Thursday, March 11, 2010

Annual Performance Review

The name "Annual Performance Review" is a misnomer in many businesses. It leads a person to believe that their potential raise is based on how they have performed their job over the past year. In most work places, it's total bullshit!

I have my review in two weeks. It was supposed to be this past Monday but the boss postponed it due to her unforeseen personal issues...she's got a thing for me. Just kidding. Anyway, I've got some form thingy I have to fill out regarding certain listed criteria that I feel like I am NOT DOING, LEARNING, DOING, EXCELLING, or whatever. More bullshit! The last two sections/questions have to do with my goal #1 and #2.

So, we already know what my raise percentage is. It is 1.5%. Yes, 1.5%. I could take this as I should be glad that I have a job and that I'm getting something. I am glad that I have a job but getting 1.5% is just like getting nothing. For instance, if you make $20,000 and get a 1.5% raise, your new salary would be $20,300. Does that make any significant improvement to your worth? I think not. It could take 3 years or more before you could make it into a higher tax bracket. Maybe if you get 1.5% over next 10-20 years it could show some significant improvement but that's a long damn time.

I guess something is better than nothing perception-wise. I guess it lets the employee know that the company thinks enough of them to try and at least give them a percentage in these tough economic times. I'll give them that.

I'm not really bitter. I'm just making a point. I didn't get a job at a university to make the big bucks. You only make the big bucks as a professor at a university and then it even differentiates depending on for what part of the campus you teach.

My point is that why make me jump through the bullshit to get this 1.5%? You already know what percent I'm getting which is NOT based upon my performance. If my performance sucked, I wouldn't be getting the 1.5%. My boss says at least there is some record in my file if she isn't here some where down the road showing what a stellar employee I've been. That's great and all but my thoughts are: write something up, let me review it. If I agree, I'll sign and give back to her to file. If I disagree, then we talk about it. Easy smeasy.

So let's change the term "Annual Performance Review" if it isn't technically based on an employee's performance. It should be called "Based-on-what-we-can-give-you Review."


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