When 360s Are the Wrong Assessment Tools

The popularity of 360 assessments reached their peak about a decade ago when as many as 90% of the Fortune 500 organizations were using them. Then, many companies backed off. The question is whether 360s were just a passing fad or if they still bring value.

Training needs assessment professionals maintain 360s can provide a wealth of valuable information when and if you use them correctly and have appropriate expectations of what you will learn from them.

Here are the pitfalls to avoid. 360s will not work if:

• The feedback is not confidential so negative comments can be traced to the source
  
• The feedback is tied to promotions or compensation
  
• There is no follow-up to survey results so it is seen as an empty exercise in curiosity
  
• Employees have too many surveys to complete with little substantive results
  
• There are no links to the company’s values and goals
  
• The implementation is poorly handled so employees don’t see what’s in it for them
  

Unless you present these multi-rater surveys as a tool for individual employee growth and development and see that the corporate environment supports this goal, 360s are the wrong assessment tools for you.

Learn more at: http://www.lsaglobal.com/training-needs-assessment/