360 degree certification. Full review: 360 degree personnel assessment method

Practice shows that people usually do not know exactly what in their behavior irritates or delights others. The inability to see oneself from the outside and the difference in behavior in different social roles and at different levels hinders the development of not only employees, but also managers. The manager also does not always know what opinion the team has about the subordinate. One of the best methods in global management and HR practice that allows you to solve these problems is employee assessment "360 degree" method.

The name reflects the essence of the method: it allows you to evaluate an employee from all sides (in a circle that represents 360 degrees). Ideally, the list of evaluators looks like this:

the employee himself, who grades himself according to given criteria and questions;
the employee's immediate supervisor;
the employee’s colleagues or managers, but not the immediate supervisor;
subordinates (if any).

As a result, a person can clearly correlate self-esteem with external assessment, and also compare the results of assessment at different levels. His immediate supervisor may also receive useful information.

primary goal

Our goal is to compare our own subjective assessment with subjective assessments at different levels: to understand how they see us from the outside. This will allow you to come to an awareness of your strengths and weaknesses by comparing your self-esteem with the opinions of others. After all, if we do not understand what impression our actions, habits, character traits, and attitude towards the world make on others, we cannot develop effectively.

Remember your impressions when you first heard your voice recorded or saw yourself on video. As a rule, people are shocked. The impressions are negative, we don’t like ourselves. However, we have looked in the mirror many times and heard our voice, but those around us see and hear something different. We tend to see ourselves the way we want, not to notice something, to focus on something pleasant. Continuing the topic of video or voice recording, we can say that when you stop annoying yourself in the recording, it means you have learned to adequately see yourself from the outside.

Basic rules: how to design and conduct a survey

Let's start from the end - with the survey. It must completely guarantee anonymity responders, otherwise their answers may be insincere and another problem may arise - finding those who gave negative ratings. Our experience suggests that this happens often and ends in conflicts. It is important that employees are given assurances of confidentiality before completing the questionnaire. If this is not done, the answers may not be reliable.

When conducting a survey, people should also explain goals such an assessment. It is advisable that these goals are known in advance and people can ask clarifying questions. Here is an example of how this information could be presented.

Instructions for respondents to the questionnaire

This survey will help your colleague (the person being assessed) better understand their strengths and weaknesses, and see the potential for further growth and development. No incentives or penalties will be taken based on the results of the study. You are guaranteed anonymity and confidentiality of answers. Therefore, we ask you to give the most truthful, frank and thoughtful answers. If, based on the nature of your interaction with this person, you do not see the manifestation of certain types of behavior and cannot judge how this person behaves in the situations described, please select the answer: “I have no information.” Be careful, because when answering some questions the best option will be to choose the answer “Always shows”, and in some others - “Never shows”. There are also several points that will allow us to assess the reliability of the result; in case of low reliability, the survey will have to be conducted again.
On average, it takes from 30 to 45 minutes to fill out the questionnaire; we recommend that you choose a time and fill out the questionnaire immediately from start to finish, without distractions. This way you can save time and increase the level of reliability of the results.
Now you can really provide significant assistance to your colleague in understanding strengths and weaknesses and planning further development and growth. Thank you in advance for your thoughtful and sincere responses.

Number of questions and completion time are another significant factor in the success of the technique. If there are too many questions (more than 50) or they are very difficult to understand, then people will quickly get tired and take a formal approach to filling out. This will reduce the reliability of the results.

Composition of the questionnaire

1. Formulation of questions-statements

Statement questions should cover the core competencies you want to assess. The more important the competency, the more questions should address it. It is very important that the questions themselves are clear, unambiguous and do not contain complex or ambiguous terms.

When writing statement questions, you should remember that in many cases it is undesirable to require a “black/white” answer, since not all formulations may imply honest and objective answers like “always appears” or “never appears,” for example: “Never criticizes company strategies and management decisions in any form,” “Always ready to sacrifice his own interests for the sake of common interests,” or “Never gets irritated or shows negative emotions.”

In other words, when composing questions-statements, you must adhere to the following rules: avoid terms and ambiguities, use understandable words, avoid extremes.

2. Rating scale

You should definitely avoid the five-point scale, as this leads to the manifestation of our school and student stereotypes. After all, if a 15–16 year old person had it in his head that 3 is bad and 5 is good, then it is impossible to realize in a short time that 3 is the norm (not ideal, but meets the requirements for employees), and 5 is excellent and happens extremely rarely. Therefore, we can move from scores to descriptive characteristics. The descriptive version of the rating scale must include a section “I have no information.” Not all evaluators can see the manifestation of competencies. Therefore, by including this column in the scale, you increase the purity and accuracy of the assessment. These answers are not taken into account when calculating average scores.

3. Ensure that responses are assessed for reliability

Sincerity scale. The presence of such a scale becomes possible due to the presence of “extreme” formulations. Here are some examples:

Doesn't make mistakes even in small things.
He is never partial and knows how to avoid personal likes and dislikes.
Perceives any management decisions positively.

If, when answering these statement questions, the evaluator gives an “extreme” answer, then this indicates either his insincerity (as a rule, overestimation with the best intentions), or a formal approach to the questionnaire (he gives the highest or lowest points everywhere). If this occurs 1-2 times, then when calculating points you should simply reduce the calculated score by 1 unit. If there are many such cases, then this questionnaire should be excluded from the general analysis, since there are serious doubts about the reliability of the answers.

Flip-flop questions. This method allows for a more thoughtful and informal approach on the part of the evaluators. The fact is that some are inclined to choose the “average score” to evaluate a colleague and put it everywhere or almost everywhere. With this approach, the evaluator does not read into the question-statements and gives answers in a purely formal manner. If a person is warned in advance about shifters (“Be careful, because when answering some questions the best option would be to choose the answer “Always shows”, and in some others - “Never shows”), then the likelihood of correct answers will increase markedly.

Duplicate questions. Another option that allows you to assess the objectivity and reliability of the assessment and remove those questionnaires that raise doubts about their reliability. Duplicate questions suggest that two or three questions are given that have different verbal formulations, but at the level of content are completely identical. It is important that they do not come in a row, since in such a situation the usefulness of the tool decreases, because a person, as a rule, remembers his last answer or can simply compare questions. Let's look at examples:

Knows how to manage conflicts of interest from a “cooperation” position, i.e. in such a way that all parties receive the maximum benefit.
Usually he does not strive to pursue only his own interests in a conflict.

There is another type of question of this type - these are questions that are related to the topic. Not being complete duplicates, they imply a gap in the answer of no more than 1 point, otherwise the result is assessed as low confidence.

What to analyze and what to pay attention to?

Before completing the questionnaires, it is important to agree on what decisions can and cannot be made based on the results. It is worth announcing in advance that such an assessment will in any case be subjective, so it should not be considered as a basis for making administrative decisions - rewards, punishments, promotions, etc. If respondents are aware of this nature of the consequences of the assessment, then the answers to the questionnaire will be either overestimated (due to the reluctance to set up colleagues), or underestimated in case of settling scores. Based on the results of the assessment and its analysis, it is possible to determine:

Areas of inflated self-esteem compared to the assessment of others.
Areas of low self-esteem compared to the assessment of others.
High and low scoring zones.
Differences in the assessment of the same competencies associated with different levels of assessors.

In the first and second cases, it is worth thinking about, analyzing your perception of the world and, perhaps, discussing with colleagues and your manager in order to understand the reasons for the discrepancy. The main conclusion is that a person sees himself incorrectly from the outside. He should definitely initiate receiving feedback from others more often and compare his behavior with the behavior of those who are considered the standard of positive competencies in this company.

The third gives us insight into our strengths and weaknesses. The big advantage in this case is that we see ourselves from the outside and correctly assess the reaction of others to ourselves.

The fourth is very important both for the person being assessed and for his supervisor. It is necessary to clearly determine the reason for such discrepancies and adjust your behavior at those levels where the score is lower. A manager, if his level of assessment differs significantly from the level of assessment by peers or subordinates, should carefully observe the employee’s behavior: pay more attention to the merits (if the manager’s assessment was lower) or learn to filter socially desirable behavior (if the manager’s assessment was higher).

