Are your peers the best people to judge your work? In fact, should your teammates be allowed to evaluate your performance in the first place?

Some HR leaders think so.

Your teammates probably work more closely with you than your manager does. And if a team needs to work in sync, shouldn’t it be the team that voices their opinion on your work?

Enter the popular—and somewhat misunderstood—360-degree evaluation.

Also called multi-rater feedback, it is a performance review that uses feedback from multiple sources to assess an employee’s efficiency, productivity, contributions, and work behavior. It includes peer review as a critical component, just as self-evaluation. In some models, you collect ratings and feedback from customers, too.

If done well, 360-degree feedback can produce a wealth of insights and foster personal and professional growth.

360 Evaluation Questions & Examples for Managers

360-degree Questionnaires—A Critical Part of the Process

360 evaluation has gained popularity over the years, and it continues to be the preferred performance evaluation and feedback provision system in many large organizations.

The process for 360-degree evaluation typically involves defining goals, selecting raters, designing the questionnaire, collecting feedback, analyzing results, and discussing feedback, and it ends with creating an action plan.

A 360-degree questionnaire is the survey tool used in a 360-degree evaluation.

The questionnaire gathers objective feedback from various perspectives on an individual’s performance and behaviors, including the employee’s reporting managers, colleagues, and clients.

Similarly, 360-degree feedback can be conducted to develop employees, appraise performance, develop leadership, improve teamwork, increase self-awareness, and identify organizational needs.

Keep reading this article to discover the 360-degree feedback process, its benefits, a list of example questions, and tools for building your questionnaire!

Fundamentals of 360 Evaluation

A 360-degree evaluation is a powerful tool to gain a well-rounded perspective on employee performance. As an HR leader, you can utilize it for various purposes, from targeted employee development to encouraging stronger interpersonal skills and team dynamics.

Here’s a detailed guide for using 360-degree evaluations in your organization, from setting clear goals to developing actionable improvement plans.

1. Define the goals and participants

What’s the purpose? Development, appraisal, or self-awareness?
Who will be evaluated? Tailor questions based on their role
Who will provide feedback—managers, peers, direct reports, or clients?

2. Design the questionnaire

Balance: Use Likert scales for ratings (strongly agree—disagree) and open-ended questions for specific examples
Focus: Align questions with your goals (e.g., communication skills, leadership style)
Anonymity: Ensure confidentiality to encourage honest feedback

3. Collect feedback

Online surveys: Popular choice for ease and anonymity
Clear instructions: Explain the purpose, confidentiality, and deadline

4. Analyze the results

Summarize findings: Identify employee’s strengths, weaknesses, and recurring themes
Quantitative and qualitative: Combine data from rating scales with open-ended responses

5. Facilitate discussions

One-on-one meetings: Discuss feedback openly and constructively
Focus on development: Use the feedback to create an action plan for improvement

6. Develop the action plan

Set SMART goals: Use Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound goals for your action plan
Identify resources: Provide support and resources for achieving goals
Track progress: Monitor and adapt the plan as needed

Advantages of 360 evaluation in competence development

Organizations need to cultivate a culture of continuous learning and skill development. Traditional performance evaluation methods, often limited to the manager’s perspective, can miss out on valuable insights.

That’s where 360-degree feedback, with its holistic approach, comes in. It can help a manager provide constructive feedback, push employees to improve themselves, and aid organizations in spotting their future leaders.

Let’s explore the benefits of 360-degree evaluation in competence development:

Boosted self-awareness: Employees gain a well-rounded view of their strengths and weaknesses through diverse feedback
Targeted development: Specific negative feedback pinpoints areas for focused improvement through training or mentorship
Identifies skill gaps: Evaluations reveal knowledge or skill gaps across teams, allowing targeted training initiatives
Enhances teamwork: Feedback on communication and team dynamics facilitates better collaboration
Focuses on behavior: Understanding how one’s behaviors impact others leads to improved performance
Increases engagement: Valuing development and providing constructive feedback boosts employee motivation

360 Evaluation and Employee Retention

360-degree feedback demonstrates a commitment to investing in employee development. This boosts employee engagement and makes employees feel valued.

By identifying specific areas for improvement, employees can feel empowered to work towards their goals, leading to greater satisfaction and a desire to stay with the company.

Feedback on communication styles can help employees address issues and build stronger relationships with colleagues, enabling a more positive work environment and reducing employee turnover.

