Designing a 360(degree) Feedback System to Improve Employee Performance

Designing a 360(degree) feedback system to improve employee performance

Peters, Carey. HR Focus 77. 9 (Sep 2000): 7,10.

???????? (????)

The 360-degree feedback system is not just for employee measurement, development, feedback, and behavioral change - it also can improve employee performance at your company. Carey Peters of the Tennessee Valley Authority offers a 5-part framework for 360-degree feedback success based on his organization's 3 years of experience with the program. The 5 steps are: 1. Understand the program. 2. Nominate the feedback givers. 3. Exchange feedback. 4. Review the feedback. 5. Follow up.

??????????????

360-degree feedback is not just for employee measurement, development, feedback, and behavioral change-it also can improve employee performance at your company.

How do you make it happen? Carey Peters, Ph.D., ofthe Tennessee Valley Authority (Knoxville, Tenn.) provided details in his session, "360Degree Feedback: Keys for Implementing a Successful Program," at the recent Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) annual conference and exposition in Las Vegas.

Peters offered a five-part framework for 360-degree feedback success based on his organization's three years of experience with the feedback program. While the TVA's program is for development purposes only, HRfocus believes it offers an excellent foundation for feedback efforts, whatever forms they eventually take.

THE FRAMEWORK

Follow these five steps:

Part I: Understand the program. To gain acceptance and understanding of a 360-degree feedback program, Peters suggests:

* Answer the main question. "Why 360 degrees?" Get the message out as to why you are implementing this program and what's in it for employees.

* Develop a mission statement. Codify your rationale, Peters suggests, adding that the TVA's statement is fairly short and sweet. Clarity is key.

* Establish a process outline. How will it work? A lot of administrative detail must be covered, and this is the time and place to do it.

* Develop communication materials. Without lively, interesting graphics, you risk suggesting to employees that the program isn't very important.

* Communicate, communicate, communicate. Keep everyone apprised of the process via daily e-mails and whatever else you can think of; you can't do too much of this.

Part II: Nominate the feedback veers (FBGs). TVA employees work through a Web-based form to nominate their FBGs. Peters recommends:

* Establish "rules." For example, at the TVA, employees must nominate all of their direct reports, then five to 10 of their peers.

* Communicate messages to feedback receivers (FBRs). Anonymity is key, as is reminding them of the purpose of the FBGs selected by employees. At the TVA, it's made clear that the program is developmental only (it doesn't affect pay or promotional status), so "they're hurting themselves if they choose only people who will 'rate' them high," Peters observed.

Part III. Exchange feedback. To this end, you must:

* Determine questionnaire content. At the TVA, the questionnaire features 25 items that focus on the "winning behaviors" for the organization. As Peters observed, the form reflects sensitivity to the potential for FBG fatigue (some managers are nominated by as many as 10 employees).

* Communicate messages to FBGs. While the form itself explains the purpose of employee feedback and deadlines FBGs are to follow, Peters said it has the added benefit of reminding them what's important to the TVA.

* Send reminders. Seven days after they receive the questionnaires, FBGs get a reminder of the due date. Peters says the TVA also suggests that FBRs contact their FBGs to ask them to be sure to fill the forms out-it's a "powerful addition to corporate pressure," he notes. The return rate for questionnaires at the TVA is currently 80%, which caused a minor stir among the impressed audience at SHRM.

Part IV: Review the feedback. Among the decisions you'll need to make:

* Who gets it? Peters asserted that if the feedback is just for developmental purposes, then the only person who should get it is the recipient. If you give it to a manager, he warns, it then falls into the gray area between development and administration. Few managers would be able to resist the temptation to factor in the feedback when determining raises and the like. For administrative purposes, the feedback should go to the recipient, HR, and the person's manager.

* What does it contain? The TVA's feedback covers "winning" behaviors and how often employees demonstrate them. Peters said the TVA