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Performance Reviews Are a Waste of Time

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Re: Performance Reviews Are a Waste of Time

#261

Post by scarface74 »

Taniwha wrote: post #228
organicmultiloc wrote: post #224

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe you shouldn't frame your compensation in terms of a "COLA adjustment" although I'm quite sure your employer would prefer that meek mindset.

I've been in this biz for 40 years, I've had years of way above average salary jumps - I expect a COLA every year, not something unreasonable

My experience is just the opposite in my 22 years. I've only twice received a raise of more than 3% - once in 1997 when I was "promoted" to a junior programmer from a computer operator ($11K) and once again in 2000 at a different job with a ($10K) market adjustment.

I learned my lesson after 7 years of COLAs (I was a slow learner /s). Jump ship at the first sign that the company won't pay you your market rate.

Now 10 years, 5 jobs, and $70K later, I don't expect major jumps anymore. I'm within $15,000 of the most that any company in my local market is willing to pay an individual contributor. I have no desire for management and I live a comfortable life.

Re: Performance Reviews Are a Waste of Time

#262

Post by lskadf93idk »

adrianmonk wrote: post #129

Paraphrasing what a manager told me once: "If anything in your performance review is a surprise, then I have failed as a manager." Coaching is not a purpose of a performance review. The coaching and communication should be an ongoing process that happens before the review. Problems should be brought up early enough that you have a chance to change or improve before it gets to the point of being written in a review. I…

We have performance reviews not annually, but every few years.

My last review, the head of our division got really angry with me and gave me a very negative, punitive review.

What I am infuriated about is that never in that few years did I receive any negative feedback, and I tried to do exactly what our subdivision had decided as a group to do, and what the immediate superior had wanted. My last review was glowing, perfect. So I go from a perfect review to being treated like a failure, fireable, with no negative feedback in the interim.

Imagine if you in your area had discussed things, come to consensus decisions, you were willing to do everything asked of you, and then four years later someone higher up singles you out and yells at you for not doing what you're supposed to etc. As if you've been getting feedback that whole time.

The worst part of this is that I know someone in our area is close friends with this division head and basically complains about everyone except one person in our area.

So now I have this negative review, as if I were just being lazy, even impaired in my duties, and not doing my part when the whole time I just thought I was doing what we were supposed to.

It's depressing as hell to me, and also angering.

Re: Performance Reviews Are a Waste of Time

#263

Post by jonny_eh »

Taniwha wrote: post #219
adrianmonk wrote: post #129

Paraphrasing what a manager told me once: "If anything in your performance review is a surprise, then I have failed as a manager." Coaching is not a purpose of a performance review. The coaching and communication should be an ongoing process that happens before the review. Problems should be brought up early enough that you have a chance to change or improve before it gets to the point of being written in a review. I…

I think there's another reason for annual performance reviews ... to remind management that it's time for a COLA without it becoming a big deal

What's a COLA?

Re: Performance Reviews Are a Waste of Time

#264

Post by kelnos »

scarface74 wrote: post #239
sizzle wrote: post #230

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thanks for sharing your experience. I'm still early in my career so it helps to hear this.

That gives me an excuse to give another piece of advice.... In the grand scheme of things, there are three things I think developers should look for. 1. Technology - always look for companies that will give you a marketable skillset. It's worth sacrificing some amount of free time, a not so great environment, and money temporarily. The money will come. Leave a company if you're not learning (of course vesting in stoc…

This is excellent advice, and I just wanted to add one thing: under "environment", I would also include "people". I want to be working with smart, driven, friendly, respectful people. YMMV on those specific people traits that you value, but to me who I work with is one of the most important things on the list for job satisfaction.

Good people help you learn along the way, and you can pay if back by mentoring other good people. They will also remember you (and you can remember them) down the road when you've moved on to new companies and someone needs a new job.

Re: Performance Reviews Are a Waste of Time

#265

Post by [deleted] »

laythea wrote: post #149
CameronBanga wrote: post #143

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think the key in the OP's sentence is "who are otherwise unencumbered". There's a significant amount of privilege in our society for white males, which makes it much easier for the group to offer their employer long hours with initially less pay, etc.

"There's a significant amount of privilege in our society for white males" I think comments like this are part of the problem.

[deleted]

Re: Performance Reviews Are a Waste of Time

#266

Post by pasbesoin »

I mostly found them to be a political tool.

In that role, they can work very well. (My role being one of observation, not use of / manipulation.) Of course, they aren't really even trying to objectively measure and improve performance.

