AIBU to be upset that my end of year bonus is significantly less than last year?

[laylababe5]

I've worked for my company for 7 years. My bonus last year was 4% of my salary. This year I got 3%, even though we've had a particularly hectic year and I feel like I've worked just as hard, if not much harder, than last year. I'm behind on my workload and my requests for help have fallen on deaf ears. I'm being asked why xyz is not done, but when I say I don't have enough hours in the day, I'm told I just have to get on with it like everyone else. I've loved working for this company and have been happy, albeit a bit overwhelmed of late. I'm wondering if I should say something about the reduction in my bonus.

YABU - say nothing and work harder
YANBU - ask why my bonus was so much less this year

1%

🤣🤣

Oh I should mention that we got really shitty raises this year with the explanation ’oh but we’ve structured the bonus scheme to make up for it!’

Yeah anyway that thought about it for half a minute realized it was a preemptive way to pay out less money and will long term hurt our retention and hiring. I do hope that this is reversed under new leadership. I suspect it will, but we shall see.

At this point I’m hanging in for about 2 years then I’m out, and I’m not early on my career so it’s ok for my financial situation at the moment. If nothing else watch the show for the couple of years will be interesting and I’m maxed on expected severance payouts if they make me redundant.

(Sorry @laylababe5 I think I’ve turned your thread into a vent! I’ll go back to reading now 😁)

I work in an industry where bonuses are paid but it’s always dependent on the ‘pot’ that’s available, so you may well find that you got the same (or bigger) percentage of the available pot, but that works out as a smaller percentage of your salary. Economic factors play a part on how much is allocated to the bonus pot.

I think it would be ok to ask whether the smaller percentage is reflective of whether they think you have performed less well than last year, and it’s important to know that, but don’t be surprised if the answer is just that the overall bonus pot is smaller.

also, bonuses can be used to address some discrepancies in wages, generally new starters come in on higher salaries than existing staff (don’t agree with that but very common) so someone on the bottom of the pay scale would get a higher percentage than someone who is already near the top. I did work for a company who actually clearly explained that and it was really helpful

Public sector education is entirely different from private sector IT. Private sector tech is big bonuses, trips abroad, free food and drink on tap, micro pigs in the office.

Well I guess the OP should give her house away to a nurse and then walk through the strips whipping herself. Do you think that would make her feel better about her particular problem that she has posted about, about her solely?

Usually a bonus is discretionary. It’s not a set percentage or sum. It’s could be £zero. John Lewis very their bonus payouts. Most are related to how well the company is doing. It’s nothing to do with individual work unless the contract says it is. So read your contract. Do you have performance management which allocates you a bonus? Or is it based on company profits? Your contract or company handbook should make it clear.

Is micro pig a typo?! Or are there cute little pigs trotting around in the private sector?

All the best for the future, OP, that must be awful, I wish you a prosperous New Year🌸

I really want a micro pig! Much better than a bonus.

That's not a bonus, that's an insult!

You are so lucky to receive a bonus.

You are paid above minimum wage and you work hard; well done for a productive year.

Usually bonuses are calculated on the overall health and profitability of the business. It's not been great for many businesses.

Really? Employees aren't house servants subject to the occasional munificence of their employer. Bonuses aren't given out of the goodness of corporate hearts but as incentives and rewards and usually subject to some transparency of calculation. Hardly is a pan employee grabby as fuck!

Bonuses are often extra contractual and the calculation methodology not set out in a contract

Bonuses are often split into a business performance component and an individual performance component

A bonus can be those things but doesn’t have to be. It can be performance of the company based and a % of salary, as in John Lewis. Although their employees are partners, the bonus is discretionary. However employees do know it’s based on company performance. JL have made a profit this year, they are not paying a bonus - only the third time since 1953.

Lots of companies have reduced this year's Christmas bonus.

Many factors but a major reason is the increase in national insurance employers will need to pay next year is astronomical for employers.
Many are making redundancies

Not tax free you rube.

Some people will get no end of year bonus

it’s just the company ensuring the shareholders are ok if they are reducing it

Could be worse, could've been a year membership to jelly of the month club when you'd been planning putting in a pool...

This is so normal. Bonuses depend on so many factors and each year the factors that impact it change. I honestly couldn’t get worked up by this. My bonus is up to 20% and last year we got 12% and year before 15%. This year I think it’ll be around 12% mark again. That’s just the nature of bonuses it fluctuates.

As someone who grafts like fuck (In financial services) it’s not free.

Yes actually, as I said in my post I'm an employer (run a small business) and my staff don't have a bonus written into their contract. Every year at Christmas I take money out of my own pocket (my business, so money I'd have had for myself otherwise) and give between £500-£1000 to everyone.

If one year I gave £500 when the last year was £800 and they were UPSET I'd be open jawed and it would leave such a bad taste!

Reminds me to find this and watch it

Obviously not something you offer in your company.

Where I work it's based on company profit which doesn't magic itself. Profit has a lot to do with the hard work of it's employees. Free money, hardly 🙄

Ours is a set percentage which changes every year, is it the same for everyone OP?

You say you don't have targets, but presumably you have a line manager who discusses performance with you from time to time?

Next time you see them in person/have a meeting with them I'd acknowledge the bonus with thanks and ask them how it's calculated each year. I'd expect answers ranging from: "the standard this year is X but we give Y for exceptional performance", or "we've had a difficult year so overall we're tending to give people X", or "it's completely down to individual performance" - and with that you can gauge if you want to get into a discussion of your own performance or if it sounds like it's more about the company's performance as a whole.