Robert Bacal's Books via Amazon

Performance Phrases For Performance Reviews

This completely revised and updated second edition of Perfect Phrases for Performance Reviews provides hundres of ready-made phrases you can use to clearly communicate any employee performance in 74 different skill areas. ...more

Perfect Phrases For Setting Performance Goals

This completely revised and updated second edition of Perfect Phrases for Setting Performance Goals provides hundreds of precisely worded performance goals you can put to use in virtually any situation. ...more

Performance Management - A Briefcase Book Second Edition Perfromance Managment A Briefcase Book

Proven strategies for maximizing employee commitment and performance As a manager, you know that employee performance is your most important asset—but are you making smart, well-thought-out efforts to leverage it to its fullest? Manager’s Guide to Performance Management helps you get the most out of your people by focusing on performance planning (instead of appraising), creating a dialog (instead of issuing directives), and solving problems (instead of pointing blame). ... more

 

Why Anonymous Feedback Is Harmful in 360 Degree Feedback

Anonymous feedback causes distrust within teams
In most workplaces, anonymous feedback sows seeds of mistrust among employees, eroding teamwork. Not to mention that without knowing where feedback comes from, it's almost useless in helping employees improve.

Most companies using 360 degree feedback arrange things so the person recieving the feedback does not know what rating (or information) came from what specific person. In other words, the feedback is anonymous. Part of the thinking is that anonymous feedback will be more honest and accurate, since there won't be any fear of reprisal.

Are there problems with this practice? Yes. Serious ones.

  • First, the assumption that anonymous feedback is more honest or accurate is unproven, and in fact, it's clear that people with an axe to grind, or who dislike the person they might be evaluating in a 360 context, will be freer to be more critical knowing their identities are hidden. It is true that fear of reprisal can be an issue, particularly when employees evaluate their manager, but there is an equal risk that people will be unfairly attacked anonymously. That's pretty ugly.
  • Second, consider the perceived value of feedback from someone you don't know. Part of the value of feedback is knowing that the person who provided it is in a position to accurately and constructively evaluate and help improve performance. When 360 is anonymous, the recipient has no sense of who said what. What often results is a lot of anger, and the actual feedback being ignored or demeaned because the sources are anonymous. Feedback works when it comes from a credible source. When the source is unknown how can it be credible?
  • Third, we know that the best human-to-human feedback allows for INTERACTION. That is, if performance is to improve the recipient of the feedback needs an opportunity to get clarification and additional details about what the feedback means. With anonymous feedback, the employee can't go talk to the originator of the particular feedback to get additional clarification, details or help. This seriously undermines the value of any feedback.

For more on 360 go to the main 360 degree feedback question and answer page.

 

About Company

Bacal & Associates was founded in 1992 by consultant and book author, Robert Bacal. Robert's books on performance management and reviews have been published by McGraw-Hill. He is available for consultation, training and keynote speaking on performance and management at work.

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We Believe

  • Performance management and appraisal MUST be a partnership between manager and employee where BOTH benefit.
  • Performance management can be the lever for improved employee engagement.
  • The review process is the LEAST important part of performance management
  • If managers aren't managing employee performance, why are they there?

Get in Touch

  • Phone:
    (613) 764-0241
  • Email: [email protected]
  • Address:

  • Bacal & Associates
  • 722 St. Isidore Rd.
  • Casselman
  • Ontario
  • Canada, K0A 1M0