360º feedback is a popular assessment tool for supporting competence development at the workplace. 360º feedback includes feedback solicited from ‘significant others’, using a standardized assessment instrument (Thornow, 1993). These significant others typically include colleagues and peers as well as inferiors, subordinate employees, managers and customers.

The results of former research on the effects of this tool for competence development (Smither et al., 2005) indicate the need for research that focuses on the conditions under which 360º feedback is beneficial. Therefore, in this study, we focus on employees’ reactions to 360º feedback. It is argued that the way an individual ‘feels’ about and reacts to the feedback influences how or whether the individual changes his or her behavior in response to the feedback. We try to better understand reactions to 360º  feedback by taking an interpersonal as well as learning orientation. More specific, given that 360º feedback requires personal initiative as well as interaction, we address the influence of the employees’ orientation to self-directed learning and of interpersonal factors (psychological safety, trust, value diversity, interdependence) on employees’ reactions to 360º feedback. Finally, employees’ perception of the clarity of the assessment process is taken into account.

The results reveal that employees with low value diversity, implying high agreement on shared goals, show more positive reactions to 360º feedback. Furthermore, trust in the assessor mediates the influence of the independent variables on employees’ reactions to 360º feedback. Finally, psychological safety as well as the orientation to self-directed learning seems to play a negative role, an interesting finding for future research.

360º feedback is a popular assessment tool for supporting competence development at the workplace. 360º feedback includes feedback solicited from ‘significant others’, using a standardized assessment instrument (Thornow, 1993). These significant others typically include colleagues and peers as well as inferiors, subordinate employees, managers and customers.

The results of former research on the effects of this tool for competence development are inconclusive (Smither, London, & Reilly, 2005) and indicate the need for research that focuses on the conditions under which 360º feedback is beneficial, instead of asking whether it works Therefore, in this study, we focus on employees’ reactions to 360 degrees feedback. It is argued that the ways an individual ‘feels’ about and reacts to the feedback influences how or whether the individual changes his or her behavior in response to the feedback. Furthermore, given that 360º feedback requires personal initiative as well as interaction, we address the influence of interpersonal factors in the delivery of 360 feedback as they are related to the learning orientation of employees. More precisely, we investigate the employees’ self-directed learning orientation. A self-directed learning orientation is considered as a relatively stable tendency to take an active and self-starting approach to work-related learning activities and situations and to persist in overcoming barriers and setbacks (Raemdonck, Plomp, & Segers, 2008; Seibert, Kraimer & Crant, 2001). Employees with a self-directed learning orientation identify learning opportunities, they show learning initiative, undertake learning activities, and persevere in overcoming barriers to learn. In contrast, people who are less oriented towards self-directed learning exhibit the opposite patterns: they fail to identify learning opportunities, let alone seize and opportunities to learn, (Seibert et al., 2001).

In addition to the self-directed learning orientation, four interpersonal variables are expected to predict reactions to 360 degree feedback. Based on our prior research (e.g., Van den Bossche, Van Gennip, Gijselaers, Segers, & Kirschner, 2006), we study the role of: (1) psychological safety, which can be described as a shared belief that a group is safe for interpersonal risk-taking (Edmondson, 1999); (2) value diversity, which is the difference in opinion about what a teams’ task, goal or mission should be (Jehn, Northcraft, & Neale, 1999); (3) interdependence, which is the feeling that you lean on group members, and group members on you.; and (4) trust, which can be described as the trust in others and self as assessor. Finally, based on former assessment studies, we included the role of the transparency of the process of assessment.

 

1a. Does the employees’ self-directed learning orientation influence their reactions to 360 degree feedback?
1b. Does trust act as a mediator variable between self-directed learning orientation and reactions to 360 degree feedback?

2a. Do interpersonal variables influence the reactions to 360 degree feedback?

2b. Does trust act as a mediator variable between interpersonal variables and reactions to 360 degree feedback?

 

The sample consisted of 39 department managers of a health care institution in The Netherlands. Nursing department managers as well as operational department managers participated in this study.

360º feedback was implemented in the organizations approximately six months before the questionnaires were completed. All participants took part in 360º feedback: they were all acquainted with the administration and have been assessor at least one time. The questionnaires were distributed, and had to be returned directly to the researchers in a closed envelop.

The identified constructs in the conceptual framework of this study were measured with nine questionnaire scales taken from validated instruments. These scales have been developed and tested in several studies in educational as well as professional assessment settings. Measurement was performed using 5-point Likert scales.

 

The results of a stepwise regression analysis showed that self-directed learning orientation is a significant predictor of reactions to 360º feedback (β = -.437, p < .05) in that more positive self-directed learning orientation leads to less positive reactions to 360º feedback.

 

 Results of the stepwise regression analysis show that value diversity (β = .530, p < .01) and psychological safety (β = -.355, p < .05) are significant predictors of reactions to 360º feedback. Employees with low value diversity (implying high agreement on shared goals), and low psychological safety respond more positively towards 360º feedback.

 

Considering previous research and the low to moderate correlations between the variables with regard to reactions to 360º feedback, a possible mediating effect of trust is examined. A full model was tested, with trust as a mediator using regression analysis. Results show a decrease of almost all weight (beta’s) when trust is included in the model, which indicates a mediation effect of trust.

 

Our study shows that it is important to strive for an environment were trust is guaranteed in order to achieve optimal conditions for 360º feedback to be valued as a tool for learning by the employees. The negative effect of self-directed learning orientation on reaction to feedback might indicate this instrument is perceived as a hinder to take personal initiative. Moreover, the negative influence of psychological safety might indicate that too much safety (often refers to as group think) might hinder instead of stimulate the process of 360 degrees feedback. Qualitative research might evidence the reasons for these findings. Finally, future research should examine the generalizability of our results in other workplace settings and professional learning contexts.

 

This study contributes to the research on effects of 360º feedback by unraveling the conditions of this tool to support learning. It adds to former research by combining the the interpersonal and self-directed learning orientation perspective. For the educational field, the study offers insight in the factors interventions should focus upon, aiming to enhancing the effects of 360º feedback.