The 360 Feedback Software Guide: Get to Know Your Employees Better

In a fast paced work environment traditional performance reviews don’t give you the insights you need for true employee development and engagement. As organisations try to stay ahead of the competition, 360 feedback software has become a key part of performance management systems. This advanced software lets you collect comprehensive feedback from multiple sources, peers, direct reports, managers and even external stakeholders to get a more complete and accurate picture of an employee.

This guide covers the functionality, benefits and best practices of Actus 360 feedback software so you can see how it can change your performance management process, increase employee engagement and empower your team to continuous improvement and growth.

What is 360 Feedback Software?

360 feedback software is a cloud based solution that simplifies the feedback process by allowing organisations to collect feedback from multiple sources. The “360 degree” approach to feedback means employees get input not just from their managers but also from colleagues, direct reports and external sources such as clients. The end goal is to give employees feedback on their strengths, weaknesses and areas for development.

Unlike traditional performance reviews that rely heavily on a manager’s opinion, 360 degree feedback software gives a more balanced view by collecting multi-rater feedback. The employee feedback is often anonymous so employees can get a true understanding of how their work is perceived by others.

How Does 360 Feedback Software Collect Feedback?

The 360 feedback process is broken down into several stages:

1. Feedback Collection: Employees, peers, managers and reports are selected to provide peer feedback and assessments on specific areas of performance. This feedback is collected through online surveys or questionnaires that evaluate competencies, communication skills, leadership skills and teamwork.
2. Anonymous Feedback Submission: Feedback providers complete the surveys or assessments usually anonymously so they can give honest feedback without fear of retribution. Anonymity is key to getting candid and transparent feedback.
3. Data Compilation and Reporting: Once the feedback is collected the software collates the data into reports which can be broken down into performance trends, strengths and development areas. Advanced software can generate visual reports, charts and graphs to give detailed insight into individual and team performance.
4. Actionable Insights and Development Plans: The reports provide actionable feedback that both employees and managers can use to create development programs. These programs focus on closing performance gaps, improving skills and setting goals for professional development.
5. Automated Reminders and Continuous Feedback: To make the feedback process efficient many 360 feedback tools have features like automated reminders that prompt participants to complete their reviews on time. This ensures a regular feedback cycle and a culture of continuous feedback.

360 Feedback Software Features

When choosing 360 degree feedback software certain features are crucial to a smooth and effective feedback process. Here are some of the key features:

• Customisable Questionnaires: The ability to design and customise feedback forms based on the organisation’s values and goals is a must. Custom questionnaires allow HR teams to tailor the feedback tools to different roles and departments.
• Real Time Feedback: Some platforms give real time feedback so employees and managers can get feedback as it’s collected not at the end of the review cycle. This allows for quicker interventions and performance adjustments.
• Anonymous Feedback: Anonymous feedback means all participants feel comfortable giving their input. Anonymity creates a more open and honest environment for constructive feedback.
• Reporting: High quality 360 feedback software has in-depth reporting capabilities with visual data, charts and summaries to show performance trends. This data can be used to inform data driven decisions for employee development and career development.
• Mobile Access: Many modern platforms have mobile friendly interfaces so users can give feedback and access reports from anywhere making the whole process more convenient.
• Automated Reminders: Keeping track of feedback deadlines can be a challenge. Many systems have automated reminders so participants can complete their feedback tasks on time increasing the efficiency of the feedback process.
• Integration with HR Software Tools: The software should integrate with existing HR software tools such as performance management systems, goal tracking and employee training platforms so feedback is part of a larger system.
• Self-Assessment: Employees should be able to do a self-assessment and compare their own ratings with their peers and managers. This feature promotes self awareness and personal reflection on performance.

