefing, debriefing
the results, and in some cases working with
coach McLean & Company) will conduct the
debriefs.
the ratee to interpret the results and identify
Identify training needs: Based on the debriefer’sthemes.
ability and capacity, identify training
needs. If debriefs are being done internally, plan to train the debriefer before the
assessment closes.
Coach
Coach role
role
Outline the debriefer and coach
roles in tab 4 of the Acts as a facilitator for the ratee’s development, helps them identify development themes and
360 Feedback Process Workbook. build their development plan, and coaches the ratee to achieve their plan.
Use McLean & Company’s Outline expectations
Select a coach
360 Feedback Debrief Guide to
Depending on available resources, this Typical coaching expectations include attending
provide debriefers with the
could be a coach within the training on coaching, helping the ratee interpret
resources they need to conduct the
organization, the ratee’s manager, or an their results and identify themes for
debriefs.
external coaching service. development, building a development plan, and
ongoing coaching.
Identify training needs: Based on the coach’s ability and capacity, identify training needs
and schedule training with enough time to begin coaching post-assessment.
McLean & Company | 22
Clarify stakeholder roles and Set up the assessment
accountabilities Use all the decisions in this step and
McLean & Company
Determine each stakeholder’s involvement in the process. slides 2-4 in the
offers:
Stakeholder accountabilities will vary based on capacity, • Assessment scope and set-up
360 Feedback Assessment User Guid
ability, resources, and relationship with the ratee. For e
• Launch logistics
example, the debriefer should be a third-party facilitator •
to set up McLean & Company’s 360
Debriefing
(e.g. HR or external vendor) who doesn’t have any conflict • Leadership development
Feedback tool.
of interest (e.g. close working relationship or involvement programs
as a rater). • Training for raters and ratees
Sample responsibilities
HR HR business partners Managers
Owns 360 process creation and is Facilitates the 360 feedback process, Attends a quick training
responsible for process design, approval of raters, debriefing (if on rating and facilitates
iteration, and rollout, including they are not a rater), development coaching and
training, debriefing, employee planning, and communications. development
development, and conversations as
communications. required. Work directly with a McLean &
Senior leadership Ratee Rater
Company analyst for a
Attends a quick training on the Attends a quick training on being a Attends a quick training
process and champions the 360 ratee, receives feedback, owns their on being a rater and
demonstration of the system and
feedback process and its development, and schedules provides honest and how to customize settings to meet
purpose. coaching sessions with their valuable feedback on the the unique needs of your
manager. ratee. organization.
Record stakeholder roles and accountabilities in tab 4 of the 360 Feedback Process Workbook. McLean & Company | 23
Set goals and Track metrics related to the 360 goals to measure success and identify areas requiring
improvement.
metrics that are Sample goals Sample metrics
linked to the Improve leadership pipeline
by increasing internal
•
•
Higher ratings in leadership competencies
Percent of development goals achieved
purpose management promotions by
15% within five years
•
•
Leadership development program completion rate
Promotion rate of 360 ratees
Align goals with the 360 purpose and • Number of reported coaching conversations
Foster a feedback culture by
• Percentage of employees who have received training and
decision points in Step 2 by answering the increasing number of
development on coaching and feedback skills
following questions: coaching conversations by
• Number of created and completed individual development
10% by Q4
• How will a 360 feedback process benefit our plans
organization? What needs is the 360 • Change in 360 ratings of inclusion competency year over year
feedback assessment filling? Increase inclusivity at the • Engagement scores on inclusion survey questions, including
organization within three factors such as differences being valued and a sense of
• What specific challenges can we address or years belonging
organizational goals can we meet with the • Exit survey results
360 feedback process? • Cost per leadership hire
Reduce total employment
• What value does a 360 feedback process • Cost of turnover
costs within two years.
• Total employment costs
provide to our employees? Note: Including diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) goals and metrics is most effective if
• What does a successful 360 feedback process there's an existing DEI strategy. Be intentional about adding DEI goals and metrics,
look like? otherwise it risks being perceived by employees as a "token" goal, as there aren't any DEI
initiatives to support these goals.
Share goals and metrics with senior leadership.
Document goals and metrics in tab 5 of the 360 Feedback Process Workbook.
McLean & Company | 24
Step 3 After completing this step you will
have:
Plan for assessment launch • Planned high-level
communications.
• Determined logistics for training.
• Explain to employees that a personal approach, asking the rater for their time and feedback,
will likely gain more participation and commitment than if the initial request is simply sent
via the online tool.
• The employee must close the loop at the end of the process to thank the rater for their
feedback and depending on the culture of the organization, even share a high-level Use the
development plan or next steps. Training Deck: Train Ratees on th
Provide employees with an email template (see Appendix I) to get them started on e 360 Feedback Process
approaching raters for feedback. for those receiving feedback.
