This article follows on from 360-degree feedback (part 1/2), which summarised the first three categories of the most common problems of 360-degree feedback as described by John Sullivan, a world-renowned consultant in the field of human resources and current professor of management at San Francisco State University.
"360° employee feedback surveys are one of the most common HR practices, but unfortunately that popularity may have led to a degree of complacency ... After years of extensive research on the 360° process, I have found that there is far too little focus on the potential problems and the many weaknesses associated with the process." These are Sullivan's words in his articles on ere.net.
He divides the 40 specific problems into seven categories. This second article provides an overview of the last four categories. The original articles, with a more detailed description of the problems, are available below (link Source).
4. Problems with managers
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The whole process has zero value if managers fail to make changes based on the results of the survey.
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Managers and employees are often not trained to interpret the results of the 360-degree feedback.
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Managers, employees and customers often do not understand the measurement process or its results.
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Promoters of change based on the results of the feedback may face not only resistance but also a much lower score in the ensuing feedback.
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Managers do not "own" the process of measuring feedback; they are convinced that it is a matter for HR.
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Reporting of the results by managers may be ineffective.
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The entire process requires support and ideally involvement of top management.
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Feedback may not be integrated with the bonus system for managers.
5. Problems with the survey process
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Collecting and evaluating 360-degree feedback is very time-consuming and costly.
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Like any other employee survey, it struggles with the problem of inconsistent participation.
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The data obtained are subjective, not objective.
6. Problems with anonymity
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Anonymity does not guarantee unbiased answers; it can even decrease the overall honesty of the responses.
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Anonymous surveys will not tell you who participated and who feels what.
7. Problems with administration
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The data may be collected too often or not often enough.
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It is very difficult to determine who should participate.
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Many programmes do not have strong - or even any - measures of success.
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Outsourcing the whole process can limit its impact.
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