What do Nike, Barclays, and Netflix all have in common? This sportswear giant, global bank, and streaming brand use 360 degree feedback to review their employees. And they're not the only ones — Forbes reveals that over 85% of Fortune 500 companies have also moved away from traditional performance reviews in favor of the peer-based approach offered by 360 feedback. 

But giving feedback is easier said than done. You might feel overwhelmed with the time and effort it takes to set up a feedback system. Plus, your employees might hate doing it.

Worry no more. 

If you're interested in joining the likes of Nike and Netflix, this guide takes a granular look at the process and offers a free 360 degree feedback template to get you started.

🔄 What is a 360 feedback template?

A 360 degree feedback template provides clarity as you roll out this employee review system. It helps you determine what aspects of individual performance you want to assess, how you'll pose questions, and how often you'll solicit feedback from employees' peers, managers, and direct reports. It also establishes a common language and understanding of what "excellent" or "needs improvement" looks like for each behavior or skill being evaluated.

Our template for 360 degree feedback covers all the key elements you need to consider when designing your own boilerplate.

❓ Why use a 360 degree feedback survey?

360 feedback (also known as multi-rater feedback) moves away from the traditional performance appraisal system between a manager and a direct report. Although there are merits to both (and they can co-exist), 360-degree reviews take more opinions into account. 

Employees receive a variety of qualitative feedback from any of the following: 

• Direct manager;
• Adjacent manager; 
• Peers; 
• Team leaders; 
• Senior management; 
• Business partners; 
• Customers. 

The idea is that a 1:1 appraisal can be biased and subjective, whereas interviewing multiple sources provides a more accurate overview of where an employee's strengths and weaknesses lie.

A 360 degree feedback survey template covers all bases, but you will have to store individual feedback separately, so reviewers aren't influenced by each other. 

Career Coach and Author Stephanie Brown describes why she believes 360 feedback will drive you forward in your career. 

"When I was working at Nike, the feedback system there is savagely honest. And yes, sometimes it stung. They give 360 feedback, so you had an all-rounded view from all your peers - it was as honest as it sounds. But I've always thought of feedback a little bit like ripping off a bandaid. In the long run, it's much less painful to rip it straight off than to have it slowly peeled away. And I don't know about you, but I'd much rather have savage feedback from my peers than work for a company who don't care about my growth." 

🔍 Pros and cons of working from a 360 feedback template

Why bother working from a template at all? Let's break down the pros and cons. 

Pros of using a 360 feedback template

1. Easy to compare data – when your feedback system is standardized, and you ask the same survey questions about each employee, it's easy to compare results across teams. Analyze individuals' past performances to monitor for improvement. 
2. Quicker time to delivery - with all the key components in one place, you can get your feedback process up and running quickly. A continuous 360 degree feedback template means no more reinventing the wheel each time performance review season comes around.
3. Familiarity for recipients - employees will know what to expect from the feedback process if they have been through it before with the same company. 
4. Easy to make adjustments - it's as easy as editing your template if you need to course-correct. 

Cons of using a 360 feedback template 

1. It may become outdated - if you don't keep your template up to date with the latest changes in your organization, it will quickly become irrelevant. 
2. Survey fatigue - your employees may start to dread performance review season because they know they'll have to fill out another lengthy 360-degree survey. Get around this by keeping 360-degree feedback questions relevant, concise, and actionable.
3. Repeatable errors - take time to analyze the template and the feedback you receive from using it. Be aware that how you frame questions could result in biased responses. Adjust your template, so you don't make the same mistake twice! 
4. Stagnated thinking - if your employees don't feel challenged by the feedback they're receiving, it may be time to re-evaluate your questions.

✅ 3 Key elements of a 360 feedback template

An effective 360-degree feedback form template contains the following essential elements: 

1. An introduction

Set expectations for the feedback-giver by providing a clear purpose statement and an overview of the 360 degree feedback process.

Tip: Explain what you expect of them and how long you estimate it will take to achieve those goals.

2. Identify the feedback giver and recipient 

To avoid confusion, state who the feedback recipient is, including their job title. You may opt for an anonymous 360 process, but otherwise, you must identify the name and role of the feedback-giver. 

3. Question types 

Structure your 360 survey, so it begins with questions that allow the feedback-giver to think positively about the person they're reviewing. 

For example, you might ask questions like: 

• "What are this person's strengths?"
• "When was the last time they exceeded your expectations?"
• "What aspects of their work do you enjoy the most?"

This sets the tone for the 360 process and warms the feedback-giver and recipient to think more critically.

