Annual Performance Review Nonsense

[scrabbler1]

At the end of the review was told that my performance was "Achieved Expectations" which on a scale of 1-5 is a 3. Here's the rub...last year I also was rated a 3 and I coasted all year. This year I was rated a 3 and busted my *ss...lesson learned, do what it takes to get by and count down those days to retirement!

As a corollary to this, I recall in my early working years (late 1980s through mid-1990s) that there was a greater spread in raises between highly rated employees versus average rated employees. So if you busted your *ss you got a 7% raise versus a 4% raise, pretty good incentive. [In the late 1980s, the spread was often even larger.]

But starting in the late 1990s through the 2000s, this range shrunk to 3% for the average rated employees and maybe 4% for the highly rated ones. So why should I bust my *ss to get a measly extra 1%?

Switching to working part-time starting in 2001 greatly simplified this issue. I was already forgoing about 40% of my pay so did I really care if my raise was 3% instead of 4%? No friggin way! This was a big first step towards freeing myself from the pressures of needing the (extra) money from working.

 

[rescueme]

But starting in the late 1990s through the 2000s, this range shrunk to 3% for the average rated employees and maybe 4% for the highly rated ones. So why should I bust my *ss to get a measly extra 1%?

Because it was worth an extra 25% raise (think of that, in investment terms ).

Sorry, that 4% withdrawl rate and the cost of fund management that we talk about often, got me thinking ...

 

[growing_older]

In my experience, annual reviews and performance appraisals often show strong recentcy bias, so that no matter how much effort and achievement was accomplished early in the year, most of the discussion and evaluation centered around current or most recent projects. For the nefarious, this means coasting early in the year followed by showy "working late" just before review time can yield top rewards.

 

[Bimmerbill]

I just got mine as well. Received excellent review. Can't wait to spend my performance reward/bonus of $414 (before taxes).

 

[brewer12345]

I just went through it and like the rest of you I hate the process. Fortunately my immediate boss also views this as largely a waste of time, so we got through it with a minimum of muss and fuss. Same shtty raise in any case.

 

[frayne]

Had em and gave em for more years than I'd like to remember. Pretty much a joke and a fabrication perpetuated on worker bees by the non worker bees in HR, or as we liked to refer to them, the make work people, for people who actually have work to do. I would venture to guess most HR departments should actually stick to administrating employee benefits and keep their respective noses out of the business of those actually adding value and making money for the corporation. In my 32 years with mega corp. I only had one HR manager I trusted and knew his place was to support and advise the rest of the departments and not to make unnecessary work.

 

[ziggy29]

But starting in the late 1990s through the 2000s, this range shrunk to 3% for the average rated employees and maybe 4% for the highly rated ones. So why should I bust my *ss to get a measly extra 1%?

Or try these days, when all of us have had ZERO for 5 of the last 6 years -- and the one time we didn't, I was highly rated and got 2%.

All the "top performers" are likely to get is a lower chance of pink slips when the next round of layoffs hits.

 

[Midpack]

I hated those annual performance evaluations! No matter how hard I worked or didn't....they would give a 2% across the board except to the ones who kissed enough ass!
Thank God I don't have that bs to deal with anymore!

I know this happens but what's the point of perf reviews if everyone gets the same increase anyway? It's not necessary. I had to hit a percent target for my plant, say 3%, but I was free to assign increases based on performance. Top performers might get 4 or 5%, though I knew I'd have to give or 1% or lots of 2% increases to below average performers. Not easy, but only fair IMO. Some of my peers gave everyone the same increase despite the freedom we had, just because they couldn't stomach giving anyone less, not sure how they became managers.

 

[ziggy29]

I know this happens but what's the point of perf reviews if everyone gets the same increase anyway?

These days it's not about who gets raises -- no one does -- it's about who gets laid off and who doesn't. The rest of us just get pushed harder to pick up the slack and told we should be thankful to just have a job.

 

[Brat]

I still think you should 'write your own review' in the reply area and if it is too small say 'see attachment'. It is hard to toot your own horn but you need to advocate for yourself. Executives do that all the time.

