360 Feedback

360 feedback, also known as 360 appraisal or 360 review, is an excellent way of improving communication and performance management within organisations.

360 feedback, literally, provides individuals with all-round performance feedback from colleagues, manager(s), direct reports, customers and others. Crucially, it also compares their self-perception with how others see their performance.

Beacons Consultants are 360 feedback providers with a proven track record. We have offices in Bristol (covering the Midlands, West Country and Wales), Hampshire and Surrey (covering London and the South East).

In addition to our Leadership, Management Training and Team Building programmes, we provide a uniquely versatile web-based 360 degree feedback service, using online questionnaires or other distribution media (if required).

Download a sample Beacons 360 report.

Our approach to 360 Feedback

There are three key stages to deliver successful 360 feedback:

• Orientation & Set up - Designing the questionnaire with you and briefing Subjects and Raters so that everyone understands how the process works and Raters appreciate that Subjects want their feedback: that this is not just an administrative chore for everyone to do.
• Administration - the web based solution that efficiently and confidentially collects Raters' feedback and creates the report which is fed back to each Subject
• Feedback - Rather than the report just arriving on the Subject's desk, we recommend each Subject discussing it immediately in an off-line, confidential meeting with a Beacons coach. This allows any difficulties, or questions to be addressed immediately and begins the process of constructing an action plan for what needs to done or changed.

Read more about our 360 Feedback bureau service, or find out more about our full 360 feedback service including coaching of each participant to ensure they take maximum benefit from this powerful process.

What we offer

We offer three different 360 Feedback services:

• A Full 360 Feedback service,
• A 360 Feedback Bureau service,
• And a 360 Feedback Coaching Programme for the Human Resources staff, line managers, mentors and others involved in the exercise.

What are the benefits of outsourcing 360 Feedback to Beacons Consultants?

• 20/20 Insight GOLD is a clear winner in itself - the ultimate in tailored feedback and survey design systems
• The combination in our reports of both numeric ratings and comments after each question gives detailed and specific feedback - a "qualitative" output rather than just a "quantitative" one.
• Beacons Consultants' considerable experience in 360 helps to overcome the pitfalls and problems often associated with initial forays into 360 and delivers an efficient and productive survey
• The confidential one-to-one meeting with one of our consultants - the value of our "neutrality" cannot be overestimated - facilitates a positive response to the feedback and encourages individuals to plan personal development.
• 20/20 Insight GOLD software includes an impressive Individual Development Plan (IDP) application, issued free to each subject after the meeting to facilitate personal responsibility for action planning.
• We handle all the administration, whichever of the above options is chosen.
• The 360 process can be repeated, after 9-12 months, to measure progress.

Articles

For suggested strategies for overcoming resistance in your organisation to 360 feedback, read Strategies for overcoming Resistance.

Are you interested in measuring the effectiveness of teams? In the concept of using 360 with teams? Read Using 360 with teams.

To understand more about Best Practice in 360 feedback, read 360 Best Practice Guidelines.

The Next Step

For more information about aligning our approach to 360 feedback with the needs of your organisation, please contact us.

If you are not based in the United Kingdom, please bear in mind that our 360 Feedback service can be largely managed by email and using our Web Response service, so do not be discouraged from contacting us!