Example of a questionnaire

Let's try to test ourselves and highlight:

competencies that are tested by this survey;
questions that relate to the sincerity scale;
flip questions;
questions (there may be 2 or more of them), the discrepancy in answers to which should not be more than 1 point (example of duplicate questions).

Italic questions with reverse scaling are highlighted (with average scores of level 4–5 in the remaining answers here, adequate answers should be 1–2 points; if the answers are 4–5 points in two or more cases, the validity is considered low).

Bold Questions are highlighted in font for which clearly positive answers in more than two cases indicate a high degree of probability of socially desirable answers. If there are more than two such answers, I recommend not counting the results and filling out the questionnaire again.

Answers to questions 10 and 12; 18, 22, 25, 43 and 44; 34, 38,40 and 41; 39 and 45 should give a discrepancy of no more than one point. Two discrepancies allow the validity to be considered low.

Able to make and defend unpopular decisions when necessary.

In cases of problems with clients, he always solves everything himself, strives to solve a specific problem as quickly as possible.

Understands that the effectiveness of subordinates depends on their leader and, in the event of a failure, strives to immediately correct the situation and prevent it in the future.

When justifying an initiative, he considers both the pros and cons of the decision and correctly calculates resources to improve the situation.
Improves qualifications only when it is suggested either by management or the personnel development department.

When setting priorities, he understands that what is important is what is fundamental for the business and difficult to implement, so he strives to do it himself, and delegates the rest to his subordinates.

When problems arise, he strives to solve them on his own, finds several solutions, and is able to justify the pros and cons of each of them.

In cases of prolonged stress, he knows how to find relief and maintain good shape.

If a problem arises, he first analyzes in detail the cause of its occurrence and identifies those responsible for its occurrence.
Colleagues and subordinates often turn to him for advice and help, and when communicating with him they feel psychologically comfortable.
In cases of problems with clients that arose due to the fault of other people or departments, he immediately redirects the client to the culprit of the problem.
In difficult communication situations, he is easily irritated and can be harsh in his communication.
Strives to obtain the most complete information about the market and related areas and effectively uses this information.

Able to act effectively in conditions of uncertainty.

Does not make mistakes even in small details.

Positively characterizes the company and its values in conversations with other people.

Able to admit his mistakes and take responsibility for them.
Never gets irritated or shows negative emotions.

Tries to find common interests and a common language with colleagues when solving joint problems.

Recognizes his responsibility for the result.

Shows customer focus, desire to solve client problems, takes responsibility in difficult situations.
Never criticizes management decisions and company strategies in any form.
Does not welcome changes; prefers proven solutions, confirmed by long-term experience.
Always ready to sacrifice his own interests for the sake of common ones.
She doesn’t get lost under stress; she searches for and finds solutions.
If problems with a client arose due to incorrect actions of subordinates, he tries to involve them in the solution and teach them how to avoid such a situation in the future.
Proactive, adjusts the work of his department in advance to the changing strategies of the company.
Sees the interrelation and interdependence of various divisions and functions in the organization, understands the interests of the organization as a whole.
Able to analyze opportunities, threats, as well as calculate and plan resources.

He never strives to defend only his own interests in a conflict.

Motivates people based on their results.
He believes that employees should be ready professionals and clearly act within the framework of their job responsibilities, in other cases it is necessary to part with people.

He is never partial to people and knows how to avoid personal likes and dislikes.

Able to identify and take into account the individuality of subordinates when interacting and motivating them.
Systematic, sees the interests of the organization as a whole, knows how to see the interests of different functions and divisions.

Uses predominantly control functions, believes that control, censure and punishment are the most effective methods of working with people.

Charismatic, uses the power of his personality to motivate his people.

This person’s subordinates have made significant progress since joining the company.
Forms staff correctly and in advance and determines the need for recruitment.
Determined to motivate staff, wisely chooses the ratio of encouragement and reprimand.

Able to manage conflicts of interest from a collaborative perspective so that all parties receive maximum benefit.

Organizes training and provides coaching for its employees, develops people.
Able to concentrate well on a task and attentive to detail.
Knows the external environment of the organization and competitors.
He insists on his position; if the interlocutor’s opinion initially seemed incorrect, he tries to shorten the conversation.

Shows initiative when the process really needs improvement.

Follows the company's values and interests in behavior and decision-making.
Always takes initiative and makes rationalization proposals.

Takes into account the interests of his unit exclusively and competes for resources.

Strives to solve the problem as quickly and efficiently as possible, and does not always do it on his own; if necessary, he attracts experts.

Distribution by competency group issues

Motivation, adherence to corporate values - questions 1–29, 43–50

Customer focus - 11, 21, 26.
Loyalty to the company, patriotism - 16, 22, 47.
Result orientation, responsibility for results -17, 20, 24, 49, 50.
Initiative - 23, 46, 48.
Adaptability, openness to new things - 27.
Independence and decision-making skills - 14, 29.
Understanding the business environment - 13, 19, 28, 44.
Resistance to procedures and detailed work - 15, 43.
Stress resistance - 25.
The desire to communicate and communication skills with people in the organization - 12, 18, 19, 45.

Management Skills - Questions 26–42

Management of current work - 30, 35, 41.
Team management - 28, 33, 34.
Planning - 27, 29, 39.
Training - 26, 32, 34, 38, 42.
Motivation - 31, 33, 34, 36, 37, 40.

The number of questions-statements for certain competencies is determined by their significance. It should also be noted that, as an example, a set of corporate competencies of a specific company was taken, so it cannot be considered as universal, suitable for any organization.

Practice using the questionnaire

Here are some examples of successful and unsuccessful uses of 360-degree surveys, as well as the events that followed.

Witch-hunt. In one company, when conducting a 360-degree survey, they did not take into account the fact that with two or three subordinates, the manager can quite easily figure out who answered what, or initiate “biased interrogation.” And so it happened: the manager, a rather narcissistic woman who does not tolerate criticism, organized a real inquiry, which did not improve the atmosphere in the team. Therefore, we recommend highlighting subordinates in a separate section (i.e., showing their answers separately from the answers of equal status) only if there are more than three of them.

The principle of “don’t hit the weak” For one of the department heads, the survey results were a revelation and a signal that something needed to be changed in their behavior at work. The evaluation results from his subordinates turned out to be very high, his immediate supervisor rated him average, and his colleagues rated him very low. When they began to analyze the reasons, it turned out that the leader, who was tough in character, had an iron rule - not to offend the weak, and therefore, in communicating with his subordinates, he was extremely correct, restraining himself, but with equals... Based on the survey results, the person was able to draw the right conclusions that such negativity from colleagues interferes with decision-making and teamwork, and gradually began to change.

To be or seem. What came as a surprise to one of the top managers was that he rated one of his subordinates, a mid-level manager, on average 1.5 points higher than his peers and subordinates. Closer observation and filtering of socially desirable behavior and communication led him to certain conclusions. As a result, the top manager stopped pandering to favorites and assessed their work more objectively.

I can't see it from the outside. This is very typical. The results of the survey turn out to be unexpected for many, and what is surprising is not what is noted as better or worse, but what exactly is noted by others. This signals that you need to initiate and receive feedback more often, paying attention not to what you wanted to show, but to how others saw it. At the same time, it is absolutely pointless to discuss or analyze whether others are right. Assessment from the outside is the same objective reality as everything else.

The temptation is great. In a company where such a survey was a corporate tradition, it was noticed that even very decent and adequate people often have a desire to figure out who wrote what. So we were once again convinced of the need for strict anonymity.

Don't knock. For many, giving a less than stellar rating to a colleague means “snitching” on him. Thus, in one small company, about 20 people were assessed, of which 18 received an average score of 4.9 out of a possible 5.0. Convince people that by telling colleagues the truth, they help them develop, and by giving false feedback, they prevent a person from recognizing his areas of development and being able to correct them.

