A couple of years ago, we implemented a new Enterprise (no, not that one) administrative system at work that came with a new HR package. We were then instructed to develop “Goals” to complete over the course of the year as part of a performance review system.
It wasn’t half assed – maybe more like a three-quarters assed – and it wasn’t too complicated to set up in the system and we dutifully added in our goals. I had high hopes that this would add some much needed depth and usefulness to the performance review system.
One of mine was to complete a large upgrade project – which was on my radar anyway – and to learn more about CSS.
Over that year, I completed the upgrade successfully and went through several hours of online training for CSS to augment my knowledge.
I met with my supervisor at the appropriate intervals and guided my own direct reports through entering their goals and meeting with them.
At the end, we signed off on all the successfully completed goals.
And that was it.
Nobody got written up or fired. But nobody got raises. The completed goals are sitting in the system’s archive, but there’s been nothing done with them. And no one, to my knowledge, has reviewed or asked about them. It’s as if they didn’t happen.
The following year was more chaotic than usual and while we got some notices from HR to go through the process, nobody in my division did. It was such a non-starter that we didn’t want to start. So we just didn’t.
Apparently, a lot of departments felt the same way and this year HR has once again made a big push for Goals and Performance review.
So, I’ve developed goals and sent those to my supervisor and gotten my direct reports started on theirs.
My “goal for the goals” is to make sure we don’t commit to anything we can’t do or didn’t already have planned. I doubt we’ll be looking at a bright and shiny raise at the end of the fiscal year if we meet all our goals – but I strongly suspect that if UA wanted to get rid of any of us for any reason, a failed goal or a bad review would go right to the top.
HR used the term Flourish in the communications and if the successful goals were lined up with some benefit or salary increase, I’d be a lot more engaged.
Instead, I just set my goals to things I needed to do anyway and I’ll keep doing my best – even if the only reward is “not fired”.