How to use 360 feedback with a hybrid team

How to use 360 feedback with a hybrid team

Remote and hybrid work systems are the new way to conduct businesses today. After the pandemic, 16% of organizations have gone full remote, and 44% have adopted the hybrid model. Another study shows that 73% of the workforce will be remote by 2028. 

The hybrid work model is the necessity of present times. For modern businesses to survive between superbugs and technical advancements, it is essential to receive constant feedback from their team members to keep them on the same page. 

In the flexible hybrid model, 360-degree feedback is the cornerstone to provide a well-rounded perspective to employees and opportunities to grow. Using 360-degree feedback software, hybrid team management becomes easier and more effective for managers. 

However, for that, managers first need to learn the right method to deploy 360-degree feedback in their organization. And this post will walk hybrid team managers to the accurate methods to use 360-degree feedback. 

Why 360 Degree Feedback Is Important for Hybrid Teams 

Hybrid team managers can use the dynamic 360-degree feedback solution to manage and strengthen employee's productivity in multiple manners, such as:

Individual Performance 

360-degree review is a perfect method to monitor your individual employees' performance. This helps hybrid managers to understand the strengths and weaknesses of each employee. You can better assign tasks to your hybrid team members using this information. 

Improve Communication 

According to a study, it is found that 360-degree feedback makes it easier for employees to discuss topics that they have never discussed before. Since most 360 degree reviews are anonymous; thus, it gives employees a fearless environment to provide honest feedback. It removes all communication barriers and boosts employee morale

Assist Managers

360-degree feedback provides managers with clear data to take action. It shows where an individual employee's strengths and weaknesses are. This, in return, helps to improve productivity and the overall performance of the company. 

Brings Transparency in the Operations 

It is harder for managers to get honest feedback from their team members. Employees often hesitate to provide honest reviews due to fear of getting on the negative side of their superiors. However, 360-degree portals allow you to conduct anonymous surveys, which gives employees an opportunity to bring transparency to the operations. 

Enhance Team Performance 

Using 360-degree feedback, managers can clarify the expectation and set clear objectives. For instance, if your team has recently wrapped a project, 360 reviews will provide information on how much time your team took to complete the project. This way, you can better judge the overall performance of your hybrid team members. 

Ways to Use 360 Feedback with Hybrid Teams 

Undoubtedly, 360-degree feedback can simplify managing team and individual employees' processes. However, the key point here is to deploy 360-degree review in the right manner, such as:

Boost self-awareness 

Hybrid teams are flexible teams. They prefer to work on their own terms and schedule. Thus, companies need to provide an environment to hybrid teams where they can self-understand their shortcomings and improve them. 

Using 360-degree feedback, managers can provide comprehensive performance data to an employee based on peers, managers, and even clients' feedback. This information allows employees to understand where they are coming short and how they can improve it. 

Further, self-awareness will reduce managers' workload as employees will self-improve their productivity and efficiency. 

Explain the goals and objectives of surveys

Clearly tell your team why you are conducting the 360-degree feedback. Defining the goals and objectives of surveys will help to gain employees' trust. 

Recent employee engagement stats reveal that employees are 2.8 times more engaged when they have clear goals and responsibilities.

When your team is not aware of the reason behind conducting reviews, they might consider that you will use survey data to punish them or promote the business. 

So, there is a possibility that your employees won't share accurate information with you if they don't know the main purpose of the survey. Therefore, provide a clear description and reason behind the 360° survey feedback so that your team can provide clear and accurate feedback on time.

Improve communication and collaboration 

Collaboration and communication have been a great problem since the pandemic for businesses. In the remote work environment, it has become difficult for managers and subordinates to develop a close relationship. All the digital jargon has disturbed the internal communication flow in the organization.

Here 360° feedback can help companies to strengthen the communication and collaboration flow in the organization. Anonymous feedback allows employees to understand their actual weaknesses and strengths. 

Also, the feedback receiver and giver constantly stay in touch to better understand the performance reviews. This, in return, motivates a team culture and builds trust in the team members.

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Remove biased behavior 

Hybrid team members often complain that people working on the site get more benefits from the senior management. Differential behavior might reduce the morale of hybrid team members who are working remotely. 

Therefore, you should design 360° feedback in a way that it can provide clear communication and transparency in the work operation. Using the advanced 360° tools, you can build a transparent work culture where no favoritism is practiced.

Build synergy 

360° feedback focuses on the individual and performance of your team as a whole group. This allows you to streamline the group's mission, objective, and vision. This way, you can dedicate your individual hybrid team member to achieving the same company goals. 

Enhance productivity 

360° feedback helps in establishing a two-way communication system within the organization. When employees know that they will get hard whenever they want, this knowledge will boost their engagement and morale. And there is no doubt that motivated employees are more productive than non-motivated ones. 

Establish strong leadership 

360° feedback surveys are not only for employees. These reviews also help leaders to improve their leadership skills. 

Through anonymous surveys, employees can freely share their opinion about their leaders' skills and performance, which they might not openly tell their team leaders. 

Thus, complete feedback is important for team leaders to become better at demonstrating their skills and lead a high-performing team.

Improve employee engagement 

Engaged employees are more productive, efficient, and ready to go the extra mile for their organization. Therefore, you should use 360° feedback to make an engaging environment for your employees in the workplace. 

Be it anonymous surveys or complete performance reviews, 360-degree feedback provides you with several opportunities to improve employee engagement. 

Sum Up

360° feedback is not a common business practice. But, it should be common practice because hybrid or remote work environments are here to stay. Today, managers need to adopt advanced and technical solutions to boost their teams' performance in real-time.

So, no matter how big or small a hybrid thing you have, using 360-degree feedback is vital to improve your team's performance, productivity, and engagement. 

Now, we bid you farewell! So, you can better focus on creating a powerful 360° feedback model for your hybrid workplace.

If you want to run effortless 360 reviews with gamification and save 20+ hours monthly, check out Plai's HR Suite functionality.

Andrii Bas

Andrii Bas

Product Strategist, People & Performance

Founder of 3 products and product development agency @Uptech before 25. Use and consult about OKRs, performance management, and team leadership for 4+ years.

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