Elena Mikhailova

Corporate culture

Keywords:

1 -1

One of the common barriers to human development is the inability to look at oneself from the outside. Is it possible to effectively build a career and position yourself correctly if you don’t understand how your colleagues and managers see you? One of the best methods in global management and HR practice that allows you to solve these problems is employee evaluation using the “360 degree” method.

The “360 degree” method is called so precisely because it allows you to evaluate an employee from all sides, “in a circle.” Ideally, the list of evaluators looks like this:

the employee himself, who grades himself according to given criteria;
immediate superior;
colleagues or other managers;
subordinates (if any);
in some cases, clients who communicate with the appraisee.

The number of questions and the time it takes to fill out questionnaires are significant factors in the success of the method. If there are too many questions (more than 50) or they are difficult to understand, there is a risk of a formal attitude towards the procedure, people will get tired of answering, which will lead to a decrease in the reliability of the results.

Let's take a closer look at compiling the questionnaire.

Statement questions
The correct formulation of question-statements is of great importance (the questionnaire may also consist of closed questions, although statements quite often represent a more universal and convenient form). They should cover the core competencies that are intended to be assessed. The more quality a company needs, the more questions about it should be included in the questionnaire. It is important that they are clear and do not use complex or ambiguous terms.

An example of an unsuccessful question-statement: “Tolerant of the characteristics of other people” - not all respondents may know this term. Another example: “In conflict, I am prone to compromise solutions.” The answer depends on how one understands the compromise strategy. Perhaps he perceives it on an everyday level as a desire to meet others halfway or considers it not the most successful because he prefers cooperation (especially if he has successfully completed conflict management training). As a result, the assessment will not be entirely reliable.

When composing questions-statements, in most cases, you should not use formulations that suggest extremes in answers (“always manifests itself,” “never manifests itself”), since then they cannot be simultaneously honest, objective and unambiguous. For example:

“Never criticizes management decisions and company strategies in any form”;
“I am always ready to sacrifice my own interests for the sake of common interests”;
“Always takes initiative and makes rationalization proposals”;
“Never gets irritated or shows negative emotions.”

Thus, when formulating statement questions, it is recommended to adhere to the following rules:

avoid complex terms and ambiguity;
use words that everyone understands;
avoid extremes (the exception is checking the sincerity and objectivity of respondents).

Rating scale
You should definitely avoid using a 5-point scale, as this leads to the manifestation of school and student stereotypes: 3 is bad, and 5 is good. It is impossible to sincerely believe in a short time that 3 is the norm (not ideal, but meets the requirements), and 5 is excellent (this assessment is extremely rare). Therefore, it is recommended to move away from scores to descriptive characteristics altogether. In addition, it is worth using a scale with no more than 6 points, since with more points the respondent may get confused.

Along with the rating scale, there should also be a column “I have no information”, since not all employees have the opportunity to see the manifestation of absolutely all competencies in a colleague. Accordingly, when determining the average score, the number of grades actually taken into account is reduced.

A scale that includes extreme options (“always” and “never”) allows you to increase the validity (reliability) of answers.

Ensuring the reliability of responses

Sincerity scale

It is recommended to include several statement questions in the questionnaire that do not involve “extreme” wording of answers. They help determine the sincerity of research participants. For example, it is impossible to give unambiguous polar assessments in the case of the following statements:

“Does not make mistakes even in small details”;
“Never partial towards people, always avoids personal likes and dislikes”;
“Unambiguously positively perceives any decisions of management, etc.”

If the evaluator gives an “extreme” answer to these statement questions, this indicates either his insincerity (as a rule, about inflating ratings with the best intentions, for example, out of sympathy for a colleague), or about a formal approach to the survey.

When such an answer occurs 1-2 times, it is worth reducing the calculated score by 1 unit, but if there are many such options, then this questionnaire must be excluded from the general analysis, since the reliability of the results is in question.

Flip Questions

Some people tend to choose mostly the same answers to evaluate a colleague. Most often, this is not an average assessment option (“appears in about half of the cases”), but a stable choice of answers like “always manifests itself” or “appears in most cases.” By choosing this approach, the employee does not think much about the questions and answers formally. This can be avoided by including questions in the questionnaire, the best answer to which is “Never does.”

It is worth warning employees about the presence of such “shifters”, and this will increase the likelihood of correct answers.

Duplicate questions

These questions allow you to analyze assessments for objectivity and reliability and eliminate those that do not meet these criteria. The point is that two or three questions have different wording, but are absolutely identical in content (it is important that they are not located next to each other). An example of such a take:

“Able to manage conflicts from a collaborative perspective, i.e. in such a way that all parties benefit as much as possible”;
“In a conflict, he usually does not try to shift the situation towards his interests.”

There is another type of question of this type - close questions. Not being complete duplicates, they imply a gap in answers of no more than 1 point, otherwise the result is assessed as low confidence.

Decisions based on survey results
It is worth considering that assessment using the “360 degree” method is subjective in any case, so it should not be considered as a tool for making administrative decisions - rewards, punishments, promotions, etc. In addition, if employees learn about such consequences of the assessment, then the answers will be either inflated due to a reluctance to “frame up” colleagues, or underestimated in order to settle scores. In most foreign companies, where this practice originated, the “360 degree” questionnaire serves as a tool for employee self-development or (less often) as a subject for joint analysis with his manager.

Based on the assessment results, it is necessary to identify the following areas:

A - inflated self-esteem compared to the assessment of others;
B - low self-esteem compared to the assessment of others;
B - high and low ratings;
D - differences in the assessment of the same competencies among assessors of different levels.

In cases A and B, you should find out from colleagues and managers the reason for the discrepancies. The likely conclusion is that a person cannot see himself from the outside. He should definitely initiate receiving feedback from others more often, compare his own behavior and those of those people who are considered as a standard, i.e., have competencies that are significant for the company.
Situation B gives the most complete picture of the employee's strengths and weaknesses. The big plus in this case is that a person can see himself from the outside, understand how others react to him.

Section D is very important for analysis by both the person being assessed and his supervisor. It is worth clearly identifying the reason for the discrepancies and adjusting your behavior during communication at those levels to which employees who gave low ratings belong. A manager, if his opinion differs significantly from the ratings given by peers or subordinates, needs to be more attentive to the employee’s behavior: focus on the merits (if the boss’s rating was lower than others) or learn to identify socially desirable behavior (if the rating is higher).

Let us give an example of a questionnaire that was used in one of the companies (it should not be considered as universal, suitable for any organization). Try checking yourself and highlighting:

competencies that are tested by this questionnaire;
questions related to the sincerity scale;
flip questions;
questions (there may be 2 or more of them), the discrepancy in answers to which should not be more than 1 point (example of duplicate questions).

Questionnaire using the “360 degree” method (example)

Instructions for survey participants
Dear employee!
This survey will help your colleague (the person being assessed) better understand their strengths and weaknesses, and see the potential for further growth and development. No incentives or penalties will be taken based on the results of the study. We guarantee anonymity and confidentiality. In this regard, we ask you to provide as truthful, frank and thoughtful answers as possible. If, based on the nature of your interaction with this person, you do not see the manifestation of certain aspects of behavior and cannot judge how he manifests himself in the situations described, please select the answer: “I have no information.” In addition, some questions suggest the best answer is “Always shows”, and some - “Never shows”. Be careful! There are also several questions, the answers to which will allow us to assess the reliability of the result; in case of low reliability, the questionnaire will have to be filled out again, which is undesirable.
The survey takes on average 30 to 45 minutes. We recommend that you fill out the questionnaire immediately from beginning to end, without being distracted. This way you can save time and increase the reliability of the results. You can provide significant assistance to a colleague in understanding his strengths and weaknesses and planning for further development and growth. Thank you for your sincere answers!

