Long-time IC in Controls. Exceeds (or Consistently Exceeds) for years – same leader, same scope, volume, quality, and achievements - the language that used to get Exceeds is now documented as Meets/“High Meets” (which means nothing, makes you nothing, but a su---r).
Boss said no one on the team got Exceeds. Several big items completed in Q3/Q4 “won’t count until next cycle” per manager although that’s not what I was told at mid year.
Meanwhile, folks doing bare minimum (some barely in office) also get Meets, and some lower-in-range are getting raises while high Meets/higher-in-range get $0.
Hearing this is widespread forced calibration / distribution in Controls areas – entire teams capped, downgrades from Exceeds to Meets/IM despite no performance drop. Some threads mention 10% forced IM ratings, RTO used as excuse for lowers, and budget issues hitting higher-paid/long-tenured folks hardest.
Question for others in similar boat:
• Is there any meaningful recourse? (e.g., formal dispute through HR/ethics line – has anyone actually gotten a rating changed or it backfired?)
• Does this feel like a way to push out top performers/high earners (maybe to manage comp costs or make room in layoffs)? Or just calibration gone wild this year?
Not looking to rant endlessly – just trying to understand if fighting it is worth it or if it’s time to dust off the resume.
22 replies (most recent on top)
@dq that's happened to me previously. The manager above your manager probably changed your review. My manager flat out told me that happened.
Performance ratings at WF are entirely subjective. I've seen those who do next to nothing get good reviews. Those who go above and beyond get bad ones. Why? Perhaps it has to do with personal relationships with their leadership (no, not THAT kind of relationship!) The kind of relationship where being friends counts more than your co-worker's work. Or some other reason.
What I'm saying is, most jobs cannot be reduced to "X accounts out of Y total moved to Z status" as a main, repetitive function. I'm in IT. We have projects, we have proposals, we have technical things that do not repeat. So how does one come up with "exceeds" or "meets"? Its Judgement! And that means its subjective, not objective.
All this ballyhoo over "if you always get exceeds then you must be ready for the next level!" is a bunch of junk. Most people on this board I feel have not been subject to harsh treatment, or bad reviews or (fill in the blank). They are happy minions who get paid and complain about little things.
I myself have been through the process and frankly it has been eye-opening. I was lucky that I had a few good managers who understood what we in IT did. Ever since Schart has come on board, all that has been up-ended. Resulting in this board being full of comments (like mine). Prior to Shart, I don't recall this level of vitriol and unhappiness.
@br i am snickering
@OP if you have to ask then you have your answer. If you were exceeds YOY and you were never promoted you have achieved your level of competence and you should be posting externally or somewhere else in the company. You sound like you are high in your range and likely someone up and coming to do more with less so i would start to navigate our or you will start to become very frustrated. Show how much you are worth by getting another offer
This was going on at my previous company. Only so many people could achieve an Exceeds. As in, if everyone exceeds then no one is very special at all. If that makes sense. I think all the HR overlords got together and decided this is the way to keep us all in our place.
@br So you're making up your own BS performance metrics?
I got consistently exceeds at mid-year and meets at year-end despite doing MORE work in the second half of the year. Nothing makes sense here.
@a1 maybe that’s it. I’m 3 years here. So different from Citi…
@ba nope, I’m on the lending side, but could see that happening for all Control groups
@ag Yes, just be a spineless, obedient boot-li---r.
Exceeds consistently is a clear indicator you are ready for next level in the current role or elsewhere. You would want to understand what changed and where you are missing the higher expectations for your role. That honest conversation you should have had with your manager and you should try to immediately show response to development opportunities in your day to day interactions
Yes. They spent too much on severance last year, so they're pivoting to firing with cause. To do that, they have to increase instances of 'cause'.
What kind of a clown-show is the OP? “High Meets”? Based on your post this is definitely a YOU issue.
Interesting...
OP, I am the only manager I know of who said anything about a "high meets" rating. So I know who you are and my message to you is cool your engines until you see your raise and bonus.
Are you in process control teams? I think you guys are in danger zone this year. buckle up!
ratings won't matter when it is time to get laid off.
If you have been in the same position for years, be thankful you received it this long. The recourse is to get over yourself and move forward. There is definitely a shift to move long timers/high earners. Times are changing for now and you don’t want to be a whiner in this environment
Some managers don't give out exceeds because then they have to give out an IM.
However, the good news is that it rarely corelates with comp. You can still get a decent raise with a Meets.
Many managers never or rarely give Exceeds so consider yourself lucky. I’ve been here 16yrs and had 10 managers, with only 2 of them offering anything more than meets. There’s no incentive to go above and beyond anymore.
Calibration how 2020 of you. Money goes to new regime and to source new talent as there's no budget for adding roles or promotions...only to those in a handful of locations. The firm strategy is anti-severance so why give budget to those they want to leave or will eventually cut by end of 2027. Not worth fighting. Su-k it up or leave. Plus It's only going to get worse now that the handcuffs are off.
"Does this feel like a way to push out top performers/high earners"
the wounded narcissists on this board, good lord
Are you new here?