Making the Case for the 360 Degree Review
Not too long ago, I was scrolling through my LinkedIn feed and came across a rather interesting quote: “People don’t leave bad companies, they leave bad bosses”. For the most part, I agree with that. But, it doesn’t tell the entire story. Isn’t it the company that placed that person in a supervisory position in the first place? No, a company isn’t a living, breathing entity, but you know what I mean.
So how can a company ensure that it’s placed the right people in these positions? The 360 degree review, that’s how. In fact, it should be used for every employee in an organization, not just the bosses. I’ve read articles about 360 degree reviews and I’ve certainly discussed it with colleagues over the years, but I’ve never actually seen it being utilized in my direct experience. It’s like a mythical creature almost. I’d like to turn that myth into reality and see every organization implement the 360 degree review process. Here’s why:
It’s more comprehensive than a traditional review. In a traditional review, managers assess their employees’ performance based on factors such as attendance, quality of work product, perceived technical ability, deadline adherence, and attitude. These factors are all important, but they’re based on the manager’s observations. What about the things the manager doesn’t see? Managers have duties too. Duties that aren’t related to managing. They simply can’t be around all the time to observe and assess their direct reports. Getting feedback from coworkers within and outside the department fills in those gaps. How does the employee interact with coworkers? How well does the employee operate in a team environment? Does the employee ever assume the role of mentor or leader when the supervisor isn’t around? Employees are usually on their best behavior when the boss is around. A 360 degree review will shed light as to how an employee behaves when the boss isn’t around.
It identifies leadership qualities in non-management employees. Many companies like to promote from within. Using a 360 degree review can aid in the selection process when a supervisory position opens up. As stated before, seeking out feedback from coworkers will identify which employees are management material. The last thing a company wants is to promote someone and then deal with comments like “Why him? He doesn’t know what he’s doing!” or “Ugh, now she’s my boss? She’s so hard to work with!” Promoting the wrong person runs the risk of lowering employee morale. If a company promotes someone who has favorable reviews with their coworkers, the transition will be smoother. The previous comments will be substituted with comments like “Good for him! He really knows his stuff” or “I’m glad she’s going to be my boss. She’s so helpful and easy to work with!”
It ensures managers are being good managers. Managers have bosses too. But again, their boss can’t be around all the time to assess their performance, especially when it comes to how they interact with and lead their direct reports. So how can their boss assess the part of the manager’s job that involves leading and mentoring the group? Get feedback from the direct reports. Make sure the department is happy. People DO leave bad bosses and turnover is costly. Owners and upper management put a lot of trust in their managers. A 360 degree review will reveal if that trust is well placed.
It boosts employee morale. Money isn’t the only thing that affects an employee’s morale, but that point has been covered by numerous other articles and blogs. Employees want to feel like they’re being heard. They want to feel involved. They want to feel important and that they’re making a difference. Including employees in the review process empowers them and gives them a voice.
Transitioning to a 360 degree review process can have challenges. Some employees might be reticent to be completely truthful, afraid of the consequences that negative or constructive feedback may bring upon them. It might take time for them to feel comfortable reviewing their own boss or a coworker. Change is always uncomfortable at first. But, if you implement this type of review into the company culture and communicate how valuable (and confidential) their feedback is to the organization, the reticence will transform into confidence. It makes for a stronger organization, and everyone wins.