	Question	Answers*
	Question
1	Able to make and defend unpopular decisions when necessary
2	If problems arise with the client, he solves them independently and strives to do it as quickly as possible
3	Understands that the effectiveness of subordinates depends on their leader, strives to correct the situation and prevent its occurrence in the future
4	When justifying a decision, it considers both pros and cons and correctly calculates resources
5	Improves qualifications only when suggested by management or the personnel development department
6	When setting priorities, he takes into account what is fundamentally important for the business and difficult to perform, so he strives to do such work himself, and delegates the rest to his subordinates
7	When problems arise, he strives to overcome them on his own, finds several solutions, and is able to justify the pros and cons of each of them.
8	In case of prolonged stress, he knows how to maintain good mental shape
9	If a problem arises, he first carefully analyzes the causes and finds those responsible for eliminating them.
10	Colleagues and subordinates often turn to an employee for advice and help; they feel psychologically comfortable with him
11	If problems arise with the client due to the fault of other people or departments, he immediately redirects him to the culprit of the problem
12	Easily irritated in difficult situations, can be harsh in communication
13	Strives to obtain the most complete information about the market and related areas and effectively uses this data
14	Able to act effectively under conditions of uncertainty
15	Does not make mistakes even in small details
16	Positively characterizes the company and its values in conversations with other people
17	Able to admit his mistakes and take responsibility for them
18	Never gets irritated or shows negative emotions
19	Tries to find the same interests and common language with colleagues in solving joint problems
	Recognizes responsibility for results
21	Shows a desire to solve client problems and takes responsibility in difficult situations
22	Never criticizes management decisions and company strategies in any form
23	Does not welcome changes, prefers proven solutions confirmed by long-term experience
24	Always ready to sacrifice one's own interests for the sake of common ones
25	Doesn’t get lost in a stressful situation, looks for and finds solutions
26	If problems with a client arose due to incorrect actions of subordinates, he tries to involve them in the solution, teach them how to avoid such situations in the future
27	Proactive, adjusts the work of his department in advance to changes in company strategies
28	Sees the interrelation and interdependence of different divisions and functions in the organization, understands its interests as a whole
29	Able to analyze opportunities, risks, as well as calculate and plan resources
30	Never seeks to shift the situation in the direction of his interests in a conflict
	Motivates people based on their results
32	Believes that employees must be professionals and act clearly within the framework of their duties, otherwise people must be parted with
33	Never partial to people, always knows how to avoid personal likes and dislikes
34	Able to identify and take into account the individuality of a subordinate when interacting and motivating
35	Differs in a systematic approach, sees the interests of the organization as a whole and departments in particular
36	Performs primarily control functions, believes that censure and punishment are the most effective methods of working with people
37	Charismatic, uses the power of his personality to motivate subordinates
38	Subordinates have made significant progress since this person joined the company
39	Forms a staff in advance and correctly determines the need for employees
40	Determined to motivate staff, wisely chooses the ratio of encouragement and reprimand
41	Able to manage conflict from a cooperative position, i.e. in such a way that all parties benefit as much as possible
42	Organizes training and coaching of its employees, develops people
	Able to concentrate on a task, attentive to detail
44	Knows the external environment of the organization and competitors
45	Defends his position, if he considers the interlocutor’s opinion wrong, tries to shorten the conversation
46	Takes initiative when the process really needs improvement
47	In behavior and decision-making, he takes into account the company’s values and interests
48	Always takes initiative and makes rationalization proposals
49	Takes into account the interests of its own division exclusively and competes for resources
50	Strives to solve the problem as quickly and efficiently as possible, and not always independently, but with the involvement of experts (if necessary)

*Answers:

- I have no information;
- always manifests itself;
- manifests itself in most cases;
- manifests itself in approximately half of the cases;
- appears rarely;
- never appears.

Answers to the questionnaire (decoding types of questions and competencies)

Questions with reverse scaling: 2, 3, 8, 14, 19, 20, 36, 37, 46, 49. If the answers to other questions are at the level of 4-5 points, then the answers to questions of this type should be scored at 1-2 points. If answers to questions with reverse scaling correspond to level 4-5 in two or more cases, then their reliability is considered low.
Unambiguously positive answers to questions 6, 15, 16, 30, 33, 41, 50 indicate a high degree of probability that they are socially desirable. If there are more than two such answers, it is recommended not to count the results, but to offer to fill out the questionnaire again.
Groups of questions, the scores for the answers to which should have a discrepancy of no more than 1 point (two or more discrepancies allow us to consider the validity as low): 10-12, 18-22-25, 34-38-40-41, 39-45 , 43-44.

Distribution of questions by competency groups

Compliance with corporate values (questions 1-29, 43-50)
1. Customer focus - 11, 21, 26.
2. Loyalty to the company, patriotism - 16, 22, 47.
3. Result orientation, responsibility for it - 17, 20, 24, 49, 50.
4. Initiative - 23, 46, 48.
5. Adaptability, openness to new things - 27.
6. Independence and decision-making skills - 14, 29.
7. Understanding the business environment - 13, 19, 28, 44.
8. Resistance to procedures and detailed work - 15, 43.
9. Stress resistance - 25.
10. The desire to communicate and communication skills with people in the company - 12, 18, 19, 45.
Management skills (questions 26-42)
1. Management of current work - 30, 35, 41.
2. Team management - 28, 33, 34.
3. Planning - 27, 29, 39.
4. Training - 26, 32, 34, 38, 42.
5. Motivation - 31, 33, 34, 36, 37, 40.

Certification of working professions is quite well developed - these are tariff and qualification exams and the assignment of regular ranks/rates. The greatest difficulties are caused by the assessment of managers and specialists. According to various sources, more than half of domestic enterprises do not carry out this procedure at all; in some places it is of a formal nature, and only a few can boast of a well-functioning certification policy. Meanwhile, certification can become a powerful tool for stimulating personnel development.

The main one is that traditional methods are extremely cumbersome, labor-intensive and ineffective. Certification commissions that are created at some enterprises do not justify themselves due to the large amount of subjectivity in assessments: those being certified are represented by their manager, who, as a rule, gives his subordinates the most flattering characteristics, as a result of which commission members cannot objectively evaluate employees of other departments. Naturally, the results of such certifications do not meet the requirements of modern enterprises.
In recent decades, in the West, and for some time now in domestic business, a special method for assessing the business and personal qualities of personnel - “360° Certification” - has gained popularity.

Let us note its main advantages:

simplicity of organization and execution;
practically does not distract staff from work;
does not require the formation of certification commissions;
covers all the main aspects of the life of the team;
not only measures the qualities of employees, but also significantly influences their development.

The essence of “circular” certification is that the employee is assessed according to certain competencies-criteria by his environment (experts): manager, work colleagues, subordinates. Using the same criteria, the specialist carries out a self-assessment, which is compared with the characteristics of experts.

This scheme involves triple feedback: top-down - from the immediate supervisor, horizontally - from colleagues and bottom-up - from subordinates. Unlike traditional certification, with this approach the assessment is multifaceted, the most complete and objective.
Let us dwell on the applied aspect of the technique.

The “circular” and mass nature of assessments minimizes the factor of subjectivity in assessments; multifactoriality makes it possible to obtain an integral assessment of both an individual employee and a rating of specialists in a comparable group.

Thus, a kind of “photograph” of the opinions of others about the business and personal qualities of a specialist is obtained.

For any company, the goals and objectives of personnel certification are approximately the same, namely:

identify the level of qualifications of employees, their ability to evaluate the professionalism and quality of each other’s work;
establish adequate wage levels;
make informed decisions on personnel appointments and transfers;
motivate employees to achieve specific results and a certain level of quality of work;
develop an employee training program, set goals and objectives for the next certification period;
establish status ratings and track the dynamics of their changes.

When preparing for certification, a high-quality selection of evaluation criteria (a list of what an employee must be able to do in order to perform his job duties) is very important. Basic criteria for assessing (competence) of a specialist, as a rule, cover the most important areas:

knowledge (general and special);
work skills;
ability to master new types of activities (technologies, markets, clients);
personal qualities and behavioral characteristics.

