#performance

Watch Kramer gush about how incredible IBM is. Then Alvind give him a couple hundred grand and everybody's happy.

Thought this was only for project managers?

Sounds like KM is following Ricoh’s model in major accounts. Look for multiple layer changes. Inside sales will vastly expand. Sled will remain. Global accounts will remain. Production will integrate into a reformed IP. Performers have nothing to be concerned with. Dealers are growing however.

Is there a secret department at UCR where job descriptions go to die?

Because after watching this place operate, it is convincing, that a solid chunk of long-tenured personnel have absolutely no idea what their job duties are - despite having occupied the same chair since the Bush administration.

The environment is peak toxicity, propped up by a nonstop flex of credentials:

“I have a master’s.”
“I have two master’s.”
“I’m certified in 17 things that don’t apply to this role.”
“I attended a webinar once.”

Cool. So… who’s actually doing the work?

Apparently no one - because whenever accountability shows up, it’s immediately chased off by a blizzard of excuses that have nothing to do with the task at hand:

“That’s not really my responsibility” (it is)
“We’re waiting on alignment” (with whom?)
“Process changes” (none occurred)
“Bandwidth” (translation: vibes are off)

These are jobs they’ve held for years, yet somehow every request is treated like a surprise pop quiz in a subject they’ve never heard of. The degrees get louder, the excuses get stranger, and the actual output remains… theoretical.

Accountability? That left the building a long time ago — probably reassigned to a committee that never meets.

At this point, UCR doesn’t need more certifications. It needs a basic refresher course called: “So What Is It You Do Here, Exactly?”

Expect a weak earnings print and disappointing bonuses. The setup is already clear.

Revenue growth is barely positive and EPS is expected to decline year over year. Legacy segments continue to drag results while growth areas aren’t scaling fast enough to offset it. Meanwhile, the balance sheet is still weighed down by massive debt, limiting flexibility and magnifying every misstep.

Billions have been spent on buybacks at higher prices, yet the stock continues to underperform peers and the broader market. That’s textbook value destruction, capital out the door with nothing to show for it. Analysts have responded by trimming expectations, not raising them.

On the cost side, operating expenses are creeping higher while productivity gains remain elusive. Decisions that add friction instead of efficiency show up quietly in margins and execution, even if they’re never called out directly.

Bonuses follow the numbers. Flat growth, declining EPS, weak stock performance, and constrained free cash flow don’t justify upside payouts. At best, expect tight targets. At worst, expect “discipline.”

https://www.crn.com/news/ai/2026/ibm-q4-earnings-preview-5-things-to-know

excuse to lay off people

I work in inside sales, the amount of calls I get from people being suspended due to non pay is at an unprecedented amount. It’s totally unreal.

Couple with the current market being one of the worst sales markets in the last 25 years. They still expect us to exceed quota when literally nobody has any money and everyone’s phones are being shut uff lol.

In 2026 WF is moving the cost of severance packages to the line of business. LOBs are not funded for this cost and will instead force terminations through low performance reviews. Displacements will be delayed as each LOB works through this process. This is so sad, many good people will be forced out due to 'low performance' who truly deserve a package.

Any VCIP guesses? I’m thinking 120%

Just curious! Could you possibly simply get a very low bonus since you still met some expectations? Most know what a tough place this is to work for many areas. If you are an employee who always got meets/meets and then one time its meets/does not meet -- is it manager's discretion?

Last year, Sam sent out the STI email on Jan 24. I assume Dan is pushing out the announcement though.

Will STI payout still be in mid-Feb as it has been every year?

It is clear that the ELT is grasping at straws. Retention and Growth are stagnant as our overall service level has fallen to never seen levels of FA disappointment . The promised efficiency of Salesforce and Moneyguide for branches has never arrived.

We are all living the agile worst case with broken systems and products that will never live up to the hype. If this is finding our Rich then count me out.

Currently in the process of getting managed out. I was told that there are 150 people that have all been put on performance plans. Meet a certain % of plan by end of Q or be put on an official. I would take any package if offered. Every day is like an episode of a reality show. Some made up loss that needs to be made up for. High stress, no money.

What is the salary increase range for 603 with 3 Strongs? Does it vary by LoB?

Cisco needs to crack down on poor performance and do another massive layoff. If you can’t pull your weight, then you got to go.

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.

We are carrying excess headcount in Wealth and Brokerage SLs/GCLs. They are largely unproductive, with their primary 'output' being pointless PowerPoints for internal forums that achieve nothing. Their grades are inflated and must be cut to a Grade 7 level

and will tied to V quarterly performance. I hope we get a halfway decent number on January 30th.

