In some of our previous articles we talked about the 360 Degree Feedback assessment.
We discussed how it works, what questions you should ask etc. We also mentioned a software that does all of that automatically called Best360.

It should be clear to all of our loyal readers that we love 360 and all the numerous benefits it brings into an organisation.
But one question we didn’t yet cover is this:

Who should participate in a 360 Degree Feedback assessment?

First let’s cover some basics, and then we will get to the answer.

The purpose of a 360 Degree Feedback assessment

The purpose of this assessment is to give everyone in the company a clear view of themselves. To shine a light on their strenghts, so they can focus on them more and take full advantage of them. But also to make them conscious of their weaknesses, so they can improve on them.

The point of this whole process is for each employee to have a a clear plan laid out in front of them.
A plan for developing every personality trait and skill neccessary to do their job.

The 360 Degree Feedback assessment will show an employee how others (their supervisors, as well as their peers and coworkers) rated them in each category of the assessment. It will also show them how they rated themselves, and the possible gap between the two.

The point is not to dwell on one’s mistakes and flaws, but to minimize them, while focusing on their strenghts.

So the answer to the question of who should participate in this assessment should be clear by now.

Everyone.

Every employee in an organization plays a major role. Without them, the whole system wouldn’t function properly.

So it is only natural to want to improve on every part of that system. Everyone benefits from a 360 Degree Feedback assessment. If the resources of the company allow for that, you should assess as many people as possible.

Managers should be assessed, the CEO should be assessed, and all of the employees under them.

But you may be thinking, “Hang on, why would I need to test both the manager and the secretary for a trait like leadership for example?”

And that is a perfectly valid question.

However, the traits that make a good manager good, are also the traits that make a good secretary good. You see, everyone benefits from developing these traits. A manager might improve his/her leadership skills and become a better team leader. On the other hand, a secretary might improve his/her leadership skills and become a better, more assertive and responsible secretary.

Same goes for communication skills, motivation, team work, and all other traits that are tested with a 360 Degree Feedback assessment.

These traits are UNIVERSAL.

And they are always an indicator of a successful person, no matter their job or position in a company.

So, in conclusion, you should assess as many people as your resources allow you. This will create a better, more positive and productive work environment for everybody involved.

If you are interested in the benefits that a person would get from participating in this assessment, check out our article 360 Degree Surveys: Benefits for Employees.