Over time, the criteria may change slightly and, if necessary, be replaced by others: one must strive to ensure that ultimately all of them correspond to the specifics of the activity and the requirements of the company.
Special attention should be paid to the fact that, on the one hand, not everyone is able to express constructive criticism without fear of offending a colleague; on the other hand, few can adequately perceive it. Therefore, the most important factor in the high objectivity of certification is the anonymity of assessments and the confidentiality of results, which is achieved through questionnaires. After computer processing of all questionnaires, the certification results with detailed assessments, integral characteristics, ratings, etc. are handed over to the employee in sealed form. Apart from him, only his immediate supervisor has access to certification sheets. This allows you to evaluate each other’s qualities without fear of reprisals or negative attitude from the person being certified.
Employees themselves, as a rule, show great interest in the results of certification. It is important for them to compare the results obtained with the results of the previous certification, to analyze how their self-assessment differs from the assessment of the team. This will help everyone identify their strengths and weaknesses, think through how to correct shortcomings and achieve better results in the future.

Another significant difference of the “360° Certification” methodology is the establishment of feedback between the head of the department and subordinates. Objective information about how employees, management, and clients evaluate the boss can become an incentive for his further personal and professional development. Moreover, participation in the certification of the immediate supervisor on an equal basis with subordinates significantly increases interest and trust in it.

HR officers using this methodology note significant discrepancies in the assessments of the person being certified by managers, colleagues and subordinates, inadequate self-esteem, etc. The results of certification open up a wide field of activity for management and HR officers for planning and implementing company personnel development programs.

ADVANTAGES 360 degree CERTIFICATIONS

"360° Attestation" is widely used; formation of a personnel reserve; choosing a specialist for a vacant position; identifying staff training needs and analyzing its effectiveness; creating plans for professional growth of specialists.

The advantages and disadvantages of the methodology compared to other methods (traditional certifications, modern comprehensive ones - for example, through the Assessment Center):
assessment of the person being certified (or a homogeneous functional group) based on individual criteria in combination with sincere assessments of colleagues allows us to draw the most objective conclusion about the employee’s compliance with the company’s requirements;
comparison of self-assessment with the assessment of the team stimulates the employee to develop the best qualities and eradicate the shortcomings indicated by colleagues;
By comparing the results of the current and previous certifications, the manager can trace the dynamics of the specialist’s development.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PREPARATION AND CONDUCT 360 degree CERTIFICATIONS

Experience of use in various companies allows us to formulate several general recommendations for organizing its preparation and certification:

1. It is recommended to include only those who have worked in the company for at least five to six months among those being certified. This period is necessary so that the employee can objectively evaluate his colleagues and so that others can evaluate him.
2. One group should have no more than 20–25 people: in such a team, everyone is in fairly close contact and has an idea of each other’s work. In addition, the risk of receiving many “blank” or random ratings is reduced.
3. For a complete and objective assessment, the group of experts must include at least 6–7 people (line and/or functional managers, colleagues and subordinates - at least two or three people each).
4. On the eve of the certification, all employees must be familiar with the rules for conducting it.
5. For each position, the 10–12 most important of 30–40 corporate evaluation criteria are selected, for example: work experience; professional knowledge; business relationships with the manager, colleagues, subordinates; labor discipline; independence at work; use of authority; labor intensity; conflict.

Similarly, special criteria are formed, taking into account the professional characteristics of the group (for example, for managers - organizational and managerial abilities; the ability to motivate subordinates, interact with the client).
6. It is not recommended to immediately link the results of the first certification to administrative decisions - personnel movements, changes in wages, etc.
7. We recommend planning re-certification no earlier than six months to a year, since the employee needs time to work on his shortcomings.
8. It is advisable to conduct a pilot (trial) certification in one typical department to use the experience gained in ramified organizational structures.
The openness of the corporate culture in the company is extremely important, when each employee is committed to an objective and reasonable assessment of other employees and is accustomed to counting on a similar attitude towards himself from his colleagues.

A well-developed and clearly organized system allows not only to assess the personnel potential of an enterprise with all the ensuing opportunities for its optimization, but also gives each certified employee the opportunity to look at himself with a new look, to better assess his existing potential, to understand what he needs to improve, draw up or adjust a plan for your further professional development or clarify your career plan. Those. employee certification can be structured in such a way as to bring mutual benefit to both parties - both the organization conducting the certification and its employees.

What should the questionnaire be like?

In the questionnaire that is used within the framework of the “360 degree” method, it is necessary not only to offer the experts, that is, those who will evaluate the employee, a rating scale, but to explain what each wording means, otherwise experts with different experience will interpret the values of the scales according to -different. For example, if the questions in the questionnaire are formulated as follows: “evaluate the managerial potential of I.I. Ivanov. on a scale from 1 to 5,” then for an ordinary Russian employee the scale from 1 to 5 is a direct analogy with school grades, where 5 is excellent, 4 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 2 is unsatisfactory. As you noticed, the five-point scale turns into a four-point scale. In addition, the values of the points as understood by the expert may differ from the values assigned by the evaluators.
Many Western-oriented companies use a five-point scale with the following description to evaluate the business qualities of staff:

5 – level of skill that allows you to demonstrate this quality in extremely difficult conditions, develop its standards and train others;
4 – level of extended experience, allowing to demonstrate quality not only in standard, but also in difficult conditions;
3 – level of basic experience that allows you to demonstrate quality in most work situations;
2 – level of development, when business quality is not always manifested, but the employee already understands the importance of its manifestation and tries to develop it;
1 – quality does not appear.

In addition, by inviting experts to give a numerical assessment of a person’s qualities, we can judge how likable he is to others and how effectively he is able to build his relationships with colleagues. This means that we will have the opportunity to assess the degree of cohesion of the team rather than the business qualities and competence of the person being tested.
For example, a block of a questionnaire in which we invite experts to evaluate an employee’s creativity should not look like this:

Badly
below the average
moderately
above average
high

Before inviting an expert to assess the level of creativity, the organization must explain what meaning is given to this term and what manifestations of creativity are unacceptable to it. That is, it makes sense to evaluate the qualities of an employee not in general, but in relation to a given company. For example, if an organization encourages creativity among its employees, the corresponding section of the questionnaire might look like this:

never makes new proposals, rejects proposals from others;
strives to adhere to proven approaches in his work, is wary of new ideas, implements new methods only under pressure from management;
management readily responds to suggestions to think about new methods and technologies;
proactively proposes new approaches and solutions to management;
always filled with many new ideas, uses every opportunity to offer a new solution;

Give a specific example that, in your opinion, most fully characterizes the attitude of Ivanov I.I. to new ideas and approaches.

If what is important for a company is not the creativity of employees in itself, but its positive results, then the same section of the questionnaire may look like this:

Check those points that most accurately characterize the behavior of Ivanov I.I. At work:

does not come up with new proposals or his proposals often harm the common cause;
his ideas and approaches sometimes make it possible to reduce some costs or avoid costs;
his proposals often bring tangible optimization of business processes, technologies, and production processes;
his approaches and solutions increase the efficiency of the company;
his proposals significantly develop the company's business. Give a specific example that, in your opinion, most fully characterizes the contribution of Ivanov I.I.’s proposals. into a common cause.

It is very important that the questionnaire for assessment using the “360 degree” method be built on the basis of some system of criteria that is universal for a given organization. Only in this case can the information obtained as a result of the survey be compared with other already available data.

It is also desirable that the questionnaire not only invite experts to give numerical ratings, but also contain instructions to select a behavioral indicator and give an example. Ideally, the questionnaire should provide high-quality information, which an automated system or personnel assessment specialists will then convert into digital data. Thus, as a result, we can obtain two types of information - qualitative and quantitative. Qualitative information allows you to describe exactly how an employee behaves at work, while quantitative information makes it possible to compare employees with each other.

If the assessment system is built in the company from scratch, then before the survey, an even more difficult task will have to be solved - to create a competency model, a competency assessment scale, and a description of behavioral indicators.

