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    360-Degree Feedback

    360-degree feedback collects performance and development input on an individual from multiple perspectives: manager, peers, direct reports, and self-assessment.

    360 feedback (or multi-rater feedback) is a development tool — not a performance-management tool. Best practice separates development 360s (confidential, formative, used for coaching) from performance reviews (managerial, summative, tied to compensation). A typical 360 includes 6-12 raters across roles, uses behavioral-anchored Likert scales tied to leadership competencies, and is delivered with a coaching debrief. Gallup's 2026 data shows only 20% of employees globally are engaged, and well-run 360 programs are one of the highest-impact interventions to lift engagement among middle managers.

    Development 360s work best when raters can give anonymous feedback without fear of attribution.

    Example

    A leadership 360 for a director-level engineer: 1 manager, 6 peers, 5 direct reports, self. 24 behavioral statements rated on 1-5 frequency scale. Top theme: 'Delegates effectively' — self-rated 4.5, others-rated 2.8. Gap drives quarterly coaching plan.

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    Related terms

    Employee Engagement

    Employee engagement is the emotional commitment employees have to their organization and its goals.

    Employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS)

    eNPS adapts NPS to measure how likely employees are to recommend their employer as a place to work.

    Voice of Customer (VoC)

    Voice of Customer (VoC) is a systematic program for collecting, analyzing, and acting on customer feedback across every touchpoint and channel.

    Matrix Question

    A matrix question (or grid question) displays multiple sub-questions sharing the same response scale in a table, letting respondents rate many items efficiently.

    Anonymous Survey

    An anonymous survey collects responses without any personally identifying information.

    Sample Size

    Sample size is the number of respondents needed for survey results to be statistically meaningful at a given confidence level and margin of error.