This training deck will help ratees
The way an employee receives feedback is integral to how effectively they use it. Employees must understand:
be open to feedback for the 360 assessment to be impactful. • The benefits of 360 feedback
Receiving feedback
• Reiterate that 360 feedback is for employees’ personal and professional development and all • How to select raters
feedback is useful for identifying areas for improvement. • How to ask for feedback
• Emphasize that identifying strengths to leverage is just as important as uncovering opportunity • How to use the assessment tool
areas.
• Closing the loop with raters
• Prepare them for feedback by emphasizing that the anonymous approach may reveal some
surprises, but most feedback will be in line with what the employee already suspects about
themselves.
• Reiterate the importance of not trying to investigate who said what to maintain rater anonymity. McLean & Company | 28
• Let employees know it’s okay to disagree with feedback, but remind them there is value in
Train raters on providing practical and
accurate feedback
Ratings
Ratings
Familiarize raters with the descriptions for each competency and review proficiency
Competencies levels.
• Behaviorally anchored descriptions or examples for each proficiency level will
assist raters in making accurate assessments.
• Review the rating scale with raters to ensure everyone is using it similarly.
Rating scale Use the
• The target proficiency level for each role will be pre-populated in the tool. Each
Training Deck: Train Raters on t
rater will rate the extent they have consistently observed the behavior from the he 360 Feedback Process
ratee. for those giving feedback.
Comments
Comments This training deck will help raters
understand:
The purpose behind gathering feedback is to improve competencies. Numerical ratings are useful, but
• The benefits of 360 feedback
specific recommendations help the employee take their development plan to the next level.
• How to give useful feedback
Instruct raters to word comments carefully to help employees understand the ratings and gain a clear
• Common rating biases and how to
picture of how to improve. Advise ratees to:
minimize them
• Detail what should be done and why it is important using direct, non-judgmental language.
• Be specific. Link comments and recommendations to individual behaviors. • How to use the assessment tool
Provide raters with a copy of the deck
• Be balanced. Provide recommendations on how to leverage strengths and how to improve in opportunity (or key slides) after the training session,
areas. Be upfront with raters that the recommendations and to refer back to when they complete the
! answers to open-ended questions will be compiled
verbatim.
assessment.
McLean & Company | 29
Educate ratees and raters about biases to mitigate their impact on
giving feedback
Occurs when an employee performs particularly well (or See the
Halo/Horns poorly) in one area and is rated or rates themselves Biases and Heuristics Catal
Effect correspondingly high or low in all other areas. og
for more information.
Occurs when a rater wants to avoid being negative or fears repercussions, so they score
Leniency employees or themself higher than is accurate.
Biases Effect
create skewed The more characteristics a rater shares with an employee, such as age, gender, and work values,
the more favorably the rater will tend to assess that employee’s behavior.
feedback reports and Personal Some individuals tend to perceive their own behavior overly positively while others tend to be
self-assessments Bias harsher on themselves and may rate themselves overly negatively.
Occurs when the rater believes a specific rating will lead to a desired outcome, positive or
Purpose
negative, for the employee or will help avoid an undesired negative outcome for themself.
Effect
Occurs when a rater weighs recent behavior too heavily, as opposed to assessing the average
Recency
behavior over the entire evaluation period.
Effect
Providing education on these biases may help individuals improve their
awareness of their own biases but will not eliminate bias on its own. Use the Train Ratees and
Help mitigate the impact of bias through training on competencies, Train Raters on the 360 Feedback Process training decks to
proficiency levels, and the rating scale being used to keep the process as mitigate bias.
objective as possible.
“ Feedback is wasted unless • What tools and resources are available to support coaching?
people can see how to use it. Use McLean & Company’s
− Tosti & Addison ” Train Managers to Coach Employees for High Performance and Development to equip
managers with coaching skills.
McLean & Company | 35
Ensure raters are acknowledged for their feedback
McLean & Company recommends closing the loop with all raters, especially direct reports, to thank them for
their feedback. McLean & Company Insight
Acknowledging raters for their feedback
Decide on the level of transparency for acknowledgement and empower employees to close the loop with isn’t enough to show them their
raters. feedback is valuable. Go beyond words,
• Thank raters for their feedback. Additionally, ratees can choose to share feedback themes or their demonstrate action through
development plan. development and transparency about
•Acknowledgment Acknowledgment
Transparency can increase as comfort level and follow-up on development
with the process increases. the development plan.
“
their development plan and receive ongoing feedback to help Despite other cultural
• Employees are reluctant to share attain their goals.
their feedback and development differences, there seems to
plans. Some employees will find asking specific rater groups for be no country in the world
• Culture of trust is lower. additional feedback difficult, depending on their relationships with
the raters and level of trust.
where
Example: co-workers think, ‘I love it
A manager sent an email thanking
their raters after receiving their first
Use when: when you ask me for my
• The process is well entrenched.
