100+ Simple 360 Feedback Questions That Encourage Employee Development

Are you looking for effective ways to provide feedback to your employees?

A 360 feedback review is only as good as its weakest question. The wrong questions can discourage your team and lower morale. The right questions, on the other hand, can take your team – and results – to new heights. 

Steal our simple questions for 360 feedback and enjoy performance reviews that add real value! Encourage employee development, helping you inspire growth, drive performance, and achieve success.

We have grouped the questions around core competencies to make it easier for you. 

You'll also learn some powerful questions for team efficiency, managers, cultural alignment, and specific roles. 

💡 What's the key to good 360 feedback questions? 7 Best practices

Here are our seven best practices to give you an idea of the secret sauce behind good 360 feedback questions. 

With this understanding, you can tweak the questions to your liking or develop your questions if needed.

1. Select the right types of questions

The rule of thumb is to avoid yes/no questions since they often don't convey enough information. 

Plus, they can be more confusing than clarifying. 

We also advise using a mix of open-ended and closed-ended questions (see below). 

You can include open-ended questions as a follow-up to closed-ended ones to give additional feedback.

Questions should be diverse to paint a more accurate picture of the person (e.g., related to job performance, soft skills, and career goals). 

2. Use simple language 

Make it easy to avoid misunderstandings by avoiding fancy language. Also, keep the questions short when possible since longer questions tend to be harder to grasp.

3. Include questions relevant to the role and organization 

Select questions that will help gain valuable insight into the relationship between your employee's performance and the organization's goals.

For some roles, client interactions may be relevant, while for others, leadership skills or level of expert knowledge are more central.

4. Measure behaviors

The word "performance review" naturally evokes associations with measuring results. 

That's just one piece of the puzzle.

Clever 360 employee feedback questions investigate the behaviors behind the results to invite employees to do more of what works and less of what doesn't. 

The questions should be observable and tangible. 

5. Measure elements where change is possible

Focusing on areas outside your control is not conducive. Measure elements where the employee can change to get a different outcome. 

"What can you do to increase company profits?" This question focuses on an outcome (company profits) largely outside the employee's control. While the employee may contribute to the company's overall success, they cannot single-handedly increase profits.

"What steps can you take to enhance your communication with team members?"

In contrast, this question focuses on an area within the employee's control - their communication skills. By improving these skills, the employee can foster better relationships and collaboration within the team.

6. Formulate the questions objectively

Good 360 feedback questions should NOT be leading. They should be neutral. 

Otherwise, they could (subconsciously) impact the respondee to choose a specific answer. Thus, we advise avoiding emotionally charged words when formulating the question. 

Let's look at some examples. 

"Don't you think the reviewee could be more proactive in his work?"

This question contains an emotionally charged word ("proactive") that could influence the responder's answer. It also assumes that the reviewee is not currently proactive, which may not be accurate.

To what extent does the reviewee take a proactive approach to his work?

This question is neutral and avoids emotionally charged language. It also doesn't assume that the reviewee is or isn't proactive - it simply asks for the responder's perspective.

7. Focus on the positives

Questions around development areas could still be angled positively. 

For example, instead of asking, "what mistakes did you make?" you can ask, "what area should you focus on to reach your goals?". This still invites employees to evaluate what didn't go as planned but focuses on growth opportunities.

A company that does performance reviews this way is Cisco. 

Cisco's performance review system highlights the employees' strengths as a lever to evolve.

Once you have selected your questions, learn how to get the best results from your 360 feedback survey. 

And remember: no matter how powerful the questions are, having your team onboard is key. That means understanding the purpose of 360-degree surveys and how the team can implement the results to grow. 

Reminding your staff that the 360-degree employee feedback survey is about evolving, not evaluating, can remove a lot of friction!

💡 For additional guidance, consult our guides on performance review best practices.

🏆 100+ Sample 360 feedback questions on core competencies

💡 Problem-solving 

1. Does this employee seek help when facing a problem?
2. How well does this employee identify patterns in information and data?
3. How often does this employee ask questions to evaluate issues instead of jumping to conclusions? 
4. Is this employee able to work independently with minimal direction? Give an example.
5. How does this employee react to unexpected challenges?
6. To what degree is this employee willing to collaborate to solve problems?
7. How would you rate this employee's solutions to problems and challenges?
8. Would you describe this employee as creative and innovative when solving problems?
9. Does this employee understand the consequences of their decisions – short-term and long-term?
10. How well does this employee solve problems under pressure?
11. Does this employee solve problems quickly?

💬 Communication questions 

1. Does this person communicate clearly?
2. Is this person someone who gets their point across with minimum fluff?
3. Would this employee thrive in a role where they need to convey information between different teams?
4. Is this person able to understand the core message of a conversation?
5. Does this person demonstrate clear written communication skills?
6. Does this person demonstrate clear verbal communication skills?
7. Does this employee ask for additional information when needed? 
8. Does the employee show an effort to understand the perspectives of others?
9. How well does this person communicate with clients and third parties? 
10. When holding presentations or group discussions, does this employee regularly check that everyone is following?
11. How well is this person able to clarify complex or technical information?
12. Do they make an effort to explain industry jargon and terms that might be unfamiliar to parts of the group? 
13. Does this person deliver clear and concise instructions?
14. How skilled is this person in breaking down complex concepts and explaining them clearly?
15. Do they regularly summarize and repeat the information stated to ensure clarity?
16. Does this person reply to emails and direct messages on time?