Employees seeking helpful feedback for a clear growth path are likelier to stay. 360-degree feedback can inform training programs and mentorship opportunities, demonstrating a commitment to employee development.

Project evaluations can also highlight employees’ strengths, making them feel appreciated for their contributions and less likely to seek opportunities elsewhere.

Designing a 360-degree questionnaire

With origins in the military and sports, 360-degree feedback entered the business world. It is now an important part of HR processes to get well-rounded feedback on their employees, focusing equally on their performance, conduct, behavior, results, and leadership skills.

However, since it is a process, there are some steps to follow. This becomes simple with an HR management software that your HR department can use.

The perfect HR optimization platform can reduce manual work, increase efficiency, simplify tasks, and improve employee retention and development.

That’s exactly what ClickUp’s HR Management platform does!

Build an end-to-end system to manage all your HR processes in the all-in-one ClickUp HR Management Software

This feature can significantly simplify the 360-degree evaluation process. Here’s how:

Centralization: The platform centralizes your work across apps, allowing you to streamline HR processes, including performance reviews and assessments
Dynamic features: The platform offers dynamic features for optimizing your internal feedback cycle and improving team engagement
Ease of use: The intuitive user interface lets you customize it according to your organization’s specific needs
Reporting: It provides clear and actionable reporting options, making it easier for managers and employees to understand and navigate the feedback
Integration: Seamless integration with existing HR systems maintains a smooth feedback workflow
Security: Data encryption and role-based access protect sensitive employee information
Analytics: Data visualization with analytics tools helps in making informed decisions for team development and retention

These features reduce friction in manual 360-degree evaluation exercises and establish a fair and transparent communication environment.

Use ClickUp’s Forms View with conditional logic to create 360-degree feedback forms, conduct surveys, polls, and more. Just merge it with the HR management platform and you are all set.

Capture responses, convert them into actionable tasks, and assign them to the right team members with ClickUp’s Form View

You can simplify your intake processes with conditional logic. ClickUp Forms dynamically updates based on responses, making them easier to complete and better at capturing relevant info.

This means your 360-degree feedback process is going to get you everything you need to develop the right talent force in your organization.

You can customize your 360-degree feedback form with custom fields to add essential pointers to the questionnaire. You can select pre-built surveys, forms, and questionnaires from 1000+ ClickUp Templates for onboarding, performance review, hiring, employee handbook development, and more.

Collect multiple reviews for various employees in one place through ClickUp’s Performance Reviews Template

Want to document performance reviews better? Use the ClickUp Performance Reviews Template. The template provides employees with self-appraisals and structured feedback via manager reviews and boosts career growth through collaborative conversations.

Download this Template

Key elements to include in 360-degree feedback

A 360-degree feedback round has to be comprehensive by design. These are a few aspects to keep in mind:

Multiple respondents: Select multiple respondents to fill in the feedback for the employee, from upper-level management to juniors or clients, for well-rounded insights
Confidentiality clause: Ensure anonymity to encourage honest and open feedback
Goal-specific questions: Align questions with your goals and the specific role being evaluated (e.g., communication skills for managers and teamwork for team members)
Open-ended questions: Use a mix of rating scales like the Likert scale, the forced ranking scale, and the linear numeric scale, etc. for quick data analysis and open-ended questions to allow for specific examples and qualitative feedback
Close-ended questions: Provide a clear structure to the questionnaire and avoid ambiguity
Core competencies: Include sections assessing key skills and behaviors relevant to the role
Targeted areas: Include questions addressing specific areas for improvement that are identified beforehand
Instructions: Give clear instructions for participants on how to complete the questionnaire

Want to automate the feedback loop, survey filling reminders, and data collection? Use ClickUp Automation to automatically change task statuses, assignees, and tags, or create unlimited automation sequences from scratch to ease your 360-degree feedback process.

Effectively utilizing open-ended questions for manager feedback

Open-ended questions are a powerful tool in manager feedback surveys because they allow employees to provide detailed, qualitative feedback.