I mean, they work well for furthering the politics and furthering the ambitions of those in control of the review process.

I didn't find this very productive, in terms of the organizational performance nor, long-term, well-being. Existing powers become entrenched, and turf becomes more important than progress.

Eventually, "outsiders" are brought in, one way or another, to break this up. And most of them know very well and make a career of putting themselves first.

The review process tends to be or become separated from day-to-day work and communication. It exists "out-of-band", and it can end up -- including deliberately -- uninformed by and mis-informed about that actual day-to-day and project results.

I.e. It's very easy to manipulate. And there are always people more than willing to take advantage of this.

Re: Performance Reviews Are a Waste of Time

#267

Post by scarface74 »

kelnos wrote: post #264
scarface74 wrote: post #239

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That gives me an excuse to give another piece of advice.... In the grand scheme of things, there are three things I think developers should look for. 1. Technology - always look for companies that will give you a marketable skillset. It's worth sacrificing some amount of free time, a not so great environment, and money temporarily. The money will come. Leave a company if you're not learning (of course vesting in stoc…

This is excellent advice, and I just wanted to add one thing: under "environment", I would also include "people". I want to be working with smart, driven, friendly, respectful people. YMMV on those specific people traits that you value, but to me who I work with is one of the most important things on the list for job satisfaction. Good people help you learn along the way, and you can pay if back by mentoring other go…

Definitely. At the job where I was the "architect", I felt lost. I could only learn technical things from reading. I was hired to be the "smartest person in the room" but that meant I couldn't learn. But I did learn a lot more about leadership, being responsible for a project budget, interviewing, hiring, technical decision from a strategic viewpoint etc.

Re: Performance Reviews Are a Waste of Time

#268

Post by MBCook »

stealthmodeclan wrote: post #253
iamcasen wrote: post #198

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's pretty unrealistic, as you can be fired for any reason, at least in most states in the USA. It's called at will employment, and all a manager has to do is say "You know, things just aren't working out, good bye!"

So employees don't sue for unfair firing?

They do, but unless you can prove you were fired for one of the reasons that is explicitly illegal you’ll lose. And of course that can be hard to prove even if true.

Re: Performance Reviews Are a Waste of Time

#269

Post by mewse »

lquist wrote: post #259
adrianmonk wrote: post #129

Paraphrasing what a manager told me once: "If anything in your performance review is a surprise, then I have failed as a manager." Coaching is not a purpose of a performance review. The coaching and communication should be an ongoing process that happens before the review. Problems should be brought up early enough that you have a chance to change or improve before it gets to the point of being written in a review. I…

An opposing viewpoint from Andy Grove's High Output Management: Let's talk about surprises. If you have discharged supervisory responsibilities adequately throughout the year, holding regular one- on-one meetings and providing guidance when needed, there should never be surprises at a performance, right? Wrong. When you are using the worksheet, sometimes you come up with a message that will startle you. So what do yo…

I don't think that's an opposing viewpoint.

If a manager discovers a long-standing issue whilst preparing for the performance review, then yes, they absolutely must "swallow hard and bring it up".

But not having noticed or provided feedback about that issue at any point in the past is still a failure of management.

Re: Performance Reviews Are a Waste of Time

#270

Post by mrhappyunhappy »

lskadf93idk wrote: post #262
adrianmonk wrote: post #129

Paraphrasing what a manager told me once: "If anything in your performance review is a surprise, then I have failed as a manager." Coaching is not a purpose of a performance review. The coaching and communication should be an ongoing process that happens before the review. Problems should be brought up early enough that you have a chance to change or improve before it gets to the point of being written in a review. I…

We have performance reviews not annually, but every few years. My last review, the head of our division got really angry with me and gave me a very negative, punitive review. What I am infuriated about is that never in that few years did I receive any negative feedback, and I tried to do exactly what our subdivision had decided as a group to do, and what the immediate superior had wanted. My last review was glowing,…

It could have been a positioning move to justify firing down the road. I freelance now but when I went through 9-5 I found the key to positive outcomes was always tied to confidence. The confidence I tried to harness cane in a form of acting like I was the boss with nobody above me. I found that my own bosses saw this as a strength and never questioned my judgement. Even when someone came back with logical counterpoints I'd stick up for my opinion very aggressively.

I can't imagine working in a place that yells at me - that would be the final nail in the coffin where I would that that person everything I think of them and their inaptitude to "manage". I guess that's why I no longer punch the clock.

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