Govt may introduce 360-degree feedback for top officials

Under the 360-degree feedback system, government officers will be rated by peers and colleagues from within the government and outside

In a bid to increase focus on integrity and ensure transparency, the government is planning to introduce a 360-degree feedback mechanism. The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) is planning to experiment with it for empanelment of secretaries from the batch of 1983, according to an Indian Express report.

Under the 360-degree feedback system, which is a widely used management tool, government officers will be rated by peers and colleagues from within the government and outside. Officers will be rated on parameters including aptitude, attitude, etc.

Empanelment is defined as adding or including a person on a list of persons selected for jury duty.

This management tool is used by international organisations and some foreign governments to fill important and top slots. This method is used to assess work experience, interest areas and management styles, going beyond the parameters stated in the annual confidential reports (ACRs). 

Additionally, this methodology will help an officer as well as his seniors understand his (the officer’s) strengths and weaknesses. 

Typically, under this system, an employee or an officer receives confidential and anonymous feedback from his peers as well as his managers. The online feedback form includes questions covering a broad range of issues related to workplace competencies. The officer in question will also receive a similar feedback form, which will include the same survey questions that others received, and he or she will have to fill out a self-rating survey.