to hate work yearly reviews

[user789653]

Tomorrow I have my yearly review at work and I'm dreading it. I hate them at the best of times but this one is my first since been back at work after cancer and my confidence is so low.
Feeling so anxious about it. AIBU?

How did yours go, OP? Mine’s first thing tomorrow, and on Zoom. Somehow think it’ll be worse on Zoom

It’s a two way process. The more you prepare and contribute the more benefit are likely to obtain from it.

It’s a two way process. The more you prepare and contribute the more benefit are likely to obtain from it
This is a lie and I will fight you.

I hate them with a passion. Never did so much in previous jobs as I worked v closely w my line managers, but my last lm was much more removed from me and not a fair boss (no-one liked them). Also, the process was just a tick box exercise and I had to make up ‘goals’ when my job was going nowhere.
Im hoping that in my current role it will be a conversation on both sides. I am already looking at how I could take on more responsibility and I haven’t been there long.

@HollaHolla

I hate them.

I did once get told you should never go into one, and get any surprises. Sadly, my boss doesn't seem to believe this, and saves up any minor errors, inaccuracies or perceived slights for the year, and goes through them one-by-one. It's some kind of power play for her. She's the epitome of someone promoted beyond their level of competence.

It's wrong that one person can make this such a negative experience, and have so much bearing over your career.

@HollaHolla

This was me with a previous manager- it was beyond stressful and so unnecessary. Showed what a poor manager she was. I took if up with HR in the end and it turned out I wasn't the first one to complain. Would that be a possibility for you?

I've since changed roles and my current LM couldn't be more different. Annual reviews are a reflection of achievements of that year and a look ahead at the next 12 months. Over in an hr, and that includes chat and a laugh.

I hate them too. Ours are quarterly I've been doing this job for 19 years, I'm good at it and yet I feel like I have to justify my existence and come up with "objectives" every 3 months.

I had an interview where they told me appraisals were quarterly. Thankfully I didn’t get the job!!

I was in the glorious position of being able to cancel annual reviews in my last job.

Everyone knew what their projects and responsibilities were, and I'd have regular 121s or team catch ups with my managees, so we could identify any issues or successes and talk about any training they needed.

Far better than an annual chat with moronic SMART goals.

@HollaHolla

I hate them.

I did once get told you should never go into one, and get any surprises. Sadly, my boss doesn't seem to believe this, and saves up any minor errors, inaccuracies or perceived slights for the year, and goes through them one-by-one. It's some kind of power play for her. She's the epitome of someone promoted beyond their level of competence.

It's wrong that one person can make this such a negative experience, and have so much bearing over your career.

I had a manager like that. So glad to be gone from her spiteful little universe.

I detest these with a passion and so does my line manager. It’s another layer of pointless admin that stresses everyone out.

I get that employees and businesses need to move forward and set targets but this is such a blunt tool. Ours are now called OKRs or objectives and key results with yet most lists and form filling.

Sometimes people are ambitious, sometimes they are not, but often there are things they'd like to change or learn but just have never spoken up about it. This is my chance to tease these out. I do work in a fairly small company though, where we have the power to change things and tailor things for our team, so that may be different from a lot of people posting here.

You are right to acknowledge it is different in different organisations. The issue for us is that our Team Manager doesn't have the power to make any significant changes - she is constantly working to try to give us a half decent chance at completing at least a small amount of our job, but we are so short staffed, and having to take up work from other Teams that have been cut through austerity, so just 'doing our job' isn't possible anymore.

The more you prepare and contribute the more benefit are likely to obtain from it.

Oh, if only life were that simple for all staff in all organisations. It would be lovely if that were the case.

Appraisals are so outdated and as for setting SMART targets, these just don't work if you do the kind of job where what's happening changes daily, especially if these targets are linked to the work of others that you have no control over.
This ^
When you are told you 'have to' have a target about things you have absolutely no control over, the whole situation is then farcical, which is one of the reasons why so many people think it is such a waste of time.

Our appraisals are standard Council Service ones and unsuitable for my work as a peripatetic teacher. I resent being given targets/work challenges that will inevitably have to be done in my own time.

This ^ too. (I'm not a peripatetic teacher, but same principle) - big organisations like Council think they can squeeze into the same box, a person that stands by a barrier in a car park, raising it when people with the right pass arrive to park, and a senior lawyer or accountant or strategic director. It is nonsensical.

I just want to do a good job and go home!

Quite.
In fact, this x 100%.
Some people will want to 'develop' or go off in a new career direction, but, lets be honest, at various points in our lives, all of us want this.

I have one coming up and I have no idea what to even write so would appreciate ideas. I'm in the third sector in a training and development role.