Consulting Director at Qualintra
First and foremost, it should be stressed that 360° assessment° places those being assessed in both a collective and individual perspective. The approach brings together the perceptions of a group of people working with the beneficiary, at a given time and in a given context. As well as being a personal development tool, it can also help to support change by communicating widely about expected behaviours. From this point of view, the 360° evaluation can be seen as a vehicle for cultural transformation of a company. When individual data is consolidated, the 360° assessment becomes a strategic HR tool for managing skills, particularly those linked to management and leadership, but not only that. More and more companies are using 360° to develop the skills of their experts and project managers, for example.
Historically, this approach concerned managers, especially senior managers. Today, however, it's not, 360° assessment can be applied at different levels of the organisation and is used to drive change. It enables all stakeholders to better understand their business ecosystem and make their interactions more effective.
The beneficiary carries out a self-assessment on the targeted skills for their position or future development, such as their managerial skills, their ability to bounce back, to remain focused on priorities or their ability to learn quickly from failures. The health crisis, by pushing companies towards hybrid management, has given rise to new HR challenges and the need to strengthen certain specific skills, such as giving meaning, guaranteeing close and friendly management, and paying attention to coherence and work-life balance. For example, what skills are needed to foster a sense of closeness and belonging, even when working remotely? At the same time, the assessors, chosen by the beneficiary and often validated by their manager and/or HR, answer the same questionnaire. The results are then compiled and translated into an individual report. It is good practice to give access to the results only to the beneficiary and the person who will be responsible for reporting the results. The feedback phase provides an opportunity to discuss the results, to help the beneficiary become aware of his or her strengths and to identify the areas of competence in which he or she needs to make progress.
The 360° evaluation assesses the skills needed today and, more importantly, in the future, and explores the issue of employability by suggesting ways in which employees can sharpen their professional development.
Experience shows that, when used as an appraisal tool, it loses its power, with results often being artificially 'inflated', particularly when 360° affects fixed or variable pay.
The 360° evaluation method makes feedback a genuine management and talent management tool. It is as much about individual professional development as it is about building a high-performance team. Some companies are even using the tool to manage mobility to key positions within the organisation. Implementing a 360° appraisal involves educating employees. to help them understand that being aware of their strengths and areas for development can only improve their working experience. This will also encourage them to become more aware of their role within the organisation and their impact in a wider sense. By helping them to move beyond a limited view of their career path, the 360° appraisal reminds them of the meaning of their missions and the value of their contribution. The 360° evaluation is also a lever for commitment. Thanks to the observers' re-turns, the beneficiaries can become aware of their contribution to the company and also of the effects of their behaviour, both positive and negative, on their professional ecosystem. This is not insignificant, because the success of a business transformation project depends on the commitment of its employees. Every employee, by understanding the contribution they make to the company's grand design and to the achievement of collective objectives, "mechanically" sees their commitment strengthened.
From the point of view of human resources department teams, analysis of the 360° prevealed individual and collective problems in terms of skills mastered and to be developed. Whether it's a question of purpose, expectations, hopes for the future or potential for accessing the desired positions, the results of the 360° evaluation highlight the levers of motivation and also the risks of disappointment and disengagement. The 360° evaluation credibly reinforces the feedback culture because it draws on the opinions of several people who interact with the employee in question. It therefore helps to smooth out any friction and tension between manager and employee or between colleagues.
This is an opportunity to assess the relevance and effectiveness of HR programmes: those that are bearing fruit and need to be continued on the one hand, and training needs or even the need to invest in new areas on the other. The consolidated analysis of data from a wave of 360° evaluations provides valuable information for HR management, from which the talent development strategy can benefit.
No 360° assessment without a relevant questionnaire! The questionnaire used must be based on the company's skills framework (where this exists) and be inspired by strategic objectives. Above all, the 360° assessment must serve the business. Depending on the context, particularly budgetary, it may be an existing questionnaire or a tailor-made questionnaire designed to reflect the company's reality and objectives as closely as possible. Two questions therefore need to be asked when designing the questionnaire: what challenges is the company facing (economic, cultural, social, technological, etc.) and what skills does the target population (directors, managers, experts, etc.) need to demonstrate in order to meet them? Writing the questionnaire is almost an art in itself, as it must reflect the expected behaviours while 'speaking' the language of the company. A questionnaire that lacks robustness (questions that are poorly drafted, too vague, out of step with the project objectives, etc.) will not allow you to draw relevant conclusions.