360 Feedback Software Benefits for Employee Performance

360 feedback software is more than a performance review tool—it’s a platform to support employee development, drive continuous improvement and a culture of feedback and collaboration. Here are the top benefits:

1. Whole Employee Evaluation
   Unlike traditional performance reviews which are narrow in scope 360 feedback software gives a more comprehensive view of the employee by gathering feedback from multiple sources. This holistic approach means employees get a balanced view of their performance and can identify gaps and strengths.
2. Increased Employee Engagement and Retention
   Regular meaningful feedback makes employees feel valued and engaged. Knowing their voice is heard and their feedback contributes to their colleagues growth increases employee engagement and improves retention rates.
3. Team Collaboration and Communication
   Peer feedback helps employees understand how their work impacts others and fosters stronger communication within teams. This in turn promotes better collaboration and more cohesive working relationships across departments.
4. Continuous Feedback and Development
   With real time and continuous feedback employees no longer have to wait for annual performance reviews to get feedback. This allows for incremental improvements throughout the year and a culture of continuous improvement and adaptability.
5. Identifying Leadership Potential
   By collecting feedback from multiple sources 360 feedback software can help organisations identify high potential employees who exhibit leadership qualities. This is invaluable for HR teams to close talent gaps and prepare the next generation of leaders.
6. Data Driven Decisions and Development Programs
   The detailed reports generated by 360 feedback software provide insights into performance trends and help HR teams and managers make data driven decisions about development opportunities and training programs. With clear performance gaps organisations can tailor development programs to individual and team needs.
7. Personalised Development Plans
   Feedback reports can guide professional development by providing employees with actionable insights into their performance. HR teams can work with employees to create personalised development plans that focus on specific areas for improvement and overall productivity.

360 Feedback Software Best Practices for Constructive Feedback

To get the most out of 360 feedback software follow these best practices for a smooth and effective feedback process:

