360 feedback survey guide + free template

Whether it’s a formal performance review, a quick 1:1 check-in, or a casual Slack chat, meaningful workplace feedback drives growth, motivation, and engagement. Indeed, a Gallup study showed that 80% of employees who received feedback in the past week felt fully engaged in their roles.*

‍That’s the point of 360° performance management. Instead of relying only on top-down reviews, 360° feedback surveys aim to gather meaningful input from all directions — giving everyone, including leadership, a more holistic picture of performance and a clearer path for development.

In this guide, we’ll show you a practical, streamlined approach to building a 360° feedback survey, complete with a free template and sample questions to get you started.
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👀 Get our best-practice framework & questions for free

‍Download, edit, and share our 360° feedback survey template so you can streamline your approach to continuous performance management.

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*Gallup, 2023
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Our free, downloadable 360° feedback survey template

Based on HR leadership best practices and expert recommendations, our 360° feedback survey template covers common organizational roles. It is editable, allowing you to adjust it based on your company structure.

Share a copy of this template with individual reviewers and wait until everyone has shared their feedback to consolidate results. This ensures reviewers remain objective throughout the feedback process.

🤝 Build a thriving feedback culture

Download our free 360° feedback template, collect diverse perspectives, and fuel employee growth. 

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Why 360° feedback surveys & feedback are so relevant in 2025

360° feedback surveys are used by organizations of all sizes — from big tech companies like Google and Netflix to nonprofits and small businesses.

One of the biggest reasons for this is the holistic, growth-oriented nature of 360° feedback. Today’s workers want constructive, authentic feedback from multiple sources so they can develop as professionals and move forward in their careers.

‍While some critics argue that 360° feedback is time-consuming, modern 360° feedback software like Leapsome automates the process, minimizing admin and enhancing company culture,  business outcomes, and employee growth with 360° feedback. 
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How to write effective 360° feedback survey questions

Writing great 360° feedback survey questions is essential to collect valuable insights. Here are the best practices to follow:
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• Use simple language — Ensure your questions are clear for employees in various departments and with diverse experience levels. Avoid using jargon.
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• Focus on core competencies — Anchor your questions around competencies relevant to the role but widely applicable across the organization (for example, communication, collaboration, strategic thinking, and leadership).
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• Balance open-ended and closed questions — Provide at least two or three open-ended questions to allow room for elaboration and reveal insights that closed questions may not uncover. However, closed questions (with rating scales) are equally as important for structure and consistency.
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• Eliminate ambiguity — Avoid double-barreled questions like “How does the report handle stress and communicate under pressure?” Break these queries into two parts; ambiguity kills data, and each question should focus on one topic.
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🤩 360° feedback survey platforms like Leapsome include ready-to-use templates and question banks to make building your survey easier.

40 sample 360° feedback survey questions

Here’s a selection of closed and open-ended questions to consider when drafting your 360° feedback survey.

Use a Likert rating scale or similar scoring system for each, and tweak the language based on your organizational and team values. Remember: 360° feedback is meant to highlight strengths and identify areas for improvement.
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Communication & collaboration

1. Does the employee demonstrate active listening?
2. How clear and concise are the employee’s written communications?
3. Does the employee ask clarifying questions when needed?
4. Does the employee respect various communication styles?
5. Does the employee show respect for diverse perspectives and ideas within the team?
6. How often does the employee share knowledge or resources with team members?
7. [Open-ended] Describe a situation where the employee demonstrated openness to feedback.
8. [Open-ended] How does the employee handle conflicts or disagreements with colleagues?
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Problem-solving & decision-making

Emotional intelligence & interpersonal skills

9. How well does the employee recognize their emotions and their impact on others?
10. How does the employee handle constructive feedback?
11. How well does the employee manage emotions under stress?
12. Does the employee demonstrate empathy in interactions?
13. How well does the employee collaborate with others to achieve common goals?
14. How well does the employee adapt their communication style to various individuals and situations?
15. [Open-ended] Give an example of effective conflict resolution led by the employee.
16. [Open-ended] In what ways does the employee foster positive team interactions?
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Technical & industry knowledge

Keep in mind that many of these questions are specific to more technical roles and can’t be used across the board. But this list is a good starting point for understanding the questions you might develop.