Here are some tips on effectively utilizing open-ended questions for manager feedback:

Encourage specificity: Ask questions that prompt specific examples or stories, such as ‘Can you describe a situation where the manager handled a challenge well?’
Focus on behaviors: Frame questions to elicit feedback on observable behaviors, such as ‘What actions has the manager taken that you find motivating?’
Explore strengths and areas for improvement: Include questions that explore both strengths and areas for improvement, for instance, ‘What are the manager’s key strengths and what could they do better?’
Facilitate constructive feedback: Phrase questions in a way that encourages constructive feedback, such as ‘What could the manager start, stop, or continue doing to improve team performance?’
Promote reflection: Use questions that encourage reflection on the manager’s impact, such as ‘How has the manager contributed to your professional development?’
Seek suggestions: Invite suggestions for improvement with questions such as ‘What support do you need from the manager that you’re not currently receiving?’

Balancing open-ended and close-ended queries in a 360-degree questionnaire

Here are some tips for open-ended and closed-ended questions to gather a richer and more nuanced understanding of an employee’s performance through 360-degree feedback.

Go beyond “yes” or “no” answers. Ask questions that prompt respondents to elaborate on their ratings with concrete examples
Explore the “why” behind the ratings. Ask questions that delve deeper into the rationale behind the feedback
Provide space for detailed responses. Don’t restrict respondents to a limited number of words or characters
Start with close-ended questions. Establish a baseline and follow up with open-ended questions for deeper insights. A good rule of thumb is to have 2-3 close-ended questions for every open-ended question

360-degree Evaluation Question Examples

Want to draft your own 360-degree feedback questionnaire?

We’ll help you start with these sample questions based on various respondents and then explore different purposes.

1. Self-assessment questions

On a rating scale of 1 (Never) to 5 (Always), how effectively do you set SMART goals for yourself (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound)?
(Open-ended) Describe a situation where you demonstrated strong initiative and took ownership of a project or task
(Closed-ended) How comfortable are you communicating complex ideas to colleagues (Select one):
- Very comfortable | Somewhat Comfortable| Neutral | Somewhat Uncomfortable| Very Uncomfortable
(Open-ended) How could you be more effective at fostering collaboration within your team?
(Rate yourself) How confident are you in your ability to identify and solve problems effectively (1–5)?
(Open-ended) Describe a new skill or knowledge area you’d like to develop and how you plan to excel at it

2. Colleague assessment questions

Rate on a scale of 1 (Never) to 5 (Always), how effectively does [Employee Name] collaborate with colleagues on projects?
(Open-ended) Provide an example of a time when [Employee Name] communicated a complex idea clearly and effectively to the team.
(Closed-ended) How would you rate [Employee Name]’s commitment to meeting deadlines and delivering high-quality work (Select one):
- Exceeds expectations | Meets expectations | Needs improvement | Below expectations
(Open-ended) How could [Employee Name] be more supportive of their colleagues’ professional development?
(Closed-ended) Can you rely on [Employee Name] to complete their assigned tasks on time and to a high standard (Select one)
- Always | Usually | Sometimes | Rarely | Never

3. Supervisor/Manager assessment questions

(Closed-ended) Does [Employee Name] effectively translate organizational goals into clear and actionable objectives for their team (Select one)
- Always | Frequently | Sometimes | Rarely | Never
(Open-ended) Describe an example of how [Employee Name] effectively delegated tasks and empowered their team members
(Rate) On a scale of 1 (Needs Improvement) to 5 (Exceeds Expectations), how effectively does [Employee Name] communicate goals and expectations to their team members?
(Open-ended) How could [Employee Name] be more effective in providing constructive feedback and coaching their team members for development?
(Closed-ended) In your opinion, how effectively does [Employee Name] make sound and timely decisions (Select one)
- Excellent | Good | Fair | Needs Improvement | Poor

4. Subordinate/Junior assessment questions

Rate on a scale of 1 (Never) to 5 (Always), how effectively does [Employee Name] delegate tasks and entrust you to take ownership?
(Open-ended) Provide a specific example of a time when [Employee Name]’s communication style was particularly clear and effective
(Closed-ended) How well does [Employee Name] motivate and inspire you to achieve your goals? (Select one)
- Highly Motivating | Somewhat Motivating | Neutral | Somewhat Demotivating | Highly Demotivating
(Open-ended) How could [Employee Name] better support your professional development and growth?
(Open-ended) Describe how [Employee Name] promotes a healthy work-life balance within the team
(Closed-ended) How transparent and open is [Employee Name] in their communication and decision-making (Select one)
- Very Transparent | Somewhat Transparent | Neutral | Somewhat Opaque | Very Opaque

