Is this ok? Boss asked me complete a performance evaluation of her

[RioIndy]

This seems very odd to me, but my manager just e-mailed me a request to complete a Peer Evaluation of her performance, to give back to her so that that she could then pass it on to her boss to be used in her (my manager's) year end performance review. "as it would help her out". This would not be anonymous.

Is this not extremely out of place?

She also asked me to do this, just before she will be completing her performance evaluation of me for my year end review.

I have confirmed that no other employee has been asked to do this but me, and this has never been asked before according to employees who have been here for years.

I would have nothing good to say about this manager. She is universally disliked among the staff, she is insecure, desperate, artificial and abusive to her employees and has shown that she will step on anyone to get ahead. She constantly tells her staff it's her way or the highway. She has been a primary reason for the exodus of many of our most talented employees and for extremely low moral in our department, which is also causing the department to lose millions due to no motivation. People specifically choose shifts that are opposite of her just to limit the time they have to deal with her. I too will not be here much longer for these same reasons.

Here are some of the questions: What has this person contributed to the department and to the company? Has this person met or exceeded performance expectations for their role? Would you like to work with this person again? Why or why not? What are this person's strengths and where can this person improve?

I would have to lie on every single question.

Also, when I first arrived and quickly became one of her top performers, she was thrilled with how much money I was bringing in and everything I was doing to make her look good, but at the end when it came to my first year-end review she suddenly shat all over my review and found any excuse possible to not give me a raise. Same thing for my next review. Naturally like every other employee I have no reason to try or care anymore. She has shown that she will not scratch my back.

The only thing she has ever done for me is a couple months ago she agreed to support me in my moving up a position which would take me off her team. So the concern could be that if I don't do this it has possibility of jeapordizing that promotion.

Has anyone here ever been asked to something like this? Is it even ok for her to ask me to do this? Thanks in advance for any advice.

EDIT: I am leaning towards just choosing not to do it. Based on the document I don't even think I qualify to complete this. Would be my best option? I lose no matter what.

 

[Big_Hitter]

yes, it's called 360 feedback

 

[Nemo2]

Fill it out, tell the truth, and hand it personally to her boss......then be prepared to duck.

 

[Blueskies123]

They have been doing this for years. I am surprised you have not heard of this tool. Perhaps this bosses boss is asking them to do this to fire them. I suggest you answer truthfully but in a very constructive manner.
Google 360 feedback.

 

[rodi]

I would go to *her* superior with this (or HR if it's a larger company with an HR department.) Explain that you are uncomfortable being honest (good and bad) if it's not anonymous.

In the meantime, change the subject everytime she brings it up...

Her: "Can you fill out my performance review when you get a chance?"
You: "I need to get more info on project X before I meet with client Y later this week."

 

[FIREmenow]

I suggest you answer truthfully but in a very constructive manner.

+1 Heavy on the *VERY*

 

[RioIndy]

Interesting that many of you ave heard of this occurring, while none of my co-workers or friends or family have ever heard of this, many of them veterans in their careers.

I'm still leaning towards simply declining politely as possible, but have another couple days to contemplate.

 

[Sunset]

I was in a company where the boss asked everyone in a meeting to do this.

I did it and VERY FOOLISHLY told the truth, which did not make her look good. I had no axe to grind and was simply being honest in the belief that she could work on some issues and become a better person/boss.

Within a week, she decided I was under performing and needed to be PIPed (Performance Improvement Plan). She gave me impossible tasks or tasks with impossible timelines all of which got noted on my PIP.

This is how you get fired from a job.

If you do it and praise your boss, it justifies her actions like not rewarding you. If you do it and you criticise her, you will be fired soon.

Either way you lose.

 

[MichaelB]

Has anyone here ever been asked to something like this? Is it even ok for her to ask me to do this? Thanks in advance for any advice.

EDIT: I am leaning towards just choosing not to do it. Based on the document I don't even think I qualify to complete this. Would be my best option? I lose no matter what.

This is unusual. 360 feedback and peer review is common, but when evaluating one's manager, anonymity is critical, the feedback is handled by a third party - usually HR - and only in statistically relevant groups. This is not that.

It is not easy to deal with a manager that invites you to collude and delivers a subtle, implied threat. Perhaps respond asking if HR is aware of and approves of this "invited feedback". No matter what, proceed with caution.

 

[Jack_Pine]

We do the 360 reviews at my company all the time at the higher levels. Nothing to see here....move along. Except for the not being anonymous. Ours have always been that way. I don't see how they work if they are not.

 

[MRG]

yes, it's called 360 feedback

Did this for years but anonymously. Never heard of a subordinate doing it without the cover of multiple reviewers and an anonymous review.

I'd decline.

Why, years ago six of us rated our manager, genuinely a good guy. His main issue was he'd drive the team too hard ( EX. a major software project had recently been done over a 3 day Fourth of July weekend). One of the questions was "does this person use manipulation?" We all answered "to the extreme". True, but that wasn't how the guy saw himself. He was really hurt! Thankfully he took the point and attempted to change(didn't work) but a lesser person might retaliate. Your description of this person is not one I'd trust. YMMV.

