The demotivation continues

"Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing." (granfury)
11/27/2018 at 10:41 • Filed to: None

Review time. I thought I was much improved over last year, my rookie year, and rated myself as such. A number of items in the review process were team goals and given the lack of information as to our performance as a group I gave us 3/5 as a team. Well, management didn’t agree and gave us 1/5 on 80% of the targets. This resulted in some rather low scores overall, and I was of course disappointed to see that my score this year was lower than last year. I was quite pissed until I saw that even one of our stellar performers got a score lower than my score from last year. And yes, raises are tied to this score, so the sarcastic bastard in me wonders if the unobtainable targets with corresponding low scores was just a means to control raises. I still like my job, but I’m really beginning to question the goals of upper management.

DISCUSSION (23)

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing.
11/27/2018 at 10:54

And yes, raises are tied to this score, so the sarcastic bastard in me wonders if the unobtainable targets with corresponding low scores was just a means to control raises.

Do not wonder, that’s exactly what it is.

WilliamsSW > Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing.
11/27/2018 at 11:00

If you’re surprised by your review, that tells me that management has failed. If your team really didn’t perform well, management should be telling you guys throughout the year, and working with you to address the issues.

Or, it’s what you said - they’re suppressing raises. Which is bullshit- I would rather be told I’m doing a good job but there’s no raise money than get a fake bad review to avoid giving me money.

Either way, I think looking elsewhere might be a good idea, if management is incompetent.

Chariotoflove > Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing.
11/27/2018 at 11:00

Oh, and don’t underestimate the evaluation as a tool for management. Not only can they use it to limit raises now , those filed poor reviews will leave you exposed down the road if they decide they don’t need or want you anymore.

Performance evaluations: making you feel disposable since...the beginning of corporations.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing.
11/27/2018 at 11:08

My employer gives me good reviews but shit raises anyway. So yeah...

LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
11/27/2018 at 11:14

^ Yup.

LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com > Chariotoflove
11/27/2018 at 11:18

This is why I make sure that the wording on my review is precise in any area where a description is written by my boss. He is good to work with, and it is tempting to think , “everyone will know what this really meant” but I can’t be sure who might be review it or when, so I try to think of someone putting the worst possible spin on it and then try to get it worded to limit my risk .

Ssfancyfresh > Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing.
11/27/2018 at 11:22

What do you do?

Future next gen S2000 owner > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
11/27/2018 at 11:34

Gotta keep that budget in check.

Ash78, voting early and often > Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing.
11/27/2018 at 11:48

In today’s job market, they’re just signing a plan for turnover. I’ve never seen even a mediocre employee get rated below a 3/5 unless they did something specifically bad after being warned.

But even with a bunch of 4/5 and 5/5, I’ve gotten a 1% raise the past couple years for larger budgetary reasons. We’re all “feeling the pain” is the usual story. How about t he pain of 5%-10% healthcare increases? Stagnant wages are all over the place, which doesn’t make sense in light of how tight the job market is right now. Wages are going to have to increase across the board, they’re just lagging right now.

BKosher84 > Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing.
11/27/2018 at 11:49

Pro-Tip: Work for the g overnment. They give you goals that aren’t connected to any real motivation (like getting a raise) and you’ll never have to worry about them or raises ever again!

TheRealBicycleBuck > Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing.
11/27/2018 at 12:07

Ratings that low in my company would be the first step to termination. They fired one guy because he tried and failed to pass the PE exam three times.

Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing. > BKosher84
11/27/2018 at 12:53

I sort of do. I work for a municipal transit agency, in a division that never has a hope of ever seeing a profit (paratransit as part of ADA compliance). We lose something like $60 every time we move a passenger.

They’re using some new online crap to do evaluations and goals and the like. But some of these things that we were judged on, such as driver retention, are out of our control, at least those of us in the trenches. I don’t know how large the team is that’s being evaluated because I believe it should include upper local management if we’re going to be judged on such criteria.

In this software there was the option to dispute items before signing off, but it seems to me that they really don't give a shit about feedback or accuracy. If my rating is relatively low I don't see any point in criticizing and rocking the boat unless I already have something else lined up. It sucks, but sometimes there are battles best not fought, even when you're correct.

Chariotoflove > LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com
11/27/2018 at 13:03

I also take advantage of the opportunity to detail my response to the review. In my field, it’s obvious when you are having success, and no one cares how you got there. B ut when you’re in a dry spell, there are multiple reasons why, and it becomes really important to identify the causes because you get scrutinized so much more.

Flynorcal: pilot, offshore sailor, car racer and panty thief > Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing.
11/27/2018 at 15:59

You’ll go far. You figured out exactly, and I do mean exactly, how your work is screwing you and your coworkers in only a year.

I guarantee you you’ve got people who have been there ten years who still chip in a little extra hoping to get ahead and think eventually someone will notice and truly appreciate it.

PyramidHat > WilliamsSW
12/01/2018 at 10:24

I and that scenario happen. My boss was very happy with my performance, but our new company (we were bought by a Catalonian company which is used to low wages and high unemployment ) thought we were all overpaid...so they gave me a 0.5% raise. My boss was embarrassed to even tell me. Mind, I live in the Bay Area, so the rest of the world thinks we’re overpaid without considering the cost of living...

WilliamsSW > PyramidHat
12/01/2018 at 10:28

That sucks. But living in the Bay Area, I presume you have options to move on if need be, I hope.

PyramidHat > Ash78, voting early and often
12/01/2018 at 10:28

Old company used a 3x3 matrix (work x quality) formraises. I regularly rated 2x3 which is good. To get 3x3 you essentially have to be doing 2 jobs, well. My raise was 2.7%. The 3x3 raise was 3.2%. Not worth the effort...

PyramidHat > WilliamsSW
12/01/2018 at 10:29

Oh, I bailed 3.5 years ago...much better now...

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > WilliamsSW
12/01/2018 at 22:02

It tells me that management is afraid of their own shadows.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing.
12/01/2018 at 22:03

If they’re rating driver retention, and you still work there, isn’t that a 5/5?

Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing. > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
12/01/2018 at 22:53

Kinja'd!!!

That might be a factor if I was a driver, but I’m not. I’m a paratransit dispatcher, the guy on the phones and radios trying to keep the buses on time and customers happy, which is a thankless and impossible task - vilified by drivers, customers and senior management simultaneously. It’s a wonder we don’t all have drinking problems...

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing.
12/02/2018 at 08:56

Have you considered looking for work in ambulance dispatching, or 9-1-1 dispatch?

BigBlock440 > Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing.
12/07/2018 at 23:00

That happened at my last job, pretty much gave everybody 1's so they didn’t have to pay out bonuses. I was out of there the first chance I got, much better now, and I’m making 32% more than I did at that miserable place, barely a year ago.