If there was a single word that could single-handedly create an atmosphere full of anxiety at the workplace, what do you think that word would be?
That’s right, we’re talking about 360 performance reviews.
That’s not to deny 360 reviews their due credit—they have, after all, revolutionized performance management across the globe. With a system that enables the collection of feedback from multiple sources, these reviews are a great tool to holistically assess effectiveness, productivity, contributions, and work behavior.
You need to ask the right questions to get the right feedback. This is especially true for 360 reviews, as the process of identifying an individual’s strengths and weaknesses relies solely on the quality of the questions that you ask. Do it incorrectly, and your review process is likely to crumble.
Identifying and asking the right questions can be tough, but we’ve made it easy for you. That said, we bring you fifty 360 performance review questions that you should most certainly use for your next performance review cycle.
How do 360 performance review questions work?
360 Review questions are asked by people that are usually in direct contact with the individual being assessed. Usually, this group consists of the individual’s manager, subordinates, peers, and the top-level leaders of the organization. Additionally, the review process also includes a self-evaluation by the individual to reflect on their strengths and development opportunities.
That said, we can divide these questions into two broad categories:–
- close-ended questions that seek to gather quantifiable data by making the reviewer answer within a set range including responses like, yes, no, strongly disagree, disagree, neutral, agree, and strongly agree, and
- open-ended questions that are helpful in gaining qualitative information regarding the individual being reviewed.
With that out of the way, let us now look at both close-ended and open-ended 360 performance review questions and their subcategory.
Close-ended questions for 360 performance reviews
Questions on leadership
- Is the individual honest and trustworthy?
- Has the individual demonstrated any leadership qualities?
- Does the individual motivate others in achieving their goals?
- Does the individual genuinely represent the company’s culture and values?
- Do other team members come to this individual for help with their work?
- Does the individual show initiative and is always ready to overcome obstacles?
- Is the individual able to use their time and resources effectively?
- Does the individual prioritize teamwork when completing their tasks?
- Does the individual take accountability for their work and actions?
- Does the individual regularly meet their deadlines?
Questions on communication
- Is the individual receptive to others’ advice and suggestions?
- Does the individual communicate clearly and effectively with others?
- Does the individual ask for more information if they don’t fully understand something?
- Is the individual an active listener?
- Is the individual proactive in seeking the opinions of others?
- Does the individual communicate effectively while being mindful of others' time, availability, and boundaries?
- Does the individual ensure that everyone is included in a discussion?
- Does the individual initiate dialogue and discussion over work or specific obstacles?
- Does the individual communicate well with customers?
- Does the individual work on creating a welcoming atmosphere at the workplace?
Questions on interpersonal skills
- Is the individual good at managing their emotions and stress levels?
- Does the individual collaborate efficiently with others?
- Does the individual have frequent conflicts with their peers?
- Does the individual regularly seek to learn new skills and techniques?
- Does the individual show empathy and compassion towards others?
- Does the individual exemplify the core values of the organization?
- Is the individual comfortable with asking others for help?
- Does the individual follow the instructions required to achieve the desired results well?
- Does the individual try to foster meaningful and positive relationships with others?
- Does the individual present themselves as reliable and committed to the team?
- Does the individual give praise to recognize their peers’ performances regularly?
Questions on problem-solving
- Is the individual effective in identifying and evaluating roadblocks and obstacles?
- Is the individual solution-oriented and capable of thinking on their toes?
- Is the individual’s approach to a problem innovative and creative?
- Is the individual able to promptly identify conflicting information and data?
- Is the individual better at solving problems collaboratively or are they a lone wolf while doing so?
- Can the individual identify the long-term and short-term implications of a problem?
- How does the individual act in times of crisis?
- Is the individual’s problem-solving methodology ethical?
Questions on motivation
- Is the individual motivated by their current responsibilities?
- Is the individual self-motivated or require an external push?
- Does the individual communicate their work lethargy?
- Does the individual actively always explore new skills and career paths?
Open-ended questions for 360 performance reviews
- What would make this individual more effective with their work?
- What one thing should the individual start/stop/continue doing?
- Can you describe this individual in 3-4 sentences or using a few key points?
- Are there any attributes not included here that you’d associate with this individual?
- What sets this individual apart from the rest of the team?
- How well does this individual adapt to changes in KRs and priorities?
- Would you like to share any further comments or feedback?
These questions should have you covered in your next 360 performance review. However, what should you do if some of these questions don’t quite represent your needs?
Well, you create questions of your own.
How to write 360 performance review questions for your organization?
As stated before, you need to ask good questions to get good data for your 360-degree performance review. So, if you’re looking to do that, here are a couple of things to keep in mind.
1. Align it with your organizational values
When trying to create 360 review questions of your own, you need to keep in mind what your organization is about, what it strives for, what its vision and mission are, and what qualities it values the most. When you create a question, ask yourself—does the question cover a certain competency that your organization looks for in an individual fairly?
2. Ensure that the questions are relevant to the role
A question’s relevance to an individual’s role and core responsibilities is its most critical quality. If the questions do not line up with the individual’s role, the purpose of having 360 reviews falls to ruin. Always ask yourself—does your set of questions properly cover a role’s required competencies?
3. Have one question cover one core competency
It’s better not to cover multiple attributes with a single question in 360 reviews as it will only lead to confusion when assessing the quantified data. Not only that, but the reviewers would also find it difficult to answer the questions.
4. Ensure that the questions maximize objectivity
360 performance reviews, despite their greatness, are prone to all forms of biases. This, of course, is due to its reliance on different external sources for feedback. That said, try to keep your questions as objective as possible, so as not to breed any form of subjectivity.
5. Focus on discovering blind spots
The main focus of each performance review is not only to praise an individual for their efforts and identify possible roadblocks in their work but also to discover the individual’s blind spots. Blind spots are weaknesses that can be difficult to deal with if not recognized in time. So, make sure to create questions that specifically focus on identifying a person’s blind spots.
360 Reviews are more relevant now than ever
If there’s one thing we can all take away from all that we’ve covered, it’s that 360 performance reviews, coupled with continuous feedback, are still relevant in today’s corporate world. With it, the leaders get to share detailed, comprehensive, and balanced feedback with their people, providing a holistic view of their performance.
That said, incorporating the above questions into your 360 performance reviews will produce authentic, reliable, and actionable data points. Trust us, it is possible to turn that anxiety-inducing review process into a seamless walk in the park.