 

[REWahoo]

Writing, giving and getting performance appraisals are way up there on my list of things I'm really glad I no longer have to do.

Anyone ever work where 360 degree performance appraisals were required? You can tie up an entire organization for weeks tiptoeing through that [-]political minefield[/-] process. You had to review your subordinates, your peers, your boss and yourself. Multiply that by every supervisor in the organization and writing appraisals overwhelms all other tasks and becomes a huge demotivator.

 

[scrabbler1]

Writing, giving and getting performance appraisals are way up there on my list of things I'm really glad I no longer have to do.

Anyone ever work where 360 degree performance appraisals were required? You can tie up an entire organization for weeks tiptoeing through that [-]political minefield[/-] process. You had to review your subordinates, your peers, your boss and yourself. Multiply that by every supervisor in the organization and writing appraisals overwhelms all other tasks and becomes a huge demotivator.

For a few years in the mid-1990s, we had those 360 reviews on an optional, limited, and anonymous basis. We were allowed to review anyone above us in the heirarchy. They did not figure into anyone's raises or ratings but were included as attachments only to the target and not given to HR as part of our personnel file. I did them for a few people and a few others did them for me. But they quickly died out due to lack of interest.

 

[Midpack]

Anyone ever work where 360 degree performance appraisals were required? You can tie up an entire organization for weeks tiptoeing through that [-]political minefield[/-] process. You had to review your subordinates, your peers, your boss and yourself. Multiply that by every supervisor in the organization and writing appraisals overwhelms all other tasks and becomes a huge demotivator.

The mid-mega I used to work for instituted 360's. After 2-3 years, we (thankfully) dropped it. It was beyond cumbersome as you mentioned, and more often than not it didn't change the feedback employees got anyway. Subs were often afraid to be honest (why risk it) and some peers were conflicted because they might be vying for the same promotion and/or they really didn't know the employee like the boss or subs. Sometimes it was useful, usually not, and definitely unwieldy IME.

 

[eridanus]

I was a computer consultant or contract programmer most of my career, however, there was one year that I took a FT position with a company that I had done contract programming for.

Annual review time came and I could not believe all of the fuss that went on. We even had to attend an hour training class on how to go through an annual review.

I've received several conversion attempts lately and this is one of the major reasons that I don't bite. Annual reviews, Christmas parties, and the "generous" vacation granted...no thanks, I'll stick with contracting.

 

[Nuiloa]

Wow, you would be tough to work for! Work your butt off and consider yourself lucky to get paid. But, screw off just once and you're out of here.

To be honest, I hated doing annual reviews on my emloyees. I'll tell you how that all got started years ago. If you were a good supervisor you would review the performance of employees from time to time. Trouble is, most supervisors never gave their employees any feedback and then when something went wrong and you had to fire somebody, the employee and upper management wanted to know why they were never told about their shortcomings.

Tough but fair (at least I like to think so). I believe in communication. I give lots of feedback and small rewards throughout the year. Early on I learned that people seem to appreciate a surprise day off now and then even more than money. Of course, in our system, everyone gets a cost of living increase annually plus there are step increases as your career progresses - bonuses are not common.

Negative feedback is immediate and follows the usual step program: 1) verbal 2) written 3) final notice 4) security escort. Sometimes all of these occur in a short span of time

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

Anyone ever work where 360 degree performance appraisals were required? You can tie up an entire organization for weeks tiptoeing through that [-]political minefield[/-] process. You had to review your subordinates, your peers, your boss and yourself. Multiply that by every supervisor in the organization and writing appraisals overwhelms all other tasks and becomes a huge demotivator.

Yes. The best way to receive glowing recommendations is to give the same to those who are evaluating you.

Nothing constructive ever emerged from that process that I could tell.

 

[FinanceDude]

Based on threads like this, I am GLAD I am self-employed.........

 

[citrine]

Based on threads like this, I am GLAD I am self-employed.........

You and me both! BTW...I am the toughest boss I have EVER had!
As for a raise....I raise the price per hour by $10 after every 20 hrs of CEU's!

