Testing Planet Business Acumen: Predict the Outcome

[NewChief]

My wife works from home as a graphic designer/creative director. It's time for their yearly reviews when they're awarded raises. Every year, the owners email them their performance reviews and tell them if they're "on target" "above target" or "below target" which determines their raise. In the past, the raise is pretty much a fixed % of their income based on where they fall on the "target scale."

This year, the boss told them that they'll be getting their reviews on Monday, but that she's going to set up a phone call with each of them to discuss the results of the review. With the economy being what it is, we're trying to guess if this means they won't be getting raises this year.

Some more background information: the company has expanded quite a bit in the last year into new markets. My wife put together and managed an account that should be very big (as indicated by sales to distributors at market in December) with a big name wedding planner (Mindy Weiss, the one that planned Fergie and Josh's wedding for those who keep up with that shit). They also hired a new talented designer who my wife headhunted. On top of that, they're expanding into jewelry, and my wife has helped quite a bit with that as she has some background in jewelry design.


We can't decide if the new addition of the phone call means:
1) They won't be getting a raise or will be getting a much smaller raise.
2) Nothing much, the boss just wants to add the phone call in as a further method of discussing their reviews more fully.
3) There will be a more significant differentiation in raises between employees this year, and the boss wants to avoid forwarded emails between employees where people can see each other's raises inadvertently.


The raise isn't a huge deal for us financially, but I'd like to see my wife rewarded for the hard work she's put in this year. It will be a shame if she worked her ass off growing the company this past year and doesn't see a return on her extra time investment.

In other words, if outcome 1, I've got to start figuring out ways to make my wife feel better now and have them ready to roll out should there be no raises.

[Nightfyre]

Assuming your wife is the hugely positive force you say she is, she will probably get a raise even if others do not. I suspect the telephone call is for more two-way communication of the goals to ensure that there is an understanding of expectations. With the economy as it is, generally raises will go down. However, raises for valued employees will likely be unaffected, imo.

[cdcox]

Seems like there should normally be a face-to-face meeting for the review, and notification of the resulting raise in a letter a few days later. The phone call just seems weird, unless the boss is an out of towner.

[Mr. Flopnuts]

Assuming your wife is the hugely positive force you say she is, she will probably get a raise even if others do not. I suspect the telephone call is for more two-way communication of the goals to ensure that there is an understanding of expectations. With the economy as it is, generally raises will go down. However, raises for valued employees will likely be unaffected, imo.

I started a new job around 7 months ago with a promise that there would be a raise after 3 months if my performance was what I touted it as, and what they expected it to be. I surpassed it. In fact, the person whom I replace had been there and in the position for 12 years. The economy then proceeded to go straight into the shitter "officially" around 30 days after I started.

I outperformed her by 161% while learning on the job. Due to the economy they were, and still are "unable" to give me the raise as promised. I've done everything short of quitting to let them know it was unacceptable. Luckily, I'm good at what I do and can leave and find work tomorrow. But I'm not. I know what I have here, and between the perks I get like extra paid time off, and the work environment, I'm good with it. I also know that by being a team player now, this company's history dictates they will take very good care of me later.

My suggestion is, regardless of the results, if you like your job trust that compensation will take care of itself in the end. Businesses don't just let good employees walk away. If I walked into HR and put in my notice I'd get everything I wanted and probably a little bit more. But the relationship would be damaged, and I'm confident I'll make far more long term later for handling this the way I am now. But I've always been somewhat of a gambler.

[Extra Point]

The phone call is a formality. Raise or no raise, this account is gelling, and will line the company coffers over the course of this year. No healthy holiday bonus, order a hit on her boss.

[tmax63]

Sounds like they're trying to be a better boss. I would be aggravated if all they did was e-mail me my eval. When I was a boss I damn sure didn't publish employee raises/bonuses anywhere. No opportunity for feed-back or discussion. I wouldn't guarrantee that the phone-call has anything to do with bonuses.

[beach tribe]

My wife works from home as a graphic designer/creative director. It's time for their yearly reviews when they're awarded raises. Every year, the owners email them their performance reviews and tell them if they're "on target" "above target" or "below target" which determines their raise. In the past, the raise is pretty much a fixed % of their income based on where they fall on the "target scale."

This year, the boss told them that they'll be getting their reviews on Monday, but that she's going to set up a phone call with each of them to discuss the results of the review. With the economy being what it is, we're trying to guess if this means they won't be getting raises this year.

Some more background information: the company has expanded quite a bit in the last year into new markets. My wife put together and managed an account that should be very big (as indicated by sales to distributors at market in December) with a big name wedding planner (Mindy Weiss, the one that planned Fergie and Josh's wedding for those who keep up with that shit). They also hired a new talented designer who my wife headhunted. On top of that, they're expanding into jewelry, and my wife has helped quite a bit with that as she has some background in jewelry design.


We can't decide if the new addition of the phone call means:
1) They won't be getting a raise or will be getting a much smaller raise.
2) Nothing much, the boss just wants to add the phone call in as a further method of discussing their reviews more fully.
3) There will be a more significant differentiation in raises between employees this year, and the boss wants to avoid forwarded emails between employees where people can see each other's raises inadvertently.


The raise isn't a huge deal for us financially, but I'd like to see my wife rewarded for the hard work she's put in this year. It will be a shame if she worked her ass off growing the company this past year and doesn't see a return on her extra time investment.

In other words, if outcome 1, I've got to start figuring out ways to make my wife feel better now and have them ready to roll out should there be no raises.

You're a good dude.

[HonestChieffan]

Give away is the one on one phone call to discuss...that code for telling them why management is not giving a raise but that they value every employee like family (GAG GAG SPEW)

[lazepoo]

The phone call is a formality. Raise or no raise, this account is gelling, and will line the company coffers over the course of this year. No healthy holiday bonus, order a hit on her boss.

What he said. The phone call and the potential raise aren't connected in any way because the boss said that a phone call was coming for all of the employees. With the economy in the shitter, she'll probably get a raise and some glowing praise, but not the sort of megabucks she's apparently expecting unless she gets a huge promotion as well.