🎯 Goal alignment questions 

1. Does the employee show awareness of the organization's goals?
2. Do they show curiosity and interest in the organizational goals?
3. Does the employee show motivation to reach the team/project goals?
4. Rate the person's ability to achieve goals.
5. If this person misses a goal, do they show responsibility and eagerness to improve?
6. Do they show awareness of how their daily tasks contribute to team goals?
7. Is this employee able to prioritize tasks to ensure goals are met?  

🤔 Decision-making questions 

1. Does this employee show strong decision-making skills?
2. How well does this person make decisions under pressure?
3. In decision-making, does this employee consider the opinions of others?
4. Does this employee evaluate the implications of each option before making a decision?
5. Do they show awareness of the short-term and long-term impact of their decisions?
6. Do they make quick decisions?
7. Do they make decisions in alignment with company values and goals?
8. Are they able to make decisions independently?
9. Does the coworker show confidence when making decisions?
10. Is this person able to make difficult decisions for the company's best?

🤝 Interpersonal skills questions 

1. Does this person use active listening? 
2. Do they let others talk without interrupting?
3. How does this employee give feedback?
4. How do they react to constructive criticism?
5. Do they show respect for colleagues with differing opinions?
6. How does this employee manage their emotions?
7. Do they communicate in a friendly and encouraging way with everyone on the team?
8. Do they let their private life affect their work relationships? 
9. Is this person open and welcoming to new employees?
10. Is this coworker willing to collaborate? 
11. Are they prone to helping others?

📅 Organizational skills questions 

1. Give an example of a project where this person showed excellent organizational skills. 
2. How would you rate this person's ability to prioritize?
3. Does this employee show good organizational skills?
4. Are they mindful about taking breaks as needed?
5. Do they show up on time to meetings?
6. Does this person show an interest in becoming more productive?
7. Does this employee turn off social media notifications and stay away from their phone to increase productivity?
8. Do they share information and project files in a way that's easy to follow?
9. Does this person show an awareness of how their capacity to prioritize affects the business goals?
10. Do they plan their work and consider potential challenges and bottlenecks in the process?

🔥 Motivation and commitment

"We all want our work to matter. Nothing is a more powerful motivator than to know that you are making a difference in the world." –  Laszlo Bock, former Senior Vice President of People Operations at Google, in his book Work Rules.

1. Does this person show interest in growth opportunities within the company?
2. Does this employee show a positive attitude even in stressful situations?
3. Do they encourage other team members to do a good job?
4. Is this employee accountable and takes responsibility for their results?
5. Does this person seem to enjoy their work?
6. Is this coworker motivated to complete their work?
7. Do they offer to help others?
8. Does this person effectively persuade others to build commitment to their ideas?
9. Do they contribute to social/team-building activities? 

🚀 360 Feedback questions to check team efficiency 

1. Is this person working in alignment with the team and project goals?
2. Does this person resolve any conflict when it arises? 
3. Does this employee contribute to team planning and coordination?
4. Does this person show a willingness to collaborate toward shared goals?
5. Does this team member effectively communicate with others?
6. How do they motivate team members to work more efficiently and perform better?
7. Can you give an example of when this employee showed efficiency?
8. Does this person show interest in improving existing processes and systems to make teamwork more efficient?

💼 360-degree feedback questions for managers

A company that takes 360 feedback questions seriously is Google. Examples of management feedback questions at Google:

• My manager has had a meaningful discussion with me about my career development in the past six months.
• My manager assigns stretch opportunities to help me develop my career.
• I recommend my manager to others.

Google uses the Likert scale for their 360 employee performance reviews. 

1. Does your manager communicate changes and updates clearly and frequently?
2. Mention one thing your manager could start doing.
3. Mention one thing your manager could keep doing.
4. Mention one thing your manager could stop doing.
5. Give an example of a challenging situation your manager handled well.
6. Give an example of when your manager showed enthusiasm and motivated the team. 
7. Does your manager show the same attitude toward everyone on the team?
8. How do you prefer to receive feedback from your manager?
9. Would you like to change the frequency of exchanging feedback? If so, how?
10. Does your manager communicate team and company goals?
11. Mention three things your manager could do to make your work easier and more fun.
12. How does your manager cope with changing priorities and unexpected issues?
13. Does your manager stay objective and listen to both sides in case of employee disagreements?
14. Does your manager reward and celebrate team wins?

💼 Check out our complementary resource for a deep dive into 360 feedback questions for leadership.

📊 21 Powerful questions for 360 performance appraisal 

The following questions are adaptable for peers, self-evaluation, and downward evaluation. 

Emotional control

1. Peer-to-peer: Does this coworker control their emotions even in stressful situations?
2. Self: How would you rate your capacity to manage emotions?
3. Downward: Does the reviewee express their emotions mindfully when faced with challenges? 

