"Rater fatigue" refers to people giving feedback (the "raters") getting tired with the process of filling in feedback questionnaires.
If participants feel that they spend too much time giving feedback, then:
They may rush giving feedback, and the quality and usefulness of the answers will go down
They may make less time available for the process of reviewing feedback and creating an action plan
They are less likely to value the exercise, and may voice this frustration.
How do we avoid rater fatigue?
To avoid rater fatigue:
Clearly communicate the purpose of the 360 Feedback, and try to ensure participants understand and buy-in to the value of it
Don't make your questionnaire too long, or ask too many free-text questions. We recommend a maximum of 35 rating questions, and just 2 or 3 required free-text questions. It's fine to have other optional free-text questions!
Don't ask too many people for feedback - we generally recommend between 4 and 8
Keep an eye on your Feedback providers page. It will show how many times each person has been asked for feedback. If you see people with more than 10 requests, consider asking some of the employees being assessed to choose alternative feedback providers.