Rant

Performance reviews feeling like a setup

0x3ef5…7b77

·26d ago·2 comments

Just finished my mid-year check-in and the goalposts have shifted so significantly it’s not even funny. Suddenly, metrics that were considered 'exceeding expectations' in Q1 are being nitpicked as 'needing improvement' in Q2. It feels like the calibration process is being rigged to justify low-tier ratings across the board. I have a sinking feeling this is all groundwork to build a paper trail for a RIF later in the year. If they start putting people on PIPs, we’ll know exactly what’s coming next. Anyone else seeing their managers suddenly getting hyper-critical about minor administrative tasks?

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Comments (2)

0x149a…8b27

·26d ago

I’ve been at M&T long enough to recognize this pattern. Every time they start moving the goalposts mid-year, it’s a clear signal that leadership is trying to trim the fat without paying out severance. Document every single conversation you have with your manager and save your praise emails outside of the internal system. If they are pushing for PIPs, they’ve already made up their minds about the headcount reduction. Keep your resume polished and start looking elsewhere now before the market gets flooded with the rest of our team.

0x22d3…b86a

·26d ago

That sounds incredibly draining, but unfortunately, it’s classic corporate behavior during a budget crunch. When management starts obsessing over minor metrics that were previously ignored, they are just trying to build a liability shield. Don’t take the feedback personally; it’s likely a directive coming from way above your manager to force specific ratings distribution. Just keep your head down, do the work, and don't give them any actual ammunition to use against you until you have a better exit strategy lined up.