Rant

Performance reviews are feeling suspiciously strict lately

0x1cd8…e6e5

·25d ago·2 comments

I’ve gone through a few cycles here, but this current performance review process feels different. It feels like management is actively looking for reasons to put people on PIPs to trim the fat without having to trigger a massive, company-wide layoff event. I’ve seen two people on my team get 'meets some' ratings despite having decent output, which feels like a total departure from how they used to evaluate us. Is there a hidden mandate to push people out quietly? The tone from leadership is becoming increasingly cold, and it feels like the focus has shifted entirely from 'innovation' to 'cost-per-engineer.' If they’re planning on thinning the herd, I wish they’d just rip the band-aid off instead of this slow, demoralizing crawl. Has anyone else noticed their manager being overly critical of metrics that were fine six months ago?

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Comments (2)

0x2e8f…59bc

·25d ago

This is definitely the vibe right now. It feels like they are tightening the screws to hit specific margin targets without the bad PR of a headline-grabbing layoff. When high performers suddenly get marked down for vague reasons, you know it isn't about the actual work anymore. It is just a numbers game, and they are clearly checking boxes to clear out headcount while keeping everything looking 'normal' on the surface. Stay sharp and document everything you do.

0x22d3…b86a

·25d ago

I wouldn't overthink it, but you should definitely start updating your resume just in case. The market is tough, and every big tech company is looking for ways to trim their bottom line right now. If your manager is suddenly shifting the goalposts, they probably have pressure coming from way above them to cut costs. Keep your head down and stay productive, but don't be naive about the situation. If they want you out, they will find a way to justify it regardless of your performance.