When someone asks me why I'm demotivated and only work the bare minimum, I tell them this:
Whoever said the company hasn't told managers to give a certain number of "partially achieved" ratings regardless of performance is absolutely lying. I have been told by my manager that exceeds are given when they need to justify a promotion or some such event and they are absolutely forced to give out partially achieveds, even if everyone on the team deserves an achieved. This year the people who were rif'd all got achieveds regardless of performance since they no longer need to justify a future termination.
Great post, @1bdu+1eHqIg8g