Customize 360 Feedback Survey Questions According to Departments

360 feedback is now a hotshot topic in the HR industry. Most of the organizations all over the globe have started instating the process or are already running it successfully. Given the need for constant streamlining, no amount of information about it is too much at the moment. So here we are to answer a vital question on it – why you need to customize your 360 Feedback Survey Questions according to different departments?

While creating the questions for 360 feedback or the multirater, it might be less work for the HR department to create a generalized questionnaire and circulate it. But that’s not going to fetch you the result you are truly looking for. Each department runs on starkly different skill sets and work ethic.

For example – While in the coding department, attention to detail might be a priority skill required, in the sales department, it will not be the same. It will be the art of communication. So, if you ask the question, “Rate the employee’s level of attention to detail” to everyone, its relevant for certain departments, but not for all. It fails to add much value for others. 

In such a case, their work schedules, way of handling tasks, way of communication, various such aspects will differ, and the survey will not fetch relevant results. So the best way to tackle this is to create your own 360 competency model, wherein you can pick up the core skills required for each department and then frame the questions around those skill sets. By skill sets, we don’t mean only practical competencies. It should also include questions on leadership, ease of collaboration, being a team player, etc.

Also read: These Features Can Make A Big Difference In A Goal Setting Software

Here are some quick steps to creating customised questions for 360 feedback:

1. Choose one or multiple established questionnaires
2. From these questionnaires, pick a couple of questions that would remain consistent across all departments
3. Then, make a list of each department’s core competencies
4. Pick the questions that are relevant for each department
5. If the questionnaires don’t cover certain skill sets and areas, create your own

People at different levels have different competencies as well:

When employees move up the company ladder, the skills required to succeed in each level changes. The same skills that worked perfectly at one level, would not get you far once you are promoted to the next level. So if you are developing a 360 feedback questionnaire that will be used to evaluate employees of multiple levels, it is necessary to look at the different levels in terms of success and then develop the questions. Here are certain areas you can look into:

Team building and connectivity – The evaluation of the C-suite and the upper level employees should include questions on team building, emotional intelligence, relationship building and connectivity, as it is one of the core competencies required. They are required to connect with different departments for strategic collaborations. For lower level employees on the other hand, individual contributors and non-managers, the evaluation should be based on being a team player and supporting team endeavours, interpersonal skills, and so on.

Motivation and strategy – The people leaders have a big role to play in these areas. It is a part of their role to strategise, set goals around the company vision and mission, and to keep their employees motivated. 360 feedback questions should cover these competencies. Individual contributors and non-managers should not have many questions in this area. These are not the core competencies for them.

Management of tasks – There can be lesser questions for the C-suite and the upper level employees in this area. The leaders would not have become leaders if they were not competent in basic task management, when they were at the lower levels. The individual contributors and non-managers on the other hand, need to be evaluated on their basic skills of task management, reliability, and performance.

Also read: 6 Must Have Features of A Performance Management Software

Given all the above points, we understand that it can be a challenging task to customize your 360 Feedback Survey Questions according to different departments and levels, but once you create the framework the first time, it becomes easier from the second time onwards. You would already know the process and the competencies. Editing them to suit the current scenario won’t take you much time. Engagedly’s multirater allows for customized 360 feedback surveys, that can ease out the whole process for you.

If you are looking for a demo, click here.

Engagedly is offering a suite of products part of its Remote Work Toolkit free to any organisation, until Sept 30th, 2020. 

The Coronavirus has affected the way we work today and for months to come. Unprecedented events require unprecedented measures. We at Engagedly believe it is our responsibility as socially conscious corporate citizens to help equip organisations with additional tools and resources during this time of crisis.

Get in touch with us to know more about the free remote working tool-kit.