• Set Clear Objectives: Define what you want to achieve with your 360 feedback process before you implement the software. Whether it’s to improve employee performance, identify development opportunities or better team collaboration clear objectives will guide the whole initiative.
• Anonymity for Honest Feedback: To encourage open communication and honest feedback make anonymity a priority in the process. Employees will be more likely to give candid feedback if they know their identity is protected.
• Training for Feedback Providers: Not everyone is comfortable giving feedback. Provide training on how to give valuable, balanced and actionable feedback to improve the quality of the data collected.
• Use Data to Identify Trends: Analyse the feedback data to identify trends across teams or departments. This will inform employee training initiatives and pinpoint areas for improvement.
• Follow-Up Plans: Once the feedback has been collected and shared it’s crucial to act on it. Develop follow-up plans that address key areas for improvement and ensure employees have the support they need for their development.How to do Performance Reviews with 360 Feedback SoftwarePerformance reviews are an essential part of any business. Historically they were a one on one meeting between a manager and an employee to review past performance. Now companies are moving towards 360 feedback software where feedback is collected from multiple sources – peers, direct reports, managers and sometimes even external stakeholders. This gives a more rounded and balanced view making it easier to create a development plan.In this guide we will cover the steps to do performance reviews with 360 feedback software to help you improve your feedback culture, employee engagement and continuous improvement.Why 360 Feedback Software for Performance Reviews?360 feedback software has many advantages over traditional review methods. Here are the reasons why it’s becoming the go to tool for performance reviews:
  1. Holistic Feedback: Instead of one person’s opinion, 360 feedback gives feedback from multiple sources, a more balanced and accurate view of the employee’s performance.
  2. Encourages Honest Feedback: With anonymous feedback options, employees and peers feel more comfortable giving honest assessments. This means more constructive feedback and less bias.
  3. Focuses on Continuous Improvement: The software allows continuous feedback throughout the year, so employees can make incremental improvements rather than waiting for an annual review.
  4. Data Driven Insights: With robust reporting the software gives you detailed insights into performance trends, so HR and managers can make data driven decisions about employee development.
  5. Customizable Feedback Process: The ability to customise the feedback forms and questions means you can tailor the feedback process to specific roles and company goals, so you get relevant and meaningful feedback.
  Summary: How to do Performance Reviews with 360 Feedback SoftwareTo get the most out of 360 feedback software during your performance review process follow these tips:1. Define the Objectives of the ReviewBefore you start the feedback process define the objectives of the review. These could be development opportunities, future goals, recognition of achievements or team dynamics. Clear objectives will guide the review and ensure the feedback collected aligns with your company’s performance management strategy.2. Choose the Feedback ProvidersOne of the big advantages of 360 degree feedback is that it collects feedback from multiple sources. When choosing feedback providers make sure you include people who interact with the employee regularly. This could be:
  • Peers who work with the employee on projects.
  • Direct reports who can assess the employee’s leadership and management style.
  • Supervisors who can evaluate overall performance and alignment to company goals.
  • External stakeholders such as clients or partners if applicable who can give an outsider’s view.
  This gives a more rounded view of the employee’s strengths and development areas.3. Customise Feedback Forms and QuestionsTo get meaningful feedback customise the questions and rating scales in the software to your company values and the role of the employee. For example questions for a team leader might focus more on leadership and communication skills, while questions for a junior employee might focus on adaptability and teamwork.Customised feedback forms means the constructive feedback gathered is relevant to the employee’s role and career path.4. Collect Feedback with Automated Reminders360 degree feedback software makes it easy to collect feedback from multiple sources with automated tools. The software sends out the requests to the chosen feedback providers and includes automatic reminders to ensure everything is completed on time. These reminders are key to keeping the whole process on track and making sure all feedback is submitted within the review period.By automating the feedback collection HR and managers save time and resources.5. Analyse and Compile Feedback ReportsOnce the feedback is collected the software compiles the data into reports. These reports usually include:
  • Graphs and charts of key performance trends.
  • Summaries of peer feedback, direct reports and supervisors’ assessments.
  • Written comments with constructive feedback and actionable suggestions.
  • Self-assessment vs feedback from others if applicable.
  These feedback reports give a clear view of the employee’s strengths, development areas and growth opportunities.6. Run the Performance Review MeetingWith the report in hand schedule a one-on-one performance review meeting with the employee.
  • Strengths and achievements: Start by discussing the employee’s successes and positive feedback from peers and supervisors.
  • Development areas: Go over the key development areas in the feedback report. Be specific and give actionable feedback that will help the employee improve.
  • Development plan: Work together to set goals and create a development plan based on the feedback. This could be additional training, mentorship or new responsibilities to help the employee grow.
  • Self reflection: If the software has a self-assessment feature compare the employee’s self-evaluation with the feedback from others. This will highlight areas where the employee may not be fully aware of their strengths or weaknesses.
  7. Goals for ImprovementTo encourage improvement the performance review should end with a discussion about future goals. These goals should be:
  • Specific: Clearly state what needs to be achieved and in which areas.
  • Measurable: Ensure the goals can be tracked and measured over time.
  • Achievable: Realistic goals that fit the employee’s role and experience.
  • Relevant: Goals should align with the employee’s career path and the company’s objectives.
  • Time-bound: Set a time frame for these goals, whether next quarter, 6 months or year.
  By setting goals you give employees control of their own development and ensure feedback becomes growth.8. Follow up and MonitorOne of the benefits of 360 degree feedback software is ongoing feedback and employee development. After the initial review continue to monitor the employee’s progress and check in regularly to give feedback on their development. Use the goal tracking feature to see how the employee is progressing towards the goals set during the review.This ongoing engagement keeps the employee motivated and on track for continuous improvement, so feedback reviews are not just an annual event but part of a living performance management system.

Conclusion

Implementing 360 feedback software into your performance management process is a game changer for employee growth, continuous improvement and employee engagement. By collecting feedback from multiple perspectives 360 feedback gives you a complete view of an employee’s performance so you can make data driven decisions on career development, training and leadership identification.

The benefits of 360 feedback software – from real time feedback to a culture of collaboration – far outweigh the traditional one way performance review process. By creating a feedback culture where employees feel valued and heard your organisation can close talent gaps, improve retention and be future ready.