360 report, despite receiving • Employees are comfortable sharing feedback and development feedback and then ignore
”
challenging feedback. plans. me.’
For rater appreciation email • Culture of trust is very high.
templates, see Appendix II.
Example: – Goldsmith & Morgan
A CEO posted his feedback report online for the entire organization McLean & Company | 36
to see.
Use the aggregate report as an input
to learning and development needs
analysis
360s are about individual development, but there is an opportunity
to identify development trends that could impact learning and
development initiatives.
• Reach out to your McLean & Company account manager to receive an
aggregated 360 Feedback report (i.e. all individual results aggregated).
• View gaps (highlighted in red) between overall self-ratings versus raters
to uncover trends within the ratee group. In conjunction, review overall
competencies scores within the organization to identify any low scoring
areas that can be used to inform future learning and development
initiatives.
• See which competencies the ratees are consistently demonstrating or
exceeding expectations (highlighted in green) to identify trends within
the ratee group. Employees consistently demonstrating or exceeding in
certain competencies can coach other employees struggling with those
competencies.
Process:
• Is the process achieving the purpose of the 360 assessment (e.g. identify focus
development areas for leadership development program)?
• Refer to goals and metrics from Step 2 to evaluate the effectiveness of the 360 process. McLean & Company Insight
• Reflect on whether the frequency and cadence aligned with rater and ratee capacity. 360s are time and resource intensive;
therefore, reviewing effectiveness is
Training: critical to understanding the return on
• Reach out to ratees and raters for feedback on the training. Review the training and assess investment. Looking at effectiveness in
for thoroughness and any gaps that need to be filled. the context of the purpose will clearly
highlight if the process is achieving its
Development: intended goals. If not, ensure iteration is
• Measure the effectiveness of development by monitoring the change in ratings of the happening to achieve the ROI.
identified 360 competencies year over year and other metrics set in Step 2.
• Consult with ratees after completing the process to receive feedback on the development
opportunities offered and gather suggestions for modifications.
Based on the evaluation above, iterate the process as needed to ensure the purpose is clear and
being achieved.
Instruct ratees to use this template by replacing the text in dark grey with information customized to themself and their raters. When complete, delete all introductory or example
text and convert all remaining text to black prior to distribution.
Dear <Rater>,
As you are a key stakeholder of mine, I would like your input into my professional development.
Please take 20-30 minutes to provide your feedback into which competencies and behaviors I perform effectively and which ones I may need
to work on. I want to assure you that I am open to all types of feedback and your candid participation is greatly appreciated.
The feedback is being collected by a third party and will be compiled anonymously. I will never see your specific ratings; however, your
comments will be provided verbatim.
Sincerely,
<Your name>
Instruct ratees to use this template by replacing the text in dark grey with information customized to themself and their raters. When complete, delete all introductory or example
text and convert all remaining text to black prior to distribution.
Dear <Rater>,
Dear <Rater>, Thank you for providing me with feedback as part of the 360 feedback process. I
appreciate the time and effort you took to complete the assessment and look forward to
Thank you for providing me with feedback as part of building on the strengths you have helped me identify:
the 360 feedback process. I appreciate the time and • Strength 1
effort you took to complete the assessment and look • Strength 2
forward to building on the strengths you have helped
me identify and improving in my areas of opportunity. In addition, I am committed to improving in my areas of opportunity:
• Opportunity 1
Any additional feedback you have for me is greatly • Opportunity 2
appreciated. Thanks again for your valuable input.
Any additional feedback you have for me is greatly appreciated. Thanks again for your
Sincerely, valuable input.
<Your name>
Sincerely,
<Your name>
360 Feedback
Empower employees with a holistic view of their performance to prioritize development.
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McLean & Company offers various levels of
support to best suit your needs
Guided Implementation
DIY Toolkit Workshop Consulting
“Our team has already made this “Our team knows that we need to “We need to hit the ground “Our team does not have the time
critical project a priority, and we fix a process, but we need running and get this project or the knowledge to take this
have the time and capability, but assistance to determine where to kicked off immediately. Our project on. We need assistance
some guidance along the way focus. Some check-ins along the team has the ability to take this through the entirety of this
would be helpful.” way would help keep us on over once we get a framework project.”
track.” and strategy in place.”
Diagnostics and consistent frameworks are used throughout all four options.
Rock, David. “SCARF: A Brain-Based Model for Collaborating With and Influencing Others.” NeuroLeadership Journal, 2008. Web.
Tosti, D. and R. Addison. “360-Degree Feedback: Going Around in Circles?” Performance Improvement Journal, 2009. Accessed 30 Mar. 2021.