User:JacquelynTiffin/new sandbox

Adopting the 360-degree review approach is purported to be superior to other traditional forms of evaluation and feedback for evaluating employee performance. When successfully implemented, this method initiates a vast positive change and provides a more efficient, thorough, and accurate assessment of performance reviews. Participants must feel the survey instruments are reliable and valid otherwise this multi-source approach can be viewed as problematic. Management has to ensure their employees are aware of the context in the survey to maximize accuracy and minimize bias in responses. Several inconsistencies and errors can arise in the feedback depending on whether or not:


 * The rater interacts with the employee regularly


 * The rater lets their emotions influence their judgement


 * The employee reveals themselves to the rater honestly and completely


 * The rating has been retained confidentially (if not the rater may not provide an honest rating)


 * The rater has a high level of confidence tin the accuracy of their rating


 * There is a personal relationship between the employee and rater

The amount and level of training in 360-degree feedback for both the rater and ratee can affect the level of accuracy of the feedback. If no guidance is given, individual bias may affect the rater’s ratings and the ratee’s interpretation of the feedback. However, even with training measures in place, unconscious bias may still occur due to factors such as the cultural influences or relationship quality between the rater and ratee. Additionally, if there are potential consequences from rater feedback, rater motivation may shift from providing accurate feedback to providing feedback based on self-motivated reasons such as promoting or harming a particular individual. Therefore, it is imperative that a baseline of trust be established between the raters and ratees to improve rater accountability and feedback accuracy.

Furthermore, it is important to recognize who will receive the data collected and who will maintain the confidentiality of that data. The manager or HR employee who manages the collection of data will need to ensure its confidentiality. When participants remain anonymous, they are more likely to provide more accurate feedback because their fear of being reprimanded is eliminated thereby strengthening the accuracy of the review. Moreover, the data should only be available to the employee who has been reviewed and the manager who will be facilitating the feedback for developmental purposes.

It is also vital to standardize how information is collected during the review process. 360-degree feedback may be susceptible to decreased accuracy based on the style of survey used. Research has shown that feedback results may change based on the rating scale used in the survey as well as the length of the survey. Furthermore, rater feedback may change based on the time they completed the survey.