Selecting a 360 Degree Feedback Provider - Guidance for HR Managers
There are many 360 degree feedback providers, who appear to provide a similar service. The problem for a Human Resources Manager is deciding on the right provider for their organisation. The purpose of this article is to guide them in the selection of a 360 degree provider. This poses a number of questions, such as:
1. What should a Human Resources Manager look for when selecting a 360 degree feedback provider?
2. What makes a 360 degree feedback provider stand out from the crowd?
By talking to organisations that have used 360 degree feedback through Lumus™ and other providers, the following findings were made, which we hope can be used to guide the selection of the right provider for an organisation.
Findings
1. Researching 360 degree feedback providers
Frequently, the Human Resources Manager will delegate the task of researching 360 degree feedback providers. It is critical that clear guidance is provided for this individual to ensure that the manager has the information he or she requires to choose a provider that will fulfil the requirements of the organisation. For the individual assigned the task, they are likely to research providers through the web. They are more able to pass on clear information to their manager about 360 degree providers if:
a) The website has set out a clear pricing structure.
b) The website has good clear screen dumps that are printable and so allow information to be passed on easily.
c) The provider gives a good demo so the assessment tool can be experienced.
2. Shortlisting 360 degree feedback providers
If the researcher likes a provider's site and/or their demo etc, they are likely to be shortlisted and moved on to the next level.
At this stage the Human Resources Manager will contact the providers shortlisted. The research shows that the Human Resources Manager should focus on the following for a successful survey tool:
a) System flexibility - No two organisations want the same set up. The system must be able to handle future changes in the organisation and the manager must identify whether the provider can produce what they require as a finished product. Therefore, 360 degree feedback providers could give the manager several different sample reports that demonstrate their system's flexibility.
b) Questions - Organisations usually like to develop their own questions based on their competency framework. If these are weak, the validity of the tool can be increased by combining the organisation's questions with the 360 degree feedback provider's own question bank. The shaping of these questions is fundamental to the questionnaire being relevant and successful; therefore providers must be perceptive to the needs of the organisation. What is the point of creating something that has no bearing on the organisation now, or in six months time?
c) Scoring mechanism - This needs to be flexible to fit the organisation's current culture. If the organisation has an existing paper based 360, and they want to convert this to an online system, can they keep their scoring framework? If the organisation has trainers skilled in the feedback of their current 360 framework, it would be best to accommodate this rather than incurring the additional cost of training their trainers in a new method.
d) Style of the invitation to participate - Can the organisation write the text for their invites and reminders? This would reflect the organisation's own brand and culture, making the experience not feel so third party (as that is what a provider is - a third party).
e) System confidentiality - This has become very evident with organisations that are going through turbulent times. Is there the ability to close down the functions, or switch on who sees what? It depends on the organisation and culture, but if you get it wrong, not all the worms will fit back in the can! Having the choice is important.
Conclusion
At this point there still isn't a great deal separating many 360 degree feedback providers. What was found to be the most important factor only comes to light after the 360 degree feedback process. This is "provider experience in the use of the application" - getting it right before it goes live. This breaks down into two important points which the Human Resources Manager should consider:
- Questions being applicable to the competencies and well crafted in their meaning.
- Timeframes - from invitations to report production, are the dates realistic?
How does a manager assess the provider's experience? Simple: references. The shortlisted providers should produce at least two references each, although three would be better. This can be a little time consuming at first, but the time saved in the long run by finding out if the process worked, did things go wrong and - more importantly - how fast were they put right, is paramount.
360 feedback is a relatively cheap high hitting tool that allows Human Resources Managers to develop their employees in the areas of leadership, personal development and coaching alignment. The current economic market is going to tighten, so if managers are going to spend money, they need to spend it wisely on a provider that understands why they are using it and not with a provider that only understands the calculations of the graphs. It may look fantastic, but if it is asking the wrong questions, the organisation has not benefited from it. It all comes down to experience.
Research: Lumus™ would like to thank the following organisations for taking the time to answer questions and talk about their 360 degree feedback experiences - Forrester Partners, Persil Services, Scottish Enterprise, Aspire Housing, United Bristol Healthcare Trust.
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For further details about Lumus™ please call +44 (0)1291 637380 or email davidcooper@lumus.co.uk.