The best time to get the 360 ball rolling, however, is when the organization needs a kick in the pants. Two years ago the B.C. Safety Authority in New Westminster, B.C., shifted its strategic focus from inspecting technology like escalators to educating little kids how to use them. The former government organization is now a leaner business with 265 employees scattered across 30 offices. It had to change how its leaders managed. They needed to be able to get results quickly and have strong interpersonal skills. Very non-government.
Since it started gearing up for 360-degree reviews two years ago, the B.C. Safety Authority completed 40 reviews. Diane Sullivan, vice-president of human resources, says the reviews help shift the corporate culture more quickly because they give a framework for discussion.
“We haven't always had good frameworks about how you give constructive feedback to help somebody to grow and develop in their career,” she admits. “This has given us the language and tools to frame that discussion in a positive way.”
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THE FOLLOW-UP
After collecting good comments or bad, the last thing a company wants to do is hand them over to the employee in question and let that person decide what to do with the information. A good human resources administrator helps that employee use the feedback and formulate a plan. That way the employee feels that she has control over the comments rather than allowing them to control her.
“The employee really needs to feel they're supported and the company is really trying to help them grow. If they don't have a plan in place, that's when the employee feels vulnerable,” Ms. Sullivan says.