 

[MichaelB]

Yes. The best way to receive glowing recommendations is to give the same to those who are evaluating you.

Nothing constructive ever emerged from that process that I could tell.

Exactly. My experience with performance reviews is they are designed to be part of a process of continuous assessment but end up as simple tools tools to justify an outcome or decision that was reached without regard to the review itself.

 

[SJ1_]

Just finished my annual performance review. I got GLOWING remarks throughout the review with one comment on room for improvement regarding learning more about the system I support.

At the end of the review was told that my performance was "Achieved Expectations" which on a scale of 1-5 is a 3. Here's the rub...last year I also was rated a 3 and I coasted all year. This year I was rated a 3 and busted my *ss...lesson learned, do what it takes to get by and count down those days to retirement!

BTW, when I asked what I had to do to achieve an "Exceeds Expectations", which is required to get in the bonus pool, I was told "take on more important projects". Well, gee, you assign me my projects right

Rant over.

Before my reviews I keep telling myself "I don't care, I don't care I don't care...."
they still su#%
I think I have one more before I retire


s of 2012

 

[Lisa99]

Before my reviews I keep telling myself "I don't care, I don't care I don't care...."
they still su#%
I think I have one more before I retire


s of 2012

What a wonderful way to count down to retirement! Instead of the ever-so-long 52 months, I only have 4 more annual reviews until retirement!!!

And while yesterday s*cked, today is glorious. I got a notice from HR that I have 8 vacation days left and if I don't use them I lose them.

I informed my manager that Friday is my last working day for the year. Since there is no benefit in 'above and beyond' I'm not about to lose vacation days!

 

[JOHNNIE36]

Since retirement, my DW gives me an annual performance review ...

It always is the same - "Much room for improvement" ....

BTW, as one that gave them (as well as received them) during my "accumulation years", it is also difficult to give them - especially if you have a group of good performers who all deserve a raise, but upper management declares you can't just give an across the board increase, but must rate 1,2,3 etc. in performance.

I don't miss getting or receiving this annual "gift exchange". Add another one to the list...

I busted my gut when I read this post/reply. This is perfect by DW " MUCH ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT".

 

[JOHNNIE36]

I busted my gut when I read this post/reply. This is perfect by DW " MUCH ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT".

Has anyone ever responded to their own post? I just reread all the post and when I got to the end, I just had to laugh again at the post "MUCH ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT". LOL!!

 

[Lisa99]

Has anyone ever responded to their own post? I just reread all the post and when I got to the end, I just had to laugh again at the post "MUCH ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT". LOL!!

You're retired. You can do whatever you want, whenever you want...as long as the DW approves of it of course

 

[target2019]

Out of college I had a job with small business defense contractor, and stayed 4.5 years. Then went on my own for 25+ years. Then went to megacorp for past 5-6 years. Hopefully I can get another 2-3 years, and then retire to sub-contracting or part-time small business consulting as required.

I don't think you can extrapolate from one company to another. But I generally think that my megacorp review system is a joke on the workers. Comment above about the worker bees is correct. I came to this job with experience that the defense contractor needed. Seems they were adding many people who just couldn't work. For the first 4 years I got the 3 out of 5 rating. Each time I would ask my boss, "Why do you think I am mediocre?" For reference, the 3 gets you about a 2% raise.

Last year, with new boss, I got a 4 rating. That translated into 2.75%. He was real happy with my work, but I knew I wouldn't see that rating for another 5 years. As predicted, today I got a mediocre "3" for 2011. I actually did more this year, so it verifies what many are writing in there responses. Boss still appreciates the work, and there is nothing negative in the review. It's just the way things work. I know this stuff is pushed down on him each year, and he can only do so much. There is a pool of money, and they need to spread it in a way that reduces risk to the corporation.

If you have a tuition assistance program at your megacorp, take advantage of that, as it provides the biggest bang for your time investment. I will leave with an MSC or maybe an MBA and an MSC (lol), and we'll see if I have the chops to run at a higher rate when I leave megacorp.

I count myself as fortunate to have continuous employment, but always work towards other options, as we just don't know when the axe will fall.