Objective setting - what is normal/reasonable where you are?

[YBR]

This years appraisal/performance review/objective setting has come round and I have a different Line Manger (LMgr) from last time round. It seems he's going for a more everyone-the-same approach rather than previous LMgr who discussed the objectives properly and treated us individually. I can see the merits of this "fair" strategy but

As a result I have a list of 29 objectives and while some overlap that seems excessive to me. I have nothing to compare it to so, MN please tell me what you would view as normal.

Additionally some of the objectives are very poorly written, or not relevant to the work I have been doing so I'll be asking LMgr to change some anyway; wondering whether to push back on the sheer number also.

We have about 5, with the expectation that more will be set around mid-year or as other projects come to an end.

I think some of it depends on job role, and the sort of work undertaken. And I also think there should be some distinction between relative and absolute performance. So you could have someone doing brilliantly in terms of the team, but they're basically coasting, because they're capable of much more. Or vice versa - they're not doing as well, but they're new, and in that context, they making brilliant progress.

29?!

I have five.

I have 5 as well and I think it's one too many in my role (where responsibilities change with the weather).

My boss expects me to decide (make them up) and then she approves them. It's silly.

29 is ridiculous, we have 4-5. 29 objectives are probably not achievable so he is setting you all up to fail and that's unfair treatment.

No one should have 29 objectives. You should have 5 or 6 tops. Then you have strategies and tasks underneath.

I would group them, pull out a single objective for each group, and then include the additional elements underneath the overarching objective.

Does your manager understand the difference between objectives and tasks?

We were tuped to another company 18 months ago My team didn’t get any last year. No appraisals no feedback no targets nothing.
With some of us as part of the move we are on a bonus scheme that if we reach our targets we get a 5% bonus we are in siscusion with the management over this at the moment but get the feeling they will get out of it one way or another.
We have also already contacted acas and are ready for a fight.

fuzzyduck I've been in that situation in the past, but we collectively let it go since it had no impact on our pay rises (no bonuses here).
Then the following year when we were told that meeting our objectives would affect our pay rises, we subsequently found out that the pay rises had been decided before the appraisals took place. Good for morale that!

Thanks for your help. I'll see what I can do to minimise these!

It sounds like they are doing it because they want you all to fail and then there are no bonus's to pay out. They are behaving unreasonably

Civil Service, max 5.

We are expected to have about 3-4 relating to the day job and another couple of "stretch" ones.

29 is beyond ludicrous unless they are all really easy.

Are you sure all 29 are classed as Objectives? Did your LM have a 1x1 meeting with you to discuss them, or did you just get a list?

I would ask your LM for clarification in case there's a misunderstanding about which of the 29 are the high level 'buckets' ie the themes and which are sub-tasks that sit in each category.

In my experience there is no normal. Each company I have worked for have done it differently. One wanted us to set them ourselves, another wanted to do it, another company wanted the objectives to be duties that we do as part of our roles, another wanted them to be tasks related to our job but that enhanced our roles and another wanted us to have tasks that were completely separate to our roles. In my current job my objectives are monthly and are really just a record of the duties of my job. This is my least favourite approach as it is basically a to do list and I could do this separately in the form of regular updates. Consequently I don't have any yearly objectives. It's bizarre. Plus I only work 0.45 fte and the objectives set are really for a full time person but that's another matter entirely.

29 objectives is counterproductive though.....unless it's a list of your regular duties.