Questionnaire forms

The form of the assessment primarily depends on the goals of the procedure. If the purpose of the assessment using the “360 degree” method is, first of all, to collect high-quality information about a small number of employees (up to one hundred people), then the questionnaire can be on paper or electronic media. Questionnaires are distributed, filled out and processed manually. In this case, as a rule, each person being assessed can talk about the assessment results with specialists.

If a large number of employees are assessed using the “360 degree” method, then this process is usually automated (distribution, collection and processing of questionnaires is carried out using special automated systems). Workers are practically deprived of the opportunity to maintain feedback with information processors. As a rule, the respondent receives the results of his assessment in electronic form.

Automated 360-degree assessment systems are used when collecting quantitative data to compare employees against each other on certain parameters is of paramount importance (for example, when forming training groups). Some automated systems themselves generate recommendations for employee training, offer a list of references, electronic courses, and a list of trainings. Similar programs are offered by several companies and cost anywhere from several hundred to tens of thousands of dollars.

360 degree assessment: sample questionnaire

Let's take a closer look at compiling the questionnaire.

Statement questions

The correct formulation of question-statements is of great importance (the questionnaire may also consist of closed questions, although statements quite often represent a more universal and convenient form). They should cover the core competencies that are intended to be assessed. The more quality a company needs, the more questions about it should be included in the questionnaire. It is important that they are clear and do not use complex or ambiguous terms.

“Never criticizes management decisions and company strategies in any form”;

“I am always ready to sacrifice my own interests for the sake of common interests”;

“Always takes initiative and makes rationalization proposals”;

“Never gets irritated or shows negative emotions.”

Thus, when formulating statement questions, it is recommended to adhere to the following rules:

avoid complex terms and ambiguity;
use words that everyone understands;
avoid extremes (the exception is checking the sincerity and objectivity of respondents).

Rating scale

You should definitely avoid using a 5-point scale, as this leads to the manifestation of school and student stereotypes: 3 is bad, and 5 is good. It is impossible to sincerely believe in a short time that 3 is the norm (not ideal, but meets the requirements), and 5 is excellent (this assessment is extremely rare). Therefore, it is recommended to move away from scores to descriptive characteristics altogether. In addition, it is worth using a scale with no more than 6 points, since with more points the respondent may get confused.

A scale that includes extreme options (“always” and “never”) allows you to increase the validity (reliability) of answers.

Ensuring the reliability of responses

Sincerity scale

“Does not make mistakes even in small details”;

“Never partial towards people, always avoids personal likes and dislikes”;

“Unambiguously positively perceives any decisions of management, etc.”

Flip Questions

It is worth warning employees about the presence of such “shifters”, and this will increase the likelihood of correct answers.

Duplicate questions

“Able to manage conflicts from a collaborative perspective, i.e. in such a way that all parties benefit as much as possible”;

“In a conflict, he usually does not try to shift the situation towards his interests.”

Decisions based on survey results
It is worth considering that assessment using the “360 degree” method is subjective in any case, so it should not be considered as a tool for making administrative decisions - rewards, punishments, promotions, etc. In addition, if employees learn about such consequences of the assessment, then the answers will be either inflated due to a reluctance to “frame up” colleagues, or underestimated in order to settle scores. In most foreign companies, where this practice originated, the “360 degree” questionnaire serves as a tool for employee self-development or (less often) as a subject for joint analysis with his manager.

Based on the assessment results, it is necessary to identify the following areas:

A - inflated self-esteem compared to the assessment of others;

B - low self-esteem compared to the assessment of others;

B - high and low ratings;

D - differences in the assessment of the same competencies among assessors of different levels.

In cases A and B, you should find out from colleagues and managers the reason for the discrepancies. The likely conclusion is that a person cannot see himself from the outside. He should definitely initiate receiving feedback from others more often, comparing his own behavior and those of those people who are considered as a standard, i.e., have competencies that are significant for the company.
Situation B gives the most complete picture of the employee's strengths and weaknesses. The big plus in this case is that a person can see himself from the outside, understand how others react to him.

Let us give an example of a questionnaire that was used in one of the companies (it should not be considered as universal, suitable for any organization). Try checking yourself and highlighting:

competencies that are tested by this questionnaire;
questions related to the sincerity scale;
flip questions;
questions (there may be 2 or more of them), the discrepancy in answers to which should not be more than 1 point (example of duplicate questions).

Questionnaire using the “360 degree” method (example)

Instructions for survey participants
Dear employee!
This survey will help your colleague (the person being assessed) better understand their strengths and weaknesses, and see the potential for further growth and development. No incentives or penalties will be taken based on the results of the study. We guarantee anonymity and confidentiality. In this regard, we ask you to provide as truthful, frank and thoughtful answers as possible. If, based on the nature of your interaction with this person, you do not see the manifestation of certain aspects of behavior and cannot judge how he manifests himself in the situations described, please select the answer: “I have no information.” In addition, some questions suggest the answer “Always shows” as the best option, and some - “Never shows.” Be careful! There are also several questions, the answers to which will allow us to assess the reliability of the result; in case of low reliability, the questionnaire will have to be filled out again, which is undesirable.
The survey takes on average 30 to 45 minutes. We recommend that you fill out the questionnaire immediately from beginning to end, without being distracted. This way you can save time and increase the reliability of the results. You can provide significant assistance to a colleague in understanding his strengths and weaknesses and planning for further development and growth. Thank you for your sincere answers!

№	Question	Answers*
№	Question	1	2	3	4	5	6
1	Able to make and defend unpopular decisions when necessary
2	If problems arise with the client, he solves them independently and strives to do it as quickly as possible
3	Understands that the effectiveness of subordinates depends on their leader, strives to correct the situation and prevent its occurrence in the future
4	When justifying a decision, it considers both pros and cons and correctly calculates resources
5	Improves qualifications only when suggested by management or the personnel development department
6	When setting priorities, he takes into account what is fundamentally important for the business and difficult to perform, so he strives to do such work himself, and delegates the rest to his subordinates
7	When problems arise, he strives to overcome them on his own, finds several solutions, and is able to justify the pros and cons of each of them.
8	In case of prolonged stress, he knows how to maintain good mental shape
9	If a problem arises, he first carefully analyzes the causes and finds those responsible for eliminating them.
10	Colleagues and subordinates often turn to an employee for advice and help; they feel psychologically comfortable with him
11	If problems arise with the client due to the fault of other people or departments, he immediately redirects him to the culprit of the problem
12	Easily irritated in difficult situations, can be harsh in communication
13	Strives to obtain the most complete information about the market and related areas and effectively uses this data
14	Able to act effectively under conditions of uncertainty
15	Does not make mistakes even in small details
16	Positively characterizes the company and its values in conversations with other people
17	Able to admit his mistakes and take responsibility for them
18	Never gets irritated or shows negative emotions
19	Tries to find the same interests and common language with colleagues in solving joint problems
20	Recognizes responsibility for results
21	Shows a desire to solve client problems and takes responsibility in difficult situations
22	Never criticizes management decisions and company strategies in any form
23	Does not welcome changes, prefers proven solutions confirmed by long-term experience
24	Always ready to sacrifice one's own interests for the sake of common ones
25	Doesn’t get lost in a stressful situation, looks for and finds solutions
26	If problems with a client arose due to incorrect actions of subordinates, he tries to involve them in the solution, teach them how to avoid such situations in the future
27	Proactive, adjusts the work of his department in advance to changes in company strategies
28	Sees the interrelation and interdependence of different divisions and functions in the organization, understands its interests as a whole
29	Able to analyze opportunities, risks, as well as calculate and plan resources
30	Never seeks to shift the situation in the direction of his interests in a conflict
31	Motivates people based on their results
32	Believes that employees must be professionals and act clearly within the framework of their duties, otherwise people must be parted with
33	Never partial to people, always knows how to avoid personal likes and dislikes
34	Able to identify and take into account the individuality of a subordinate when interacting and motivating
35	Differs in a systematic approach, sees the interests of the organization as a whole and departments in particular
36	Performs primarily control functions, believes that censure and punishment are the most effective methods of working with people
37	Charismatic, uses the power of his personality to motivate subordinates
38	Subordinates have made significant progress since this person joined the company
39	Forms a staff in advance and correctly determines the need for employees
40	Determined to motivate staff, wisely chooses the ratio of encouragement and reprimand
41	Able to manage conflict from a cooperative position, i.e. in such a way that all parties benefit as much as possible
42	Organizes training and coaching of its employees, develops people
43	Able to concentrate on a task, attentive to detail
44	Knows the external environment of the organization and competitors
45	Defends his position, if he considers the interlocutor’s opinion wrong, tries to shorten the conversation
46	Takes initiative when the process really needs improvement
47	In behavior and decision-making, he takes into account the company’s values and interests
48	Always takes initiative and makes rationalization proposals
49	Takes into account the interests of its own division exclusively and competes for resources
50	Strives to solve the problem as quickly and efficiently as possible, and not always independently, but with the involvement of experts (if necessary)

*Answers:

- I have no information;
- always manifests itself;
- manifests itself in most cases;
- manifests itself in approximately half of the cases;
- appears rarely;
- never appears.