5. Client/Customer assessment questions (only if applicable)

Rate on a scale of 1 (Never) to 5 (Always), how responsive is [Employee Name] to your inquiries and requests?
(Closed-ended) How satisfied are you with [Employee Name]’s ability to identify and resolve issues you encounter (Select one)
- Very Satisfied | Somewhat Satisfied | Neutral | Somewhat Dissatisfied | Very Dissatisfied
(Open-ended) How well does [Employee Name] understand and meet your expectations for service or project deliverables?
Rate to what extent you feel [Employee Name] is knowledgeable and competent in their area of expertise (1: Not Knowledgeable to 5: Highly Knowledgeable)
(Open-ended) Provide a specific example that demonstrates [Employee Name]’s professionalism in their interactions with you
(Closed-ended) How often does [Employee Name] anticipate your needs and proactively offer solutions (Select one)
- Frequently | Occasionally | Rarely | Never

6. Questions to assess managerial efficiency

(Open-ended) Provide an example of how [Manager Name] has streamlined a process or workflow to improve team efficiency
(Open-ended) Describe a situation where [Manager Name] effectively identified and addressed a potential problem or risk within the team
Rate to what extent [Manager Name] promotes a healthy work-life balance for their team members (1: Not at All to 5: Strongly Encourages)?
(Closed-ended) How well does [Manager Name] invest in developing the skills and knowledge of their team members (Select one)
- Very Well | Somewhat Well | Neutral | Needs Improvement | Poorly
(Open-ended) Describe how [Manager Name] provides constructive and actionable performance feedback to team members
(Open-ended) How could [Manager Name] more effectively recognize and reward team achievements and contributions?

7. Questions to assess employees’ leadership skills

(Open-ended) Describe a situation where [Employee Name] demonstrated a clear vision and inspired others to achieve a goal
Rate on a scale of 1 (Never) to 5 (Always), how proactively [Employee Name] identifies problems and takes the initiative to solve them
(Closed-ended) How comfortable is [Employee Name] making decisions with incomplete information (Select one)
- Very Comfortable | Somewhat Comfortable | Neutral | Somewhat Uncomfortable | Very Uncomfortable
Rate to what extent [Employee Name] encourages collaboration and builds strong relationships within the team (1- Not at All to 5 – Highly Encouraged)?
(Open-ended) In what ways could [Employee Name] become a more effective coach or mentor to colleagues or junior team members?

8. Questions to assess employee’s organizational sync

(Open-ended) Describe a situation where [Employee Name] demonstrated a strong understanding and alignment with the company’s values and mission
(Closed-ended) How well-informed is [Employee Name] about the organization’s overall strategy and goals (Select one)
- Very Well Informed | Somewhat Informed | Neutral | Not Very Informed | Not Informed
(Open-ended) Provide an example of how [Employee Name] effectively adapted to a recent organizational change or initiative
(Open-ended) Describe a situation where [Employee Name] successfully collaborated with colleagues from other departments to achieve a common goal
(Open-ended) How could [Employee Name] be encouraged to think more strategically and consider the broader organizational impact of their work?

9. Questions to assess motivation and commitment level

(Open-ended) Describe a situation where [Employee Name] demonstrated strong initiative and took ownership beyond their assigned tasks
Rate on a scale of 1 (Never) to 5 (Always) how well [Employee Name] connects their personal goals to the company values or team’s objectives
(Closed-ended) How would you describe [Employee Name]’s work ethic (Select one)
- Highly Motivated & Dedicated | Somewhat Motivated | Neutral | Lacks Motivation | Disengaged
(Open-ended) Provide a specific example of how [Employee Name] responded to a challenge or setback at work
(Open-ended) How enthusiastic is [Employee Name] about learning new skills and expanding their knowledge base?
(Open-ended) How could the company or manager better recognize and appreciate [Employee Name]’s contributions?

Common Challenges in the 360-degree Feedback Process

There’s no doubt that 360 evaluation is a powerful survey mechanism that considers everyone’s opinion, whether for an employee’s appraisal or to create better wellness programs.

However, let’s consider the challenges you might face while implementing a 360 evaluation process:

Time commitment: Designing, conducting, and analyzing 360 feedback can be time-consuming, requiring significant effort from both HR and employees
Confidentiality concerns: Ensuring anonymity is crucial for honest feedback. Concerns about confidentiality can lead to hesitancy and potentially skewed results
Rater bias: Raters may be influenced by personal relationships or unconscious bias, impacting the objectivity of the feedback
Calibration and training: Raters need training on providing constructive and objective feedback to ensure the quality and usefulness of the information
Action planning and follow-up: The evaluation’s true value lies in utilizing the feedback for development. Developing clear action plans and following up on progress is essential

Before implementing the 360 evaluation process, training the respondents to avoid unconscious bias and give clear and constructive feedback is crucial.

