[droogiefret]

Probably not the ideal time of day to start this thread - but still.

Until recently I worked for a large blue chip company and I have to say the performance culture was absolutely appalling.

Performance targets you had no control over, enough paperwork that you felt you were preparing for court. As a manager you had 'exit' targets - and performance marks themselves were expected to fit into a 'bell curve' so the marks you gave your staff were changed without explanation.

Now, my theory is that all this is due to HR, and that HR professionals act like some kind of cartel across all business in the UK via their professional body.

So I'm guessing the performance culture in all medium to large size firms is just as awful as I experienced.

Is this true where you work?

[Granny Weatherwax]

As a nurse in the NHS, 'performance culture' in my profession is that to the best of your ability every patient leaves the ward still breathing. As employment 'performance cultures' go, this is no bad thing and is highly encouraged by all.

[droogiefret]

Originally Posted by Granny Weatherwax

As a nurse in the NHS, 'performance culture' in my profession is that to the best of your ability every patient leaves the ward still breathing. As employment 'performance cultures' go, this is no bad thing and is highly encouraged by all.

Wow! So you don't have any personal targets to meet? No performance related pay? Lucky luck you!

[Granny Weatherwax]

Originally Posted by droogiefret

Wow! So you don't have any personal targets to meet? No performance related pay? Lucky luck you!

Yeah, but we don't get a performance related bonus either.

We also have to demonstrate continued learning and development in order to advance through each gateway to reach the top of the banding scale.

[johnnybgoode83]

Originally Posted by droogiefret

Probably not the ideal time of day to start this thread - but still.

Until recently I worked for a large blue chip company and I have to say the performance culture was absolutely appalling.

Performance targets you had no control over, enough paperwork that you felt you were preparing for court. As a manager you had 'exit' targets - and performance marks themselves were expected to fit into a 'bell curve' so the marks you gave your staff were changed without explanation.

Now, my theory is that all this is due to HR, and that HR professionals act like some kind of cartel across all business in the UK via their professional body.

So I'm guessing the performance culture in all medium to large size firms is just as awful as I experienced.

Is this true where you work?

This sounds like the place I work.

We have unrealistic targets that are almost impossible to achieve and if my some fluke you do achieve them the targets go up. Also, year end performance scores are not based on hard stats and facts but totally subjective bullshit that is so vague that they can screw you over and you can't do anything about it. Then when new jobs are advertised internally, they ask for a performance score so high that the only people who can apply are they brown nosed arse lickers (the only ones who can meet performance score targets).

[skunkboy69]

Our targets are agreed on by the co workers and we've made all our bonuses since I joined about 5 years ago.Might be tricky this year due to a massive flood we had last month.

[Muggsy]

Originally Posted by droogiefret

Probably not the ideal time of day to start this thread - but still.

Until recently I worked for a large blue chip company and I have to say the performance culture was absolutely appalling.

Performance targets you had no control over, enough paperwork that you felt you were preparing for court. As a manager you had 'exit' targets - and performance marks themselves were expected to fit into a 'bell curve' so the marks you gave your staff were changed without explanation.

Now, my theory is that all this is due to HR, and that HR professionals act like some kind of cartel across all business in the UK via their professional body.

So I'm guessing the performance culture in all medium to large size firms is just as awful as I experienced.

Is this true where you work?

I was reading about this 'bell curve' malarky just recently, and just how demotivating it can be. As I understand it, it means you have to rate a certain proportion of your staff as 'poor' regardless of their actual level of performance.

[Saigo]

I love being my own boss!

[droogiefret]

Originally Posted by Muggsy

I was reading about this 'bell curve' malarky just recently, and just how demotivating it can be. As I understand it, it means you have to rate a certain proportion of your staff as 'poor' regardless of their actual level of performance.

Well at my place it started out that you marked people fairly but if you didn't hit the bell curve you couldn't be doing your job properly - but now they just seem to change the marks according to my friends who still work there.