Motivation 

1. Peer-to-peer: Does this person appear to enjoy their work? 
2. Self: Do you feel motivated by your work tasks?
3. Downward: How motivated is this direct report to take on new challenges and responsibilities?

Deadlines

1. Peer-to-peer: Do you trust this person to meet deadlines?
2. Self: Do you usually meet deadlines? When not, what do you do to improve?
3. Downward: How likely is this direct report to meet deadlines consistently? 

Company values

1. Peer-to-peer: Give an example of one company value this coworker embodies.
2. Self: How aligned do you feel with our company values on a scale of 1-10? What would it take for it to be a 10?
3. Downward: Give an example of one company value this direct report embodies.

Performance

1. Peer-to-peer: Mention one action this person took in a project you're grateful for.
2. Self: What accomplishments were you most proud of during the last evaluation?
3. Downward: Does this direct report consistently meet performance expectations?

Communication

1. Peer-to-peer: Do you trust this person to communicate clearly and get the message across without fluff?
2. Self: How would you rate your capacity to clearly and concisely explain concepts in meetings/presentations?
3. Downward: How well does this direct report communicate complex information or ideas clearly and concisely?

Compassion

1. Peer-to-peer: How do you find this person's attitude toward honest mistakes from their teammates? 
2. Self: How do you react when others make a mistake?
3. Downward: How would you describe your direct report attitude toward peers during a misunderstanding or conflict?

🌟 10 360 feedback questions for cultural alignment 

1. Does the employee work in alignment with the company's values and goals?
2. Does this person keep a positive attitude toward everyone on the team and at the company?
3. Is the employee a good representative of the company?
4. Do they show interest in the company culture?
5. Is this person actively participating in group discussions during meetings?
6. Is this employee actively promoting participation in team building and social events?
7. Does this person speak positively about the company to third parties, for example, during client meetings, and on their social media?
8. Is the employee showing efforts to make everyone feel included and respected?
9. Do they prioritize the team over individual accomplishments?
10. Does this employee welcome differing opinions and value different perspectives?

🏢 Are you still breaking a sweat over building your organizational culture? Then, learn from these seven company culture examples.

🧰 10 Role-specific 360 feedback questions

Role-specific feedback questions help evaluate the employee's success within their role responsibilities. Some examples:

Generic

1. How can this person become a better [role name]?
2. What are this person's strengths as a [role name]?
3. (For people in a similar position) How does this employee collaborate with the other [role name]'s? (For example, the other digital marketers)
4. On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate this person's [role-specific competency] skills?
5. Give examples of ways they could further develop this skill. 

Specific

1. (Project manager) Does this person pitch solutions efficiently?
2. (Project manager) How do they balance the team's needs with the client's requirements?
3. (Salesperson) Has a particular sales strategy worked well for you? Is there a strategy that didn't work at all?
4. (Salesperson) How do you feel about your closing rate and your achievements?
5. (Developer) How did you manage the transition from Angular 4 to React?

🆚 Open-ended vs. close-ended questions

As a best practice, use a mix of open-ended and closed-ended questions. The advantage of blending is that:

• Open-ended questions support qualitative feedback. They give room to be specific and share valuable information that helps put the answer in a larger context. They allow sharing of constructive feedback. Leading executive coach David Brendel famously said, "failure is rare when managers use open-ended questions thoughtfully." Open-ended questions give the "why" about how things work in your organization.
• Closed-ended questions support quantitative feedback. They make for easier comparisons between employees. Closed-ended questions give the "what" about how things work in your organization. You'll learn what is and isn't going well – but it stops there.

Open-ended questions start with "wh" – why, what, who, when, where, which – and "how." For closed-ended questions, use a range of answering options. 

Zavvy's learning science team recommends using the Likert scale with five response options. 

There are rating scales for different questions. 

Some examples you can consider: 

• opinion-based scale: "strongly disagree" to "strongly agree";
• frequency-based scale: "never" to "always"; 
• probability-based scale: "very unlikely" to "very likely." 

Closed-ended vs. open-ended feedback question examples

Closed-ended:

• This person manages their time effectively and meets deadlines.
• This coworker is an example of company value X.
• This employee is willing to help others.

Open-ended:

• What are this employee's strengths?
• Give 1 example of what this coworker could do more of.
• How does this person take constructive feedback? 

➡️ Zavvy makes your 360 feedback process easier

Asking the right questions can make or break a review. 

Feel free to use the questions we included in this article for your 360-degree feedback surveys. 

But you can go a step further with Zavvy. 

You can use Zavvy's 360 feedback software to:

• Easily set up a meaningful, growth-oriented 360-degree feedback process and eliminate tedious manual processes.
• Enable multi-rater anonymous feedback.
• Copy questions from highly successful companies with all our survey templates. (Just remember to ensure the questions are in alignment with your company culture!)
• Gain valuable insights into employee performance, engagement, and well-being.
• Collect anonymous, honest feedback.
• Connect the dots between performance reviews and employee development.

Book your demo to see our 360 feedback software for yourself!