Would this tick you off? (Work related question)

[MeanLaureen]

My boss told me she did something today that really doesn't sit right with me.

First let me give you a little background:

I'm a retail manager. Last September I had issues with my illness that caused me to be taken out of work for about 2 months on Short Term Disability. This is the first time this has ever happened and I have worked for the company for 23 yrs. My assistant had to take over for me for part of September through the first week of Nov.

During this time he did a so so job, but was able to keep the store alive while my boss was caught up with other stores that had issues. During the time I was gone, my assistant did not always follow procedure and was very rough on the employees to the point where several of them threatened to resign. By rough, I mean rude.

Fast forward to our review time. We basically get the same review because the biggest weight of it is based on sales results. Unfortunately our store is in a mall that is undergoing a big change in a downtown area and our sales last year were not good. Not horrendous but we didn't make plan. So all the financial aspects of the store kept me from getting a good mark on my review, and had my assistant's mark at a couple of points below me.

Well my boss told me today that she felt that my assistant should get special consideration on their review for the fact that they acted as manager for 2 months. She did this by increasing their overall grade by 8 points to an entire level above me.

So if we are supposed to be held to the same standards, why is okay for my assistant to be graded at a level above me for the same results? Especially when my boss is fully aware of the problem with the employees and the fact that it took me a couple of months to get everything back up to code. Yeah, they did act as manager for 8 weeks but that is their job - to be the manager in their absense. I would have been fine with a little extra pay increase over normal but this?

I felt like it was a slap in my face. I almost feel like I was punished for being sick... almost discriminated against.

Am I overreacting?

 

[Jilliebean]

If your boss had seemed resentful of the fact that you had to take short term disability, I would definitely take this assessment as a back handed insult.

Is your boss aware of all the problems that your assistant manager caused in your absence that you had to fix when you returned?

Good luck with it -- sounds like a sticky situation!

 

[Caradana]

Laureen: what would've been the ideal response by your boss, in your mind? Should she have increased your score also, or should she have increased your assistant's score by less?

That stinks, dude. Really sorry to hear it. Hope sales go up up up this year.

 

[Annette_VA]

Nope, not overreacting. That was a total slap in the face.

 

[MeanLaureen]

Is your boss aware of all the problems that your assistant manager caused in your absence that you had to fix when you returned?

Very much so.. along with all the ongoing problems since that time.

Laureen: what would've been the ideal response by your boss, in your mind? Should she have increased your score also, or should she have increased your assistant's score by less?

She already made an exception to give him a larger raise than he rated in his evaluation as it is. That I don't have any problem with at all. Why anything else had to be done, I don't know. This came out of the blue. The reveiws were over and done with a month ago.

I just don't see how it is fair to say that one person gets a better ranking for the same statistical figures than someone else. If our scores are set before us according to a guideline.. (if you are at X percent, you get X points) how can this be justified? Technically, there are some statistics that DROPPED during the time that they acted as manager.

 

[doxdogy]

You are right, you are not overreacting. The job of an assistant is step in when needed. Obviously, he didn't do that great of a job while you were out. He should have been held at the same level as you and not given special consideration because he had to run the store while you were on short term disability.

 

[DWDreams]

I can see both sides of this honestly, but I can understand why you'd feel upset. You said the biggest weight is sales results and with the changes made, the person ended up being 8 points higher to finish one grade above you. Were the changes made to just the sales area, or were they made to the other weighted areas? I'd definitely be very upset if the whole thing were based on the sales only or if that area was what differed from yours. Maybe the other areas of the review made the difference?

That all said, in most companies the level of the review/rating doesn't necessarily translate to an exact percentage increase for each person rated the same. I know that doesn't make sense and it's always bugged me too, but that's just how it is. In most cases, the company determines an overall increase rate of such and such percent for employees as a whole, which is then translated into dollars available with individual increases metered out to fit into that amount. I don't know about most, but I know in my company it works in cycles because you can't please everyone every year -- I always get the same rating each year, but I know to expect more some years and less others.

 

[ChrislovesMinnie]

This is horrible and for sure a slap in the face.

Sorry.

 

[Dakota_Lynn]

That sucks! I'd be upset, too. You deserve much better treatment than that.

 

[joats]

Nope, not overreacting. That was a total slap in the face.

I agree!

Your boss sounds horrible!!

 

[epcotfan]

I'll say it simply. You are not overreacting. I think when reviewing an employee they should also talk to the other staff with regards to the way the store is running. I'm sure if your boss approached your unhappy employees when Asst Mgr was in charge he would lose several points based on what you described in your OP. Happy employees = better sales.

 

[Serena]

I would be ticked too.

 

[kaylajr]

Nope, not overreacting. That was a total slap in the face.

i agree sorry your going thru this