Choose from the following question types: 

• Open-ended questions - encourage more detailed feedback by providing the feedback-giver to expand on their answer. For example, "Can you share a time when this person excelled at their job and explain why you think this?" 
• Stop, start, continue - invites feedback on what the recipient should stop doing (interrupting in meetings), start doing (becoming more involved in project management), and continue doing (reaching out to new joiners.) 
• Closed-ended questions - these prompt a Yes or No response, such as "Is this person meeting your expectations?" or "Is this person a good communicator?" There's little room for interpretation here, and the results are easy to evaluate. 

Rating scale - you might choose a numerical scale from 1-10 or 1-5 or a series of categories such as Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Neither Agree nor Disagree, Agree, and Strongly Agree. You'll make a statement for the feedback-giver to score.

For example: "This person is an approachable team member."

➡️ Check out some 360 degree feedback phrases you can use as examples to feedback-givers in your template. 

📝 360 Feedback Questions: Examples & Template

Example 360 degree feedback questionnaire template introduction

Thank you for taking part in [employee name] 360 feedback process as their [PEER/MANAGER, etc.] The opinions and suggestions you provide during these reviews are vital for their personal development.

As a valued member of our organization, we know you understand our company's mission and aspirations. The feedback you provide will support [employee name] identify the things that are working well and those they need to develop in line with team and company goals.

Please be honest but constructive about your experience working and interacting with them. We request that you add as much detail as possible, providing context to back up any bold statements. We anticipate this survey will take 10-15 minutes to complete.

Example questions about leadership 

1. In what areas does [employee name] have strengths as a leader? (open-ended)
2. What makes [employee name] an effective leader? (open-ended) 
3. What leadership behaviors have [employee name] displayed that have positively impacted the team? (open-ended)

Example questions about interpersonal skills 

1. Do you feel that [employee name] demonstrates practical listening skills? (closed-ended) 
2. Do you feel that [employee name] is easy to approach and open to hearing other points of view? (closed-ended)
3. Rate [employee name] ability to build relationships with colleagues. (rating scale)   

Example questions about communication 

Please provide examples of what you believe [employee name] should stop, start and continue doing, focusing on communication. 

Stop: 

Start: 

Continue: ‍

Example questions about problem-solving skills

1. What examples can you provide of times when [employee name] has utilized creative thinking to solve a problem? (open-ended) 
2. Do you feel that [employee name] effectively manages stress and copes well under pressure? (closed-ended) 
3. What could [employee name] do to manage stress better and solve problems more effectively? (open-ended)

➡️ Need some extra inspiration for your employee feedback survey questions? We have 40 sample questions to help you.

➡️ Check out some 360 degree feedback phrases you can include in the template as examples to feedback-givers.

💡 6 ways to customize the 360 degree feedback survey template 

While the above 360 survey template is an excellent foundation, here are six ways to customize it with your own questions to be a perfect fit for your feedback culture. 

1. Make it relevant

Take care not to roll out a set of questions that don't correspond to your current values or lineup. For example, if you've just completed a merger, you might want to focus on questions that reveal how well employees work cross-departmentally. 

2. Base the survey on competencies 

Base each survey on the competencies for the specific role of the feedback recipient.

Tip: You can refer to role cards for clarification. 

3. Consider your language

Unconscious bias is a common problem in employee feedback, but we can reduce this by how we pose questions.

For example, "Is this person passionate about their work?" might seem harmless. But people could also interpret this as "Are they argumentative and difficult to work with?"

4. Frame your questions

Be aware that feedback can easily be influenced by how we word questions. Try to avoid leading questions that could result in skewed responses. 

For example, "How often do they put the team's needs ahead of their own?" could lead to a positive response even if the feedback recipient seldom does this.

5. Don't overload your questions

Tip: To invite direct answers, avoid introducing multiple themes into a single question. 

For example, "How well does this person keep on top of their workload and embrace leadership?" is highly confusing as it covers two separate topics. 

6. Decide about anonymity

Deciding whether to request confidential feedback is tricky. By keeping 360-degree feedback entirely anonymous, you're inviting contributors to provide candid opinions in a safe space. 

But HR leaders need to identify where problems might lie to provide support. 

Tip: Weigh up the pros and cons of anonymous feedback before finalizing your survey. 

➡️ Need some inspiration for your feedback sessions? We compiled 35 positive feedback phrases and 45 negative employee feedback examples. Handle constructive feedback with clarity and diplomacy.

➡️ Implement a feedback solution that boosts performance and growth with Zavvy

Ready to saddle up and create a rich 360 degree feedback culture for your organization? Zavvy's 360 tool is the fastest way to roll out an effective feedback program and start gathering crucial opinions to support every member of your team. How does it work? 

• Choose your feedback frequency (1:1s, monthly, quarterly, annual reviews, or regular career development plans) 
• Collect feedback from all angles of your organization 
• Establish a culture where employees feel confident in giving and asking for feedback
• Set up and roll out your 360 feedback program at the click of a button. 

Want to get started? Check out a free 30-minute demo of our 360 feedback software.