Is the PluralSight training and assessment tool going to be used to fire people? I have a technical category that may have fit my job description when I got out of college but doesn't really reflect what I spend the majority of my day on. Now I spend my days in meetings or navigating the labyrinth of policies, procedures and tools FIS requires. I've always had good reviews but now I have a feeling, I will be substandard. Is anyone else paranoid?

Since the notorious 8/1 email, the stock is down 16%. In just the first month of this year, it’s already down 6%. That’s not volatility or bad luck, it’s sustained value destruction.

Billions lost on bad acquisitions, billions spent on buybacks at higher prices, rising operating costs from rigid RTO and unnecessary real estate, and now plans for even more capital intensive projects. None of it has produced better execution, stronger cash flow, or improved shareholder returns. The market sees it and has rejected it.

RTO didn’t create culture or discipline. It increased costs without creating value. You can’t talk your way into confidence or mandate your way into performance. Investors don’t reward slogans or control. They reward results. And the results, both in stock price and capital efficiency, are undeniable.

My manager told us that Optum Care on the west coast lost over a billion dollars last year, and that we have until the end of this year to break even. I can’t help but think that means layoffs.

I'm done going above and beyond. From now on I'm just doing exactly what's required and keeping a low profile. Putting in extra effort here has never been appreciated, so I'm stopping.

I got Inconsistently Meets at my most recent performance review.

Can I expect to get fired for cause within the next few days/weeks? Laid off at the next round? Or can I expect a few months to fix this?

Will my manager mark the "do not rehire" box if I am fired for cause? I had meets/exceeds until now, and had a good working relationship with my manager until now. I don't know if that helps.

Should I resign before I'm fired? I have years of savings, and I want to avoid the "do not rehire" box more than I need unemployment, since I assume it shows up on any reference. I can get good references from former managers and coworkers no longer with WF, but I still want a good reference from the company.

Thanks.

There was a CEO named Whelan
Who set up his company for failing
They missed all their targets
We're punished by markets
Was surprised when Woods started wailing

1.75% for pay grades 110 and up.

Its time to short this pig down to a single digit mid-et.

Targeting the level 15 was long overdue. Most of them were promoted due to favoritism and not talented and do not contribute anything significant over a level 13.

Many of the grade 15 I knew were given LoP out of favoritism, failed many deliverables and instead of being put on PIP, was covered by their manager pulling corporate politics. The 15 were getting paid more than midpoint.

The majority of 15 in TOS are a serious waste of the department budget and I approve of them getting laid off and they won't be missed.

Last 3 yrs 3/3 , same bonus same increament 1.5%.doesnt even meet inflation. More commute , different managers to adopt, constant priority changes.
I dont understand what else to do to lift to 2 rating.

Seems like they taking their time this year. Anyone heard anything yet? Curious to see how bad it is.

I have it on good authority that those with the new forced lowest ranking will be fired at the end of the year.

The genius move, is that this isn’t considered a layoff. So no severance is needed.

May the odds be ever in your favor

For those given this with no prior performance issues, curious to know what they claim was the reason? Im hearing a couple bs explanations which we all know are just that

Yikes

What is everyone’s expectations on merit increases in the new fiscal? Mine, next to nothing.

Looks like getting beaten down

Any news for the departments under clinical performance/excellence? Most of this work relates more with cost avoidance vs direct income.

one google search of forced distribution and differentiated performance gives you thousands of articles about why it doesn’t work and why it’s terrible for morale and collaboration. yet now we’re forcing people to be ranked and PIPed just to fill a quota. its nonsensical. why am i coming into the office four days a week to “collaborate” with my peers and help them outshine me? why would i bother trying to meet my goals when a percentage of my team has to be ranked low just because it’s required? if you want to let people go just let them go. why do they put us through these humiliation rituals?

Based on Jane’s recent announcement that the bar will be raised and “we will not be graded on effort”, will Citi be taking a Goldman approaching and simply cutting the lowest performers?

It’s hard to believe that memo can be released and still let go of workers with 1’s and 2’s for ratings….

Been doing twice the work and without support from management. Was so overwhelmed and irritated about questionable business/sales/ compliance issues I pushed back about workload and lack of support. As I predicted and most of you suggested per similar messaging on here they gave me an inconsistently meets for my performance review. Said I wasn't open to new additional work and a team player.

I already considered quitting or retiring or whatever we want to call it. I am contemplating pushing back and putting the information for leadership and HR to get involved. I know not a big threat or care to them as they will fire me in the next 12 months for something concocted.

My thought is they are sc--wing me to line their pocket or give major increases to their yes men. The group currently has a shortage of workers with too much work to go around. I already knew the stress wasn't worth it with a full raise and bonus (bonus 20 to 25% of gross pay). I do need to leave imo.

Has anyone recently (last year or year before) got an IM and then a raisebor bonus still? If so how much less than prior years?