What themes will be explored in the questionnaire? Most 360° assessments focus on "soft skills", or behavioural competencies. particularly exacerbated by the health crisis and teleworking. Shared understanding, collaboration, openness to change and to others, and communicating clear objectives and instructions are among the skills that are particularly in demand. It is also worth considering what other skills will make the difference in a manager, expert or executive, depending on the target of the questionnaire. For example, in the case of an expert, its ability to enrich and disseminate knowledge within the organisation. Finally, the questionnaire should also take into account the context of the company and its subjects. Are there behavioural skills that are specific to certain professions: an appetite for innovation, a sensitivity to aesthetics, etc.?
These behaviours must reflect the reality of the company using the 360° and therefore use its language. They cannot therefore be found in the same formulation in other companies, and they illustrate the way in which Qualintra adapts, develops and deploys the 360° evaluation as part of the preparation of the questionnaire.
The choice of observers is critical because the range of observers must allow relevant feedback to the beneficiary. The people approached are generally the beneficiary's N+1, employees, partners, colleagues and peers, service providers and customers. These people must work regularly with the beneficiary. The selection of observers must avoid overt supporters and opponents, to ensure that the evaluation remains objective and useful. A poor choice of evaluators can also jeopardise the project through results that are either too lukewarm or too brutal.
Before launching the 360° evaluation, all the stakeholders must be trained. The project manager or initiator (who may also be the beneficiary himself) then favours clear and concise communication, focusing on the objective and the process. The aim is to position the project in terms of continuous improvement rather than sanctions, and to insist on compliance with ethical rules. It is also useful to highlight the development potential for each of the participants. Communication is one of the key factors in the success of a 360° project with regard to all the beneficiaries and their ecosystem. So it's vital to get everyone on board.
As we have said, the beneficiary answers the questionnaire. The same questionnaire is also sent to the people selected as observers. The process must include a guarantee of the response rate through a system of reminders to participants so that the individual report can provide relevant data. This is part of the role of the service providers hired for these projects.
The individual report presents the results of the questions in quantitative form (frequency or agreement scale) and qualitative form, through the participants' answers to the open-ended questions that the questionnaire may contain. It is likely that certain remarks will recur regularly in the course of the responses, making it easier to interpret the strengths and skills that need to be improved. The results must be read by the beneficiary before the feedback session so that the latter avoids exegesis of the report and focuses on reflection on strengths and areas for improvement.
Qualintra has developed a digital platform that gives beneficiaries access to their results in two forms: a summary PDF report, and a dynamic interactive platform that allows them to consult the details of their results in the order and at the pace that suits them. This platform has been developed to facilitate the deployment of the 360° tool within organisations. For budgetary reasons, this type of assessment is still too often reserved for senior managers. Convinced of the power of the tool in terms of managerial and skills development, Qualintra wanted to democratise it and embed it more deeply within companies. Among other things, the Qualintra platform makes it possible to dispense with the expertise of an external coach by offering training courses for internal HR teams, to help beneficiaries analyse their reports. On the platform, beneficiaries have access to recommendations for action and coaching questions so that they can start to build their development plan.
A successful 360° evaluation requires a feedback phase. It takes the form of a coaching session, during which the coach (external or internal) discusses the beneficiary's results with them, helping them to understand them and, above all, to identify their strengths and areas for development. The session then enables the beneficiary to draw up an individual development plan. The feedback phase closes the 360° process and reinforces its message. Nevertheless, it is absolutely essential that the 360° assessments give rise to an individual development plan including actions to improve the deficient skills identified. Experience shows that it is very difficult to construct a relevant 100% development plan "on the spot" during the results feedback session. It can be finalised by the beneficiary with the help of the coach and HR partner during a specific meeting following the debriefing session. A meeting between the beneficiary and his/her manager is recommended to share the lessons learned from the 360° feedback and the development plan, and to ensure that the n+1 will play his/her role as "people developper" vis-à-vis the beneficiary thereafter. This plan must be monitored regularly to ensure that the actions are actually implemented.
Example of a 360° feedback process at Qualintra
After the individual feedback phase, if the client so wishes, Qualintra organises a tripartite session between the coach, the beneficiary and his or her manager. This session ensures that the development plan is shared and gives both participants the opportunity to discuss the results, without obliging the beneficiary to disclose the entire report.
For companies that do not necessarily have the budget for individual reports, or for those with a large population at stake, it is possible to organise collective reports in the form of co-development workshops. The beneficiaries receive their report in advance and read it. Then, during a seminar, in sub-groups of 2 or 3 people, they discuss and work together with the help of a coach to enrich and build their development plan. The first benefit for the company is the budgetary impact, which is lower than for individual presentations. The second benefit relates to the need for collaboration and the strengthening of links between employees. In fact, this formula makes it possible to animate and bring together a community of managers around the subject of the 360° evaluation and to promote awareness of the need to demonstrate certain behaviours, as expressed in the questionnaire.
