How you introduce a 360 decides how honest the answers are. People need to know 3 things before they write a single word: why you're asking, who will see it, and that nothing bad happens to them for being frank.
Below are 3 emails to copy, one before the survey, one halfway and one after, plus an FAQ for respondents that answers the questions they'll ask.
In short
- The announcement should come from the person being rated, in their own words. A message from HR reads as compliance.
- Say why you're asking, how long it takes, who sees the report and that answers are anonymous.
- Send one reminder halfway through. More than that feels like pressure.
- After the results, thank people and tell them the 3 things you'll work on. That email is what earns honest answers next time.
Before you send anything
Decide who will see the report, and say it out loud. We think the person being rated should own it, and choose what to share with their manager or a coach. If the report goes to HR or into a performance review, tell people that too. They'll find out anyway, and the trust you lose is hard to win back.
Then pick 5 to 10 raters who see the person's work every week: their team, a few peers and their manager.
Email 1: the announcement (send 2 or 3 days before)
Subject: Could you give me 5 minutes of honest feedback?
Hi [name],
I'm running a short 360 feedback survey on how I lead, and I'd really value your view. It's [12] questions and takes about [5] minutes.
Why now: [one honest sentence, for example "we've grown a lot this year and I want to know what I should do differently"].
Your answers are anonymous. I'll only see the results once at least 3 people have replied, and comments are shown without names. The report comes to me, and I'll decide what to share with [manager or coach].
You'll get the survey link from Org360 on [day]. Please be frank. The useful feedback is the kind that's a bit uncomfortable to write.
Thank you,
[Your name]
Email 2: the reminder (send halfway through)
Subject: A few more days for my feedback survey
Hi [name],
A quick reminder: my feedback survey closes on [day]. If you've already filled it in, thank you, and please ignore this.
If you haven't, it takes about [5] minutes, and the open questions at the end are the most useful part for me. Even a sentence helps.
[Your name]
Send this one to everyone, even if you can see who has replied. Singling out the people who haven't answered makes everyone wonder how anonymous the survey really is.
Email 3: the thank-you and what's next (send within 2 weeks of closing)
Subject: What I heard, and what I'm going to work on
Hi [name],
Thank you for filling in my 360. [Number] people replied, and I've read every comment.
What came through clearly: [one strength people named, in plain words]. And the things I most need to work on: [1 or 2 areas].
For the next 6 months I'm focusing on: [priority 1], [priority 2] and [priority 3]. If you see me slip back into old habits, please tell me.
I'll ask for your feedback again in [month], with a shorter survey.
[Your name]
Need help turning the report into 3 priorities? Use our 6-month development plan template.
FAQ to share with respondents
Paste this under the announcement, or keep it in a shared doc. It answers most of what people will ask you, or wonder without asking.
Who will see my answers?
Nobody sees your name next to your answers. The report shows average scores and the comments, without names. It opens only once at least 3 people have replied.
Can the person I'm rating tell who wrote what?
Not from the report. Comments are shuffled, so they don't appear in the same order for every question. Your writing style can still give you away, so avoid naming specific meetings, dates or people.
Can they see whether I've replied?
In the standard setting, yes: the person running the survey can see who has replied so they can send reminders, but never what you said. In the highest confidentiality setting, they can't see who has replied, and they read an AI summary of the comments instead of the comments themselves.
Can I change my answers?
Yes. You can edit or delete your answers until the survey closes.
How long does it take?
About 5 minutes for a 12-question survey, or about 10 minutes for 24 questions.
Is AI used on my answers?
The report is written with AI. Names of people and organizations are removed before any text is sent, and the AI provider doesn't use the data for training.
What's this feedback used for?
[Fill in honestly: for example "for my own development, and I'll share my priorities with the team." If it feeds a performance review, say so here.]
Run your 360 in Org360
Org360 sends the survey invitation for you, tracks replies and builds the report: scores, strengths, growth areas, a summary of the comments and a 6-month development plan. See a sample report.
Start with the 12-question Leadership Pulse or the 24-question Full 360. Your first survey is free. Start your 360 free.
FAQ
Who should announce a 360 feedback survey?
The person being rated, in their own words. It shows they want the feedback, which makes people more willing to be frank.
What should a 360 feedback announcement email say?
Why you're asking, how long it takes, that answers are anonymous, who sees the report, and when the survey link will arrive.
How many reminders should you send for a 360?
One, halfway through, to everyone. More than one starts to feel like pressure.
Should you thank people after a 360?
Yes, within 2 weeks, and tell them the 3 things you'll work on. It's what makes people answer honestly the next time.