 

[photoguy]

This seems very odd to me, but my manager just e-mailed me a request to complete a Peer Evaluation of her performance, to give back to her so that that she could then pass it on to her boss to be used in her (my manager's) year end performance review. "as it would help her out". This would not be anonymous.

It's a tarp

Did this for years but anonymously. Never heard of a subordinate doing it without the cover of multiple reviewers and an anonymous review.

+1.

Had this at multiple places I've worked but it was always anonymous through the HR system and if the supervisor didn't receive a minimum number of reviews, they didn't see any of the responses (HR could still see them).

 

[tulak]

I'd recommend being cautiously paranoid. Two issues I see: the first is that it's not anonymous and the second is that you're the only one that's been asked.

Keep in mind, the company will always back the manager over the employee.

I think punting on this task might not be a bad approach. You could also try and see if this HR approved feedback or if she's gone rogue. Maybe by asking that you're unfamiliar with this new feedback process, how does it work, how's the data used, are others involved in your group or the company, etc?

But odds are you're better off figuring out how to get a new manager as quickly as possible. Good luck!

 

[RockyMtn]

We had a similar thing at my megacorp. It was always anonymous though.

 

[gauss]

It's a tarp

I heard auto sales are down this month, but another bailout - really?


On a more serious note - I have heard of the 360 feedback for almost a decade but it was usually in the context of discussions with friends in Management positions.

 

[jazz4cash]

No, it's not OK.

I am very surprised by how many responses are effectively, "yeah we did the same thing, but anonymously". Without anonymity, IT'S NOT THE SAME THING AT ALL!!!

 

[dallas27]

Go immediately to hr and tell them this situation is unpleasant, and you would like their guidance on the appropriate action.


Sent from my iPhone using Early Retirement Forum

 

[Gotadimple]

It is OK: if she asks if she can give your name to HR/her boss as one of her reviewers. Then someone besides her comes to you and asks for performance feedback. She does not see the result.

I've done this a number of times when I was working. That said, if you are the only employee in the set of reviewers and your criticisms are included in the review, she may be able to spot your contribution.

Go to HR tell them what she's asked of you, ask for guidance. If they don't give you advice you feel comfortable with, then do nothing. If she asks when you're turning it in, tell her you are uncomfortable with providing reviews of other people.

The real issue is you don't want your words used in her review - ever.

Rita

 

[tulak]

Go immediately to hr and tell them this situation is unpleasant, and you would like their guidance on the appropriate action.


Sent from my iPhone using Early Retirement Forum

I don't think this is good advice. Remember that HR is there to represent the company, not you. The manager is part of the company. You are only an employee. Even when you, the employee, are right and the manager is wrong, HR will protect the manager. They might deal with the manager at a later date, but that is no help to the employee.

 

[ivinsfan]

I don't think this is good advice. Remember that HR is there to represent the company, not you. The manager is part of the company. You are only an employee. Even when you, the employee, are right and the manager is wrong, HR will protect the manager. They might deal with the manager at a later date, but that is no help to the employee.

Instead of unpleasant just use the word confusing and ask them to explain how it works.

 

[Car-Guy]

I've done it before. If it's not anonymous, my response would probably depend on how close I was to retirement.

 

[Aerides]

Peer feedback is for peers, not for boss/employee.

I would just not do it, i wouldn't decline, I would just... not get around to it. If really pressed, fake it and get it over with, but stall and it will probably go away.

 

[dd564]

Just a note...

The anonymous ones are almost NEVER anonymous.
I had thought one was, and then I was informed that the manager only sees the results if "more than 5" people in their group respond.

Well, one out of five is not anonymous. My thought was that it being anonymous meant the results would be viewed at the high level of the company, not at each manager's level.

With one out of five, my manager easily could have figured out who was who by how things were typed.

Never assume they are anonymous, and only respond honestly if you want to lose your job.

 

[Silver]

We did "360" reviews where I worked last, and they were not anonymous. The manager asked for volunteers from their work teams, or assigned staff to complete them if there are no volunteers.


Both managers and staff saw the fact they were not anonymous as positive. It seemed to prevent paranoia, held people responsible for telling the truth, and protected them when they did. HR maintained copies as a part of the manager's file, and staff that participated felt confident that if issues came up related to providing honest feedback, they would be dealt with.


It was just part of the organizational culture.

 

[Cobra9777]

I would get 360 feedback requests at least 2 or 3 times per month. I didn’t have time to complete them all. So I would pick and choose where I knew the person well and thought my feedback might make a difference. It was always anonymous and usually my peers, but certainly not unusual to get requests from one level up or down. I don’t ever recall getting a request from a direct-report or my boss. I don’t think that’s how it was designed to work.

At my Megacorp, the 360 feedback process was only used for development purposes, never directly for performance evaluation. In HR, we had 360 feedback “coaches” who would work with individuals to select respondents, understand the feedback, develop improvement plans, and follow-up for several months or even years. The feedback never went to the individual’s supervisor. I sometimes asked certain direct-reports to go through the 360 feedback process. I never saw the feedback, but they always shared with me the improvement plans that resulted and this typically became part of their official development plan for the year.

What the OP described is not consistent with my understanding of the 360 feedback process. But I suppose different organizations have different ways of doing things. Still, I would definitely decline in this case.