Answers to the questionnaire (decoding types of questions and competencies)

Reverse scaling questions: 2, 3, 8, 14, 19, 20, 36, 37, 46, 49. If the answers to other questions are at the level of 4–5 points, then answers to questions of this type should be scored at 1–2 points. If answers to questions with reverse scaling correspond to level 4–5 in two or more cases, then their reliability is considered low.
Unambiguously positive answers to questions 6, 15, 16, 30, 33, 41, 50 indicate a high degree of probability that they are socially desirable. If there are more than two such answers, it is recommended not to count the results, but to offer to fill out the questionnaire again.
Groups of questions for which the scores for answers should differ by no more than 1 point (two or more discrepancies allow us to consider the validity as low): 10–12, 18–22–25, 34–38–40–41, 39–45 , 43–44.

Distribution of questions by competency groups

Compliance with corporate values (questions 1–29, 43–50)

Customer focus - 11, 21, 26.
Loyalty to the company, patriotism - 16, 22, 47.
Result orientation, responsibility for it - 17, 20, 24, 49, 50.
Initiative - 23, 46, 48.
Adaptability, openness to new things - 27.
Independence and decision-making skills - 14, 29.
Understanding the business environment - 13, 19, 28, 44.
Resistance to procedures and detailed work - 15, 43.
Stress resistance - 25.
The desire to communicate and communication skills with people in the company - 12, 18, 19, 45.

Management skills (questions 26–42)

Management of current work - 30, 35, 41.
Team management - 28, 33, 34.
Planning - 27, 29, 39.
Training - 26, 32, 34, 38, 42.

Motivation - 31, 33, 34, 36, 37, 40.

When using materials in full or in part, a link to the site is required

360 degree evaluation method is the collection and comprehensive analysis of information about an employee (his actions and behavior in various work circumstances, personal and business qualities, competence) taking into account the opinions of all parties: the immediate supervisor, colleagues, subordinates, as well as the employee himself. Partner organizations can also be included as a source of additional secondary information (score 540 0). This approach allows you to obtain a more objective and balanced assessment of the employee.

The 360 0 assessment method is used not only to analyze competencies and identify the weaknesses and strengths of an employee; several more tasks are solved in parallel, for example, such as: drawing up individual development plans, determining training needs, conducting personnel certification, forming a personnel reserve, identifying dynamics of relationships in a team and hidden conflicts, identification of informal leaders or, conversely, hermits. But, no less important, the organization creates a culture of openness and trust in the team, and also creates structured feedback.

However, it should be noted that the 360-degree personnel assessment method does not work well in companies with a purely authoritarian management style, since management is relatively distant from subordinates, there is no tradition of collective cooperation and support, and there is no necessary trust of the team in relation to management. In such organizations, personnel assessment methods occur “top-down”: employee characteristics from the manager, aptitude tests, interviews, questionnaires, and the like.

The essence of the 360 0 method is an assessment carried out on the basis of a model of competencies (professional and behavioral criteria) required for the specific position of the employee being assessed. Then a questionnaire is compiled and a rating scale is determined. Based on the results, a graph is constructed showing the severity of a particular competency.

The main principle of the 360 0 assessment is anonymity. Although the method allows for assessments to be carried out in a “non-anonymous” or “semi-anonymous” mode, studies have shown that in this case the reliability of the results is quite low, and this is primarily due to fears of offending a person, as well as fear of superiors or a possible conflict.

As a rule, employees are willing to conduct such an assessment, because real professionals are always interested in understanding what impression they make on the people around them, a kind of “look from the outside.” Such an assessment becomes a kind of incentive for self-development. However, in order to avoid stress, HR managers need to convey to all participants the purpose of the assessment, explain to employees the benefits of such an exercise, and show that the results will not be used for the purpose of punishment, but for the subsequent development of the employee.

The expert audience consists of the employee’s immediate environment (maximum 7-9 people). They can be divided into two groups:

“internal”: immediate supervisor, subordinates, colleagues from other departments;
“external”: partner organizations, clients, suppliers.

It is advisable that the selected experts interact with the “assessed” for more than six months. In this case, they can more objectively determine the presence or absence of the required competencies in the employee’s professional behavior.

In the most democratic organizations, an employee is asked to choose two experts on his own - one from his subordinates and one from his colleagues from another department/division.

Also included in the 360 0 assessment methodology is a block for self-assessment - one of the most important parts, since an employee can compare his view of his strengths and weaknesses with the opinions of others. Very often, employees with average labor productivity overestimate their personal indicators, while the best employees, on the contrary, underestimate them, because They are often characterized by perfectionism and a high level of demand for standards in completing assigned tasks.

Free catalog of policies and procedures for personnel assessment and certification

How to composequestionnaire-questionnaire 360 0

First, you need to select no more than 50 significant competencies for assessment, based on which to create questions. These competencies should directly reflect the objectives of the 360 0 assessment. You should also not complicate the questions - they should be as simple as possible.

For example, if the task is to assess the “customer focus” of an employee, it makes sense to decipher in the question what exactly you mean: “Tries to understand the needs of customers and help them,” or “Accompanying customer requests, their requirements and complaints to the end.”

Next, you need to determine the rating scale. A five-point rating scale should be avoided, because it is associated with the school scale, where 5 is excellent and 3 is bad. It's better to use more open options. It is not recommended, although extreme words are possible: “always”, “never”. It is also important to add the item “I don’t know,” or “I don’t have that information.”

Examples of 360 degree assessments

360 degree questionnaire(fragment)

360 degree assessment questionnaire(fragment)

Stages of implementation -360 rating system 0

It is better to conduct the survey in electronic format - this will speed up the process and ensure anonymity.

On preparatory stage it is necessary to create a provision on certification. Create questionnaires. Determine the composition of experts. Provide information support. Conduct explanatory seminars and presentations for all participants. Communicate the goals and objectives of the survey. Explain the criteria for personnel assessment, the principles and rules for conducting a 360 0 assessment, the format, and how confidentiality is ensured.
At the stage research and data analysis It is necessary to ensure timely submission of information from all participants. Process the results and generate a final report.
At the stage feedback you need to tactfully present the information received to the employee. It is necessary to hold a tripartite meeting: employee, manager, HR representative - to explain the results obtained. Discuss strengths and weaknesses, provide an analysis of possible reasons, identify the greatest discrepancies in the employee’s self-esteem with the opinions of others, suggest possible ways for further development, taking into account the requirements of the position and individual plans. Formulate specific recommendations for the subsequent development of the employee.

In some situations, it is necessary to quickly and accurately assess the personal and business qualities of an employee.

For example, the company has been using an approved employee competency model for the second year, and the HR service was puzzled by the question: how to determine the dynamics of competency development compared to last year?

