In an article for LearningBuzz.com, David Clutterbuck and Bernard Wynne put forward the benefits of 360 degree appraisal.
Having been partly responsible for bringing 360 degree appraisal to this country from the Soviet Union in the 1970s, Clutterbuck argues that 360 degree appraisal will replace traditional appraisal processes 'in the not too distant future', and that people will wonder why traditional appraisal methods were ever used.
Some of the many reasons for using 360 degree appraisal put forward by Clutterbuck and Wynne are as follows:
- Improves accountability to more people, as it involves customers, team members and others who depend on the individual for their own success
- Helps to support teamworking - helps teams to believe they can influence their own effectiveness
- Provides individuals and teams with direct feedback on how the effectiveness of their performances is perceived by the people who really count - the customer.
- Reduces the danger of bias and discrimination
by involving others as well as the individual's supervisor - Provides an improved link between individual performance and organisational objectives
- Increases opportunities for workforce involvement
by asking employees to contribute their views and opinions - By involving a range of views, can help to highlight problems which had previously been overlooked
Bernard Wynne and David Clutterbuck are the authors of Making 360 degree appraisal work for you, which was released by Peter Honey Publications in February 2000.
