Free 360 feedback template (editable) with instructions

A 360 feedback template is a ready-made form that the manager, peers, direct reports and the person being reviewed all complete about the same set of workplace behaviors. A complete template includes instructions for raters, a defined rating scale, behavior statements grouped by competency and a few open questions. Below you will find a free template you can copy and edit, followed by guidance on adapting it, distributing it confidentially and turning the completed forms into a report.

The template is written for developmental use and for people who work with others every day, with an extra section for people managers. Treat it as a starting point: the more closely it reflects the role and your organization's expectations, the more useful the feedback will be.

What a 360 feedback template includes

A good 360 form is short, clear and consistent for every rater. Whatever format you use, a paper form, a spreadsheet or a survey tool, the same building blocks apply.

Five competencies with three to five statements each, plus open questions, usually keeps the form to about 15 minutes. That matters, because raters often complete forms for several colleagues in the same cycle.

The free 360 feedback template

Copy the template below into your survey tool or document. Replace the text in square brackets, and remove the managers' section for people without direct reports. The statements are examples to adapt, not a validated instrument.

Part 1: Header

• Person reviewed: [Name], [Job title], [Department]
• Your relationship to this person: Self / Manager / Peer / Direct report / Other colleague or stakeholder
• Feedback window: [Start date] to [End date]

Part 2: Instructions to raters

Thank you for taking part. This form asks about [Name]'s behavior at work over the past [six to twelve] months. Please answer based on what you have seen or experienced yourself, not on what others have told you.

Your answers will be combined with those of other people in the same group. Ratings from peers, direct reports and other colleagues are shown only as group results, and only when at least [three] people in a group respond. The manager's ratings are shown separately. Written comments are shown word for word but without names, so please avoid details that could identify you.

The results will be used for [Name]'s development and will not be used for pay or promotion decisions. The form takes about 15 minutes. Please complete it by [deadline].

Part 3: Rating scale

Use this scale for every statement:

Part 4: Behavior statements

Rate how often [Name] shows each behavior.

Communication

1. Explains the reasons behind decisions, not only the decisions themselves.
2. Listens to other viewpoints without interrupting.
3. Shares information others need in time for it to be useful.
4. Adapts the message to the audience, avoiding unnecessary jargon.

Collaboration

5. Offers help to colleagues outside their own team when priorities allow.
6. Raises disagreements directly and respectfully with the person concerned.
7. Gives others credit for their contributions.
8. Keeps commitments made to colleagues and partner teams.

Problem-solving and decision-making

9. Gathers relevant facts before reaching a conclusion.
10. Asks for input from people affected before making significant decisions.
11. Makes timely decisions when information is incomplete.
12. Learns from mistakes and shares the lessons with others.

Delivering results

13. Sets clear priorities for their own work.
14. Delivers work to the agreed standard and deadline.
15. Informs stakeholders early when plans or priorities change.

Adaptability and learning

16. Responds constructively when plans change.
17. Asks for feedback on their own work.
18. Tries new approaches when the usual approach is not working.

For people managers only: Leading and developing others

19. Sets clear expectations for what good work looks like.
20. Gives specific feedback on what was done well and what could be improved.
21. Delegates work that stretches people's skills, with support when needed.
22. Makes time for regular conversations about development and career goals.

Part 5: Open questions

1. What should [Name] continue doing, because it works well?
2. What one change would most improve how [Name] works with you?
3. Is there anything else that would help [Name]'s development?

Part 6: Closing note

Thank you. Your feedback will be combined with others' and shared with [Name] in a confidential report, followed by a development conversation.

For the self-assessment version, keep the same statements and rephrase the instructions and open questions in the first person, for example "What should I continue doing?" Keeping the statements identical lets the report compare self-ratings with others' ratings directly.

How to adapt the template to a role

The generic template works for many roles, but feedback is more useful when the statements reflect what matters in the job.

Start from the role's competencies

If your organization has a competency framework, take the five to seven competencies most relevant to the role and use its behavior descriptions as the basis for your statements. If not, look at the job description and ask: "Which behaviors most separate effective people in this role from less effective ones?"

Adjust the level

The same competency looks different at different levels. For a team member, "delivering results" may mean meeting deadlines. For a senior leader, it may mean setting direction for several teams and balancing competing priorities. Rewrite statements so that raters can recognize them in the person's actual work.

Write or replace statements carefully

When you change a statement, check it against these rules:

1. One behavior per statement. "Communicates clearly and listens well" is two statements.
2. Observable. A rater must be able to see or hear it. "Is strategic" requires a guess; "Explains how the team's work supports company goals" does not.
3. Neutral wording. Avoid "always", "never" and other words that push raters towards one answer.
4. Relevant to the rater. If only direct reports can judge a behavior, show it only to them.
5. Clear in every language you use. If you run the form in Arabic and English, translate carefully and test both versions with a few employees.

For more ideas by competency and by rater group, see these 360 feedback questions.

Distributing the form and protecting confidentiality

How you distribute the template affects how honest the answers are.

1. Confirm the purpose in writing. Decide whether the feedback is for development or will also inform performance decisions, and say so in the instructions. If you plan to use it in a 360 performance appraisal, make that clear before anyone responds.
2. Select raters. Ask the person reviewed to nominate raters who have worked with them recently and closely, and let their manager review the list for balance. A common practice is three to eight raters per group, depending on team size.
3. Set a minimum group size. Many organizations show group results only when at least three people in a group respond, and merge smaller groups into an "others" category. Research by Greguras and Robie (1998) found that agreement between raters in the same group is often modest, which is another reason to collect several responses per group.
4. Use a neutral channel. Send the form from HR or a survey tool rather than from the person being reviewed, and avoid shared spreadsheets where raters can see each other's answers.
5. Give a clear deadline. Two weeks is common. Send reminders based on completion rates by group, not by naming individuals.
6. Store responses securely. Limit access to those who prepare the report. If you operate in Saudi Arabia, check your process against the Personal Data Protection Law published by the Saudi Data and AI Authority (SDAIA). This is a general note, not legal advice.