Or, let’s say, during the maternity leave of the head of the department, one of the talented specialists was appointed acting. The results of the department’s work remained at an acceptable level, and the pace of work did not change. A specialist, inspired by the experience in a new position, is not against learning and moving to a related department to a management position. How to determine the level of development of qualities for transition? How to get information about how the acting manager demonstrated management competencies - what worked and what needs to be “pulled up”?

A sales manager who has been working successfully for a long time wants to work with larger clients and expand the range of products sold. It is necessary to determine what qualities prevent you from moving forward, and what helps you perform the existing functionality. What should I do?
Similar situations often arise at work. To resolve them, there are many methods and assessment methods. In this article we will look at one of them - the so-called 360 degree method.

The essence of the 360 degree method

An ideal tool that provides comprehensive additional information about an employee’s work behavior, close to an objective assessment of his qualities, is the 360 degree method. As is known from geometry, 360 degrees is a trajectory describing a circle, which presupposes a comprehensive assessment not by one person, but by several, in relation to the person being assessed, who are in different statuses and relationships. At the top is the immediate supervisor, at the side are colleagues, partners, clients, at the bottom are subordinates. In the center is the person being assessed. The assessment process comes down to obtaining information about the manifestation of a person’s business and personal qualities in behavior. Employee competencies are usually assessed for the following purposes:
- determination of employee development zones;
- comparison of competencies for a certain period (month, quarter, year, etc.);
- identifying different opinions about the employee’s strengths and weaknesses;
- identifying the compliance of the employee’s competencies with the required level and standards.

Advantages and disadvantages of 360 degree assessment

As practice shows, it is not worth relying only on a 360-degree assessment to make serious personnel decisions. This method cannot be called 100% objective; it does not allow one to evaluate quantitative performance indicators, the employee’s potential, or his motivation for development. You can get data in real time, only “here and now”.

Advantages of the method:
1. Method is enough simple in development, application and interpretation and does not require outside experts. You independently determine the list of evaluators. It is not necessary for the assessor to have special professional and psychological knowledge. (But you should make sure that the qualities being assessed are understood equally by all participants in the assessment.) Knowing what exactly needs to be assessed, you can present the qualities in the form of a description, a list of behavioral indicators, and create a questionnaire. How to prepare staff for an assessment, develop a methodology, carry out a procedure, provide feedback and draw conclusions can be easily learned from many open sources (HR portals, HR media, websites of specialized companies, etc.). If you are unsure, you can always practice by conducting a small group assessment.

2. Versatility. You get a lot of additional information. For example, you can see the general trend in the development of the competencies of those being assessed, conduct a comprehensive, comprehensive analysis of the results, and evaluate the attitude towards the person. The employee gets the opportunity to compare his opinion with the opinions of others - subordinates, colleagues, management, clients. This is very useful to identify low or high self-esteem.

3. Visibility. The results can be presented not only in the form of a description, but also in the form of a table, graph, diagram, etc. Let's give an example.

Disadvantages (risks) of the method:

1. Subjectivity. It cannot be avoided, especially if the appraisers are people who communicate with each other, and the closer, the more subjective the assessment will be. Those who are disliked are underestimated, those who are liked are overestimated (not necessarily consciously). Sometimes colleagues even fill out questionnaires together; confidentiality is not respected. It happens that people are afraid to give real ratings because the method does not imply anonymity. Clients and partners, as a rule, do not give low ratings, especially if they were chosen by the person being evaluated.

Participation in the assessment of a large number of appraisers does not always ensure its objectivity. The assessment is influenced by personal relationships, the presence of conflicts or simply a competitive motive (when the assessment is carried out to determine the best employees). These factors can be compensated for:
- together with the 360 degree method, use other methods that are not based on outside opinions;
- select evaluators with presumably different attitudes towards the person being evaluated: loyal, disloyal and neutral;
- ask to justify high and low ratings, leaving space for comments at the end of the questionnaire.

Example:

2. Ambiguous wording in the questionnaire. The qualities being assessed must have an unambiguous interpretation and be understood equally by all participants in the process.

Let’s take, for example, the competency “ability to plan working time.” The colleague believes that since the person being evaluated carefully keeps a to-do list in Outlook, then everything is good with planning, and gives a high mark. The subordinate gives a low rating, noticing that the person being evaluated fusses around almost every day, gives tasks without taking into account time resources, and is often in a state of time pressure. The manager knows that the person being assessed carefully writes down the list of tasks in the program every morning, but, as a rule, does not stick to the plan, takes on everything at once, gets distracted, etc. The result is a high score in relation to planning “on paper”, but a low score on the implementation of planning, in the end - average.

Now let’s describe the competency “ability to plan working time” as certain behavioral indicators, in particular:
- maintains a daily list of planned to-dos;
- knows how to set priorities, separate important and urgent matters from “routine”;
- sticks to the plan;
- analyzes the reasons for failure to complete tasks.

If you work with this list, the assessment will be differentiated and accurate, and the weaknesses and areas for development of the person being assessed will be visible.
Here is a sheet for assessing the “loyalty to the company” competency.

There is another trick - mix qualities and competencies of the same order in the questionnaire. This makes processing more difficult, but increases reliability. Otherwise, when filling out a questionnaire, people read similar characteristics and automatically give the same ratings. If different parameters are mixed, the rater will be less likely to try to remember what rating he gave to a similar description. Indeed, in practice, a hardworking, painstaking employee is perceived by us as productive, loyal, customer-oriented, etc.

For example, a description of the “results orientation” competency may contain the following indicators:
- evaluates his work based on the results achieved;
- shows persistence in achieving goals and overcoming obstacles, failures do not “unsettle”;
- knows how to work under time pressure, effectively distributes working time with a large volume and rapid change of tasks;
- completes work on time and completes what is started.

One employee completes tasks on time, but is not focused on the achieved result - he does not think about it, but focuses on speed. Another, having completed a labor-intensive analytical report on time, but having encountered difficulties, spent a lot of personal resources, constantly complained about the lack of time, creating unnecessary panic, emphasized the frightening volume and complexity of the work, and attracted attention to himself. The assessment of the parameters of the same competence “result orientation” of these two employees will be different, although both of them cope with their work.

And no numbers needed! Form the scale in the form of descriptions or in the form of a rating accompanied by a description. If you want to get an assessment in the form of points, decipher them, for example:

5 - level of skill that allows you to demonstrate this quality in extremely difficult conditions, develop its standards and train others;
4 - level of extended experience, allowing to demonstrate quality not only in standard, but also in difficult conditions;
3 - level of basic experience that allows you to demonstrate quality in most work situations;
2 - level of development, when business quality is not always manifested, but the employee already understands the importance of its manifestation and tries to develop it;
1 - quality does not appear.

And be sure to leave the “no information” field. In this case, the evaluator will not feel trapped in the framework of choice.
3. Labor intensity. If you need to evaluate a large number of employees (more than ten), doing it manually is quite time-consuming. To resolve this difficulty, try to automate the process as much as possible (for example, you can use Excel). This will also reduce the risk of careless errors.

Conclusions based on 360 degree assessment

So, research using the 360 degree method includes:
- profile analysis (obtaining a competency profile in the form of a graph);
- matrix analysis (dividing the results on the scales of self-esteem and assessment of others into four zones: strengths, weaknesses, striving for strengths, striving for weaknesses);
- analysis of the difference between assessment and self-esteem (in which a person overestimates or underestimates himself);
- analysis of the difference between the employee’s actual behavior and the required one;
- analysis of professional qualities individually and collectively.

In addition, we will learn how the immediate supervisor, colleagues and subordinates perceive the person being assessed, and by creating a unified idea of the “ideal”, we will be able to rank the employee’s competencies, including in terms of their relevance.

And lastly: for a 360-degree assessment to be effective, provide the assessee with timely feedback: the assessment results can become the basis for developing an individual development plan for the employee, perhaps he can even cope with it on his own.

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360 degree certification. Full review: 360 degree personnel assessment method

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RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PREPARATION AND CONDUCT 360 degree CERTIFICATIONS

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Rating scale

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360 degree questionnaire(fragment)

360 degree assessment questionnaire(fragment)

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