Politics & Bureaucracy It’s getting more and more difficult to find the motivation and satisfaction in my job. Every day feels like a repeat of the one before. Being undervalued in the workplace can really stifle the desire to complete work-related tasks because I’m thinking to myself, “What’s the point.”
So here’s the reason for this post. I recently received my mid-year review from my manager, who very sheepishly told me that I had been graded on a level 5. To give some context the gradings are out of 7 and higher grades mean a bigger salary increase. Gradings between 1 and 3 mean that you’re running below average, gradings 4 & 5 mean you’re just doing your job, nothing more, and nothing less. However everyone aims for a grade 6 or 7, this means that you are going over and above your primary objectives. Before you say, “Oh well a 5 doesn’t sound too bad,” this would be completely acceptable if that was the case i.e. if I “only” did my job, nothing more and nothing less. But as you’ve probably guessed that hasn’t been the case at all.
I’m an analyst for a medium-sized logistics firm and I’ve been working on a large project for the last year or so. The job involves a lot of spreadsheets, quantifying data, BAU analysis, and whatever. I was seconded onto the current project as an analyst from another role that was sales based. The tasks that I have been assigned whilst in my analyst role have been immense.
They’ve been projects in themselves and the data analysis and organisation skills needed would challenge the patience of analysts far more experienced than myself. I was often met with indifference when I managed to finish these tasks in the level of detail that was presented. I also went, “above and beyond” my primary objectives by planning for some of the challenges that the project may face for the next phase and working extra hours including some weekends.
There were instant red flags when my efforts were not received with any encouragement or “well done’s” from the project's main leaders, or any feedback at all whether it was positive or negative. This has been a common occurrence with most tasks I have been assigned, and obviously, this made me paranoid. Knowing that my mid-year review was approaching I asked my line manager if I should be concerned with the fact that I wasn’t receiving any constructive feedback. He simply replied, “Well if you’re not receiving any negative feedback, take that as you’re doing a good job.” But that wasn’t the point. It felt like everyone else was getting positive feedback, and sometimes very publicly, like being called out in meetings and conference calls. People were getting positive feedback for basically wiping their own backsides, “I just want to thank Joe Brown-noser for turning oxygen into carbon dioxide through his respiratory system,” like seriously. I have nothing against the people I work with, but it’s obvious that those favoured by the top, whether it be for hard work or just showing up are having an easier ride.
I can’t say I was surprised by the grading I received. For a long time, I sensed something was amiss. Rather than accepting the grading I challenged it and asked for the rationale for the decision. He said that even though there was evidence of a final product produced (this is usually in the form of some sort of document), there was no evidence of feedback regarding these products or feedback on any of my day to day activities and therefore they couldn’t give me a higher grade. Unbelievable. UNBELIEVABLE! What a load of crap. So even though they could see that I was doing my job and going the extra mile, because there was no written evidence of this in the form of “feedback”, it basically counts for nothing, a prime example of bureaucracy.
I could tell that my manager was uncomfortable having this conversation, and probably wished I would have accepted the grading and shut up, however, I couldn’t stay quiet any longer. As someone who is serious about self-development and career progression, it’s extremely frustrating working in an environment without encouragement or constructive feedback.
Why Can’t you Pronounce My Name? I don’t have a particularly hard name to pronounce, I would class it as unusual. However, I have so much trouble with the pronunciation. This is not an issue exclusive to the working environment, however, when I correct most people on the pronunciation they apologise and usually pronounce my name the way it was intended to be pronounced. Unfortunately, there is one manager who is quite high up, who refuses to pronounce my name correctly. No matter how many times I introduce my self on calls, in meetings, or to newer members of staff, they just cannot or will not pronounce my name correctly. This ultimately makes me feel like, “If you don’t care about my name, you obviously will not care about my career.”