As mentioned above, the 360° appraisal goes beyond the simple HR sphere to convey strong messages about expected leadership and managerial behaviours. Managers must therefore be involved from the outset of the project and become its ambassadors. They should even be the first to benefit. 360° approaches in which managers consider that "it's not for them" lose their impact. The development of skills depends above all on the example set by leaders, who demonstrate the employer's commitment to this approach. In this way, the culture of feedback is at the heart of leadership and sends a clear message to employees: everyone is equal when it comes to the 360° assessment!
The word evaluation, especially by one's peers, can arouse apprehension. Communication around a 360° evaluation campaign is therefore a critical success factor. The role of each person and what is expected of them, both beneficiaries and observers, should be presented in a motivating and educational way. It will also be easier to allay fears by stressing the need to develop skills. Once again, it's important to emphasise that this perspective is far more motivating than a pure measurement of employee skills.
A major stumbling block is the lack of clarity about the rules governing the ethics and confidentiality of results. In particular, it should be made clear who will have access to the results and who will be bound by them. This will convince more people to participate and encourage them to be more honest in their answers. Outsourcing the 360° evaluation or choosing a digital platform is a sine qua non for reassurance on this point. Beyond confidentiality, it is also important to insist on the rules of feedback: no ad hominem attacks, use of respectful language.
This time for discussion is vital if the results are to be properly understood and assimilated. with a view to integrating them into the professional development pathway. The beneficiary must adhere to the approach, but also accept to question him/herself, value the opinion of observers and discuss the development plan in order to improve.
Commitment to the approach is another key success factor. It is therefore important to choose the approach that is most convincing to employees. Although it is still too often reserved for small groups (managers, potential employees, etc.), it is rapidly becoming more democratic and many companies are now using it for their local managers, experts, project managers, etc. In all cases, it is important to think about the most appropriate logistical and budgetary arrangements. While it is justifiable to use external coaches for managers and members of executive committees, it may be wise to consider alternatives for broader populations. This could involve in-house training for certain members of the HR teams or offering group feedback sessions, run in the same way as co-development sessions. This enables close links to be forged between beneficiaries and a community to be created.
The 360° assessment can be carried out at different times, depending on the strategy of the company or individuals concerned. For example:
- digital campaign targeting a specific population (comex, then top 50, then top 150, etc.) to accelerate acculturation to a new set of managerial skills, for example,
- on a voluntary basis, with a view to individual progress, integrated into a range of accessible tools
- as part of a dedicated programme for senior executives (at the start and/or at the end),
- as a step proposed systematically when taking up a new post or changing role within the company.
The 360° appraisal has many advantages and benefits for both the employee and the company.
For the employee, the 360° evaluation is an ideal opportunity to receive feedback. It allows them to benefit from the eyes of others, and thus to take stock of where they stand in relation to the expectations of those around them (managers and peers, for example). The 360° evaluation also enables them to discover how well they know themselves and the extent to which they are aware of their strengths and areas for development. Thanks to the various feedbacks, they become aware of their strengths and qualities so that they can build on them and work on their development points to become even better in the performance of their duties.
For example, a person who is demanding and perfectionist may also at times be rude in his or her communication, or lack the ability to listen and pay attention to others. These personality traits are difficult to change, even if the 360° participant wishes to do so. Nevertheless, they can choose to work on the way they are perceived by their peers or managers, by verbalising their decisions and reactions, to help them understand the mechanisms behind these behaviours, which are linked, for example, to the increased quest for performance. This type of assessment enables the employee to understand that his or her way of communicating ultimately serves his or her objectives, and to take a step back and work on the form of his or her speech.
For the company, the 360° evaluation reinforces the feedback culture within the organisation thanks to the credibility and legitimacy it enjoys, drawing on the opinions of several people interacting with the beneficiary. This evaluation method is a means of communication for the organisation, which thus clearly expresses its expectations to managers and employees in terms of behavioural skills. The use of the 360° assessment is part of a structured approach to developing individual and collective skills. This project requires robust individual development plans to be put in place to provide a real impact on the perceptions and overall performance of the beneficiary, and thus improve management.
The final benefit concerns the consolidated analysis of these 360° assessments. When the 360° assessments are aggregated at a population level (for example, the members of a Codir or the Top 300), the company obtains an extremely precise collective view of the skills already demonstrated, and those that still need to be improved. The HR department and the organisation then have clear and precise courses of action to implement in order to improve the skills that need it and, if necessary, modify the investments and HR development programmes.
Didier Burgaud, Consulting Director at Qualintra
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