360 Feedback Questions: 40 Examples for HR Teams
The best 360 feedback questions do more than collect opinions. They ask raters to assess specific, observable workplace behaviours so a manager or leader can understand strengths, blind spots and practical development priorities.
This guide gives HR teams a ready-to-adapt bank of 40 questions. It also explains how to select questions, use a rating scale and avoid the wording mistakes that produce vague or biased results. You do not need to use all 40. A shorter, role-relevant questionnaire usually creates a better participant experience and more considered responses.
What should a 360 feedback questionnaire measure?
A 360-degree assessment compares how a participant sees their own behaviour with the perspectives of people who work around them. Depending on the role, those perspectives can include a manager, peers, direct reports and relevant internal or external stakeholders.
Questions should measure behaviours that colleagues can actually observe. “Creates clear priorities when demands compete” is easier to rate and act on than “is a strategic leader.” The first statement names an action; the second bundles several possible meanings into a label.
Before choosing questions, define the purpose. Is the assessment intended to support first-time managers, senior leaders, succession candidates or a broader leadership programme? The answer should determine which competencies matter and which raters have enough exposure to comment.
How to write effective 360 feedback questions
| Design principle | Use this approach | Avoid this approach |
|---|---|---|
| Observable | Describe something a rater could see or hear. | Guessing motives, personality or potential. |
| Single-focus | Measure one behaviour in each statement. | Combining two behaviours with “and”. |
| Neutral | Use plain wording without praise or blame. | Leading language such as “always inspires”. |
| Role-relevant | Connect each item to the participant’s work. | Using the same long survey for every role. |
| Actionable | Make the result point towards a behaviour to practise. | Broad labels that cannot guide development. |
Recommended rating scale
A consistent five-point frequency scale is straightforward for raters and useful for comparing self, peer, manager and direct-report patterns:
- Almost never
- Rarely
- Sometimes
- Often
- Almost always
Add Not observed / not enough opportunity to assess. Forcing a score when a rater has not seen the behaviour introduces noise. Explain the timeframe as well—for example, “Base your answers on behaviour you observed during the last six months.”
40 example 360 feedback questions
The first 32 items are rating statements. Select those that match the role and edit the language to reflect your organisation’s competency framework. The final eight are open-ended prompts for context and examples.
Communication and listening
- Explains decisions in language that is clear to the people affected.
- Listens without interrupting or preparing a response too quickly.
- Checks that important messages have been understood.
- Adapts the level of detail to the audience and situation.
- Raises difficult issues directly and respectfully.
People leadership and coaching
- Sets clear expectations about outcomes, ownership and deadlines.
- Gives feedback close enough to the event to be useful.
- Recognises effective work in a specific and credible way.
- Delegates meaningful responsibility while remaining available for support.
- Uses coaching questions before offering a solution.
- Addresses underperformance consistently and constructively.
Collaboration and trust
- Invites relevant perspectives before making decisions.
- Shares information that others need to do their work well.
- Follows through on commitments made to colleagues.
- Handles disagreement without making it personal.
- Builds productive relationships across teams or functions.
Decision-making and strategic thinking
- Connects day-to-day priorities with wider organisational goals.
- Makes timely decisions with the information reasonably available.
- Explains the trade-offs behind significant decisions.
- Distinguishes urgent activity from high-value work.
- Changes direction when credible evidence challenges the original plan.
Accountability and execution
- Takes responsibility for mistakes without shifting blame.
- Turns decisions into clear next steps and owners.
- Monitors progress without unnecessary control.
- Escalates risks early enough for others to respond.
- Creates realistic priorities when resources are limited.
Change, inclusion and self-awareness
- Explains what is changing, why it matters and what remains uncertain.
- Responds constructively when others challenge an idea.
- Makes room for quieter or less senior voices in discussions.
- Examines how personal assumptions may affect a decision.
- Adjusts behaviour after receiving credible feedback.
- Remains steady and respectful under pressure.
Open-ended 360 feedback questions
- What is one behaviour this person should continue because it helps others succeed?
- What is one behaviour this person could start to increase their effectiveness?
- What is one behaviour this person could do less often?
- When have you seen this person at their most effective? What did they do?
- What is one practical change that would improve your work with this person?
- Which strength could this person use more deliberately?
- What may this person not realise about their impact on others?
- Is there any important context that would help them interpret your feedback fairly?
How many questions should an HR 360 assessment include?
There is no universal number. The right length depends on purpose, role complexity and how many other questionnaires raters receive. A practical starting point is 20–30 rating statements and 3–5 open questions. Use the 40 examples above as a selection bank, not a compulsory survey.
Survey fatigue matters. A rater completing feedback for several leaders will face the question count several times. Remove duplicated items, prioritise behaviours with genuine development value and test the questionnaire with a small group before launch.
Should every rater group receive the same questions?
Use a shared core where comparison is meaningful, but do not force raters to assess behaviour they cannot observe. A direct report may see delegation and coaching frequently. A senior manager may be better placed to assess strategic alignment and cross-functional influence. Customers may only be able to comment on responsiveness, clarity and trust.
Role-based questions can improve relevance, but preserve enough common items to identify differences in perspective. Always give raters a “not observed” response and never interpret missing exposure as poor performance.
Common questionnaire mistakes
- Using personality labels: ask about workplace behaviour, not whether someone is “charismatic” or “a natural leader”.
- Double-barrelled statements: “communicates clearly and listens well” contains two questions and creates an ambiguous score.
- All-positive wording: exaggerated statements encourage inflated responses and reduce differentiation.
- No anonymity explanation: raters need to know which groups are aggregated, who can see comments and how the results will be used.
- Too many open fields: comments add context, but a long writing task lowers completion quality.
- No plan after the report: questions should connect to a feedback conversation and a small number of observable development actions.
How HR can turn this question bank into a questionnaire
- Define the outcome. Write one sentence explaining why the 360 assessment is being run and what will happen afterwards.
- Select competencies. Choose 6–8 areas that matter for the role and strategy.
- Choose statements. Select three or four observable behaviours per competency.
- Review for bias and clarity. Remove jargon, assumptions, duplication and combined questions.
- Map rater visibility. Check which groups can realistically observe each behaviour.
- Pilot the survey. Ask a small, representative group to identify confusing wording and estimate completion time.
- Prepare the feedback stage. Decide who will debrief reports, how development goals will be recorded and when progress will be reviewed.
Build the questionnaire around the decision it must support
NorthBridge360 can help HR teams create role-specific questionnaires, collect confidential multi-rater feedback and turn results into clear reports. See how the 360 feedback process works, then use the implementation guide below to plan your rollout.
Frequently asked questions
What are good questions for 360 feedback?
Good questions describe one observable, role-relevant behaviour in neutral language. They produce feedback the participant can understand and practise, such as setting expectations clearly or inviting relevant perspectives before a decision.
Should 360 feedback questions use a rating scale?
Most questionnaires combine rating-scale statements with a small number of open questions. Ratings show patterns across competencies and rater groups; comments explain context and provide examples. Include a “not observed” option.
Can 360 feedback be used in a performance review?
It can inform a broader conversation, but HR should clearly state the purpose before collection. Using confidential development feedback directly for pay or promotion can change how safely and candidly people respond. Keep developmental and employment decisions distinct unless the process, governance and expectations have been deliberately designed for both.
How often should organisations run a 360 assessment?
Run it often enough to support meaningful follow-up, not simply to produce another report. Many organisations use a major assessment at the start of a development programme and a later pulse or repeat assessment after the participant has had time to practise new behaviours.