360-Degree Feedback

360-degree feedback is a performance evaluation method that gathers input on an employee from multiple sources within the organization, typically including their manager, peers, direct reports, and sometimes external stakeholders such as clients, rather than relying solely on a single manager's perspective. The goal of this approach is to provide a more complete and balanced picture of an employee's strengths, blind spots, and overall impact than a traditional top-down review alone could offer. Companies use 360-degree feedback for a range of purposes, including formal performance reviews, leadership development programs, and identifying skill gaps that might not be visible to a direct manager but are apparent to colleagues who interact with the employee in different contexts. The process typically involves structured surveys or questionnaires distributed to selected reviewers, with responses often aggregated and anonymized to encourage honest feedback. While 360-degree feedback can offer valuable insight, it requires careful implementation to be effective, including clear communication about how the results will be used, thoughtful selection of reviewers, and skilled facilitation to help employees interpret and act on feedback constructively. Poorly implemented 360-degree processes can create discomfort or defensiveness rather than genuine developmental value, so many organizations pair the feedback with coaching support to help employees translate insights into concrete action.