Train participants on the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) for specific examples, focusing on behaviors and actionable advice.

Educate them on unconscious bias and mitigation strategies, using ‘I’ statements and employing respectful language. Offer resources and a Q&A session for support. Tailoring content to specific roles and keeping the training concise and engaging will also maximize its effectiveness.

Impact of 360 Evaluation

A well-designed and implemented 360-degree feedback can have a significant positive impact on both employees and organizations.

Here’s a breakdown of its potential benefits:

For employees:

Self-awareness & development: Provides a well-rounded view of their strengths and weaknesses, fostering self-awareness and guiding development efforts
Improved performance: Helps identify specific areas for improvement, leading to enhanced skills and overall performance
Increased motivation: Recognition of strengths and constructive feedback can boost motivation and engagement
Stronger relationships: Constructive feedback can strengthen relationships with colleagues and managers through better communication and understanding

For organizations:

Performance improvement: Identifies areas for improvement across different levels, leading to a more productive and effective workforce
Talent development: Provides valuable data to guide development programs and support employee growth
Enhanced decision-making: Offers insights into employee strengths and potential, aiding in talent management decisions (promotions, placements, etc.)
Improved culture: Promotes a culture of continuous learning, open communication, and feedback, leading to a more positive work environment

However, it’s important to acknowledge that these benefits aren’t guaranteed. To achieve these goals, organizations need to ensure that confidentiality is maintained, that training for respondents is provided, that managers are supported, and that feedback is implemented through an action plan.

Importance of Efficient Communication in 360-degree Evaluations

Effective communication is the backbone of a successful 360 evaluation. Clear communication throughout the process builds trust and ensures everyone understands the purpose, benefits, and expectations of the evaluation.

Open communication about the process encourages participation and buy-in from all stakeholders (employees, managers, and raters). Knowing their feedback will be used constructively to motivate participants to be honest and objective in their responses.

By prioritizing clear and consistent communication at every stage, organizations can utilize the full potential of 360-degree feedback and ensure a culture of continuous learning and development.

Employ the Full Potential of 360-degree Evaluations

360-degree feedback comprehensively assesses employee performance and potential, gathering feedback from various perspectives, including peers, managers, subordinates, and clients.

They can benefit employees and organizations by providing valuable insights and promoting self-awareness, personal development, and stronger relationships.

ClickUp can streamline your 360-degree evaluation process with its customizable HR Management platform. Create and assign feedback forms, track completion rates, and centralize all feedback data in one easily accessible location.

With robust communication tools, ClickUp facilitates clear and secure communication throughout feedback.

Sign up to ClickUp today, take the guesswork out of 360-degree feedback, and embrace a growth-oriented approach to employee development!

Common FAQs

1. What questions should I ask for a 360 review?

The best 360 review questions depend on the specific role being evaluated. However, there are a few general guidelines to follow:

Self-assessment: Focus on goal setting, initiative, communication, and development areas
Manager assessment: Look at delegation, communication, motivation, and feedback effectiveness
Peer assessment: Ask about collaboration, teamwork, and problem-solving skills
Subordinate assessment: Consider goal clarity, project management, and recognition practices
Client assessment: Gauge responsiveness, communication, problem-solving, and subject matter expertise.

Use a mix of open- and closed-ended questions for a well-rounded picture.

2. How do you do a 360 evaluation?

You can follow these four steps to initiate the 360-degree evaluation process:

Define goals and participants: Identify what you want to achieve and who will give feedback (managers, peers, etc.)
Design and distribute: Create questionnaires with a mix of open- and closed-ended questions, then distribute them securely
Collect and analyze: Gather anonymous feedback and analyze the data to identify strengths and weaknesses
Facilitate discussion: Hold private discussions with employees to explore the feedback and create action plans

3. What is an example of good 360 feedback?

A good 360 feedback example is specific, actionable, and both positive and constructive.

Here’s an example:

Manager: ‘[Employee Name] consistently meets deadlines and produces high-quality work (Strength). However, their communication style can sometimes be technical, making it difficult for other team members to understand (Area for Improvement). Consider using simpler language and visuals when presenting complex information.’