Categories: work
Date: 27 April 2006 12:16:37
Atgyfododd Crist!
[last entry: sorry Jack, I made a mistake with the "Congrats!": not Portuguese, but Italian! Cristo è risorto! Response: È veramente risorto! Portuguese is Cristo ressuscitou! and Verdadeiramente ressuscitou!]
For the last six months we've had a new on-line Performance Appraisal System at work that was to help us better mark our successes, and troubles, during the year as we could note down outstanding performances -- or reasons why we didn't achieve our requirements -- at any time in the system. We were also to provide a monthly summary of our performance against our job description and any KPIs.
Guess who hasn't made a single entry in the last six months?
Guess who is wondering what on earth he has done in the last six months?
Guess who is wondering what he is going to write in the Half-Yearly Review section (by May 12 apparently)?
My manager and the assistant manager received a message from HR a few weeks ago telling them I had not filled in anything and would I do so. Thankfully, they found it amusing: as they hadn't done anything either! We still haven't.
I don't like appraisals, never have. In terms of past performance I suppose I should: at my first job I got a pay rise every six months -- and almost doubled my salary in three years! The heady days of the IT Boom. My managers have always told me I am doing a great job and are thankful to have me around. Comments like that mean more to me than anything: if I'm helping and useful, I'm happy.
But I find it hard to "talk up my praises": I am happy to plod along and sit comfortably where I am. I have no desire for career progression: I don't even know what I want to do! -- I have no idea where I see myself in 5 months, let alone 5 years! Last year I was studying ESL teaching: now I am an Office IT Co-ordinator: next year, who knows? I take life as it comes. I like my current job, well, as best as one can: the people are wonderful, which counts for a lot in my book. The work is reasonably varied and challenging. I'm quite blessed and quite lucky as I know many in jobs they hate.
We'll see what happens. If anything, at least with the wonderful managers I have, the Appraisal Meeting should be good for a laugh: us all with blank pages in front of us. :D