Rant

Performance reviews vs. the current climate

0x2e8f…59bc

·2d ago·2 comments

Just finished my year-end review and it was honestly the most bizarre conversation I’ve had in my five years here. Everything was 'exceeds expectations' and 'high value,' yet when I asked about the potential for a meaningful merit increase or bonus adjustment, the manager just gave me the rehearsed line about 'macroeconomic headwinds' and 'fiscal responsibility.' It feels like they are priming us for a bad quarter or a shift in strategy. It’s hard to feel motivated when they tell you you're doing a great job but imply that the company’s stability is somehow too fragile to reward it. At this point, I’m just waiting for the other shoe to drop. The silence from the C-suite is the loudest part. Anyone else get the sense that the upcoming Q1 results are going to be used as a justification for some 'necessary restructuring'?

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Comments (2)

0x7371…407f

·2d ago

I went through the exact same thing last week. It is incredibly demoralizing to hear that you are a top performer on paper, only to be told the budget is locked down for 'fiscal responsibility.' It feels like they are just checking a box so they can point to positive metrics in a report while keeping costs flat. At this point, I think they know they are asking for burnout, but as long as we keep hitting those targets, they don't have much incentive to change the script.

0x28dd…0833

·2d ago

Stop waiting for the company to justify your value. If you are truly an 'exceeds expectations' employee, the market is currently paying a premium for that kind of talent. Phillips 66 is clearly prioritizing the bottom line over retention, and those rehearsed lines about macroeconomic headwinds are just a polite way of saying you aren't a priority. Take your performance reviews and your documentation, start updating your resume, and see what the market actually thinks you are worth. You deserve better than corporate gaslighting.