17. How proficient is the employee at applying industry-specific tools, knowledge, and technologies to their role?
18. Does the employee pursue learning opportunities to stay ahead of the curve in their role?
19. Does the employee stay current with the advancements and trends relevant to their role?
20. How well-versed is the employee in the specific coding language or program relevant to their role?
21. Can the employee explain technical concepts to non-technical colleagues?
22. How would you rate the quality of the employee’s work?
23. [Open-ended] Provide an example of the employee sharing industry knowledge with colleagues.
24. [Open-ended] How confident are you in the employee’s subject-matter expertise?
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Leadership & management 

33. How well does the individual inspire and motivate the team?
34. Does the individual communicate goals and expectations clearly?
35. How effectively does the individual provide constructive feedback?
36. Does the individual create a supportive environment for team collaboration?
37. How well does the individual embody organizational values? To what extent does the individual invest in team development?
38. [Open-ended] How would you describe the team culture under this individual’s leadership?
39. [Open-ended] Share an example of this leader guiding the team through a challenge.
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How Leapsome streamlines & enriches the 360° feedback survey process

A robust 360° feedback system benefits employees, managers, and organizations. It allows individuals to grow as professionals, managers to gain a more comprehensive, holistic view of performance, and teams to be more successful.

However, gathering and synthesizing feedback at scale requires the right tools.‍

A specialized platform like Leapsome lets you: 

• Build customized 360° feedback workflows
• Automate review cycles and cadences
• Use best-practice templates
• Leverage our AI capabilities to synthesize results

… all within Leapsome Reviews.

‍We’re also a full-stack solution. You can use our suite of people enablement tools and HRIS features to set performance goals, run engagement surveys, and create the customized learning paths employees need to take action on the 360° feedback they receive.
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😁 Ready to embrace 360° feedback?

Leapsome has the templates, questions, workflows, and people analytics you need to design an impactful 360° feedback strategy.

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Frequently asked questions about 360° feedback surveys

What is a 360° feedback survey?

A 360° feedback survey, also called a 360° degree review, is a performance management framework in which team members receive input from various sources — including peers, managers, reports, and any other collaborators invited to participate. In most cases, the employee also completes a self-assessment, which is a great practice for teams that want to encourage people to reflect on their own performance and think about their career development.
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What’s the purpose of 360° feedback surveys?

360-degree feedback surveys serve several business-critical purposes, allowing you to:

• Embrace a continuous approach to performance management and get a more holistic picture of individual performance 
• Create a company culture that focuses on growth and development 
• Make employee feedback more comprehensive, constructive, and unbiased
• Improve management effectiveness by asking reports to share honest input on their performance as leaders
• Enrich your performance data with more quantitative and qualitative input to identify organizational trends
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How often should you send out 360° feedback surveys?

We recommend sending formal 360° feedback surveys to coincide with your performance management cycle of choice, typically every quarter or biannually.

Most people-centered organizations also regularly practice continuous, informal 360° feedback. They encourage regular 1:1 check-ins between managers and reports and give employees a space to share feedback at any time with instant feedback tools or virtual suggestion boxes.
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How should you deliver 360° feedback survey results?

Managers or supervisors should deliver 360° feedback survey results to their direct reports during performance reviews. You may also want to share a written record of the feedback on their scorecard before or after the meeting. 

While delivering 360° feedback, prioritize:

• Starting with strengths and praising accomplishments
• Using specific examples when delivering constructive feedback
• Inviting the employee to give their honest feedback on managerial and leadership performance
• Collaborating on an action plan to address career goals and development areas

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