Is it worth holding off asking for my performance review?

Question

I was originally scheduled a performance review in mid-August, which is tied to a salary gain as per my contract.

However, due to unforseen issues outside my department's control - work was delayed and it was decided by my previous manager that we should delay the performance review until mid-November when the work would be complete (and as such the review would be more complete). I agreed to this, as it also increased the chance of the review being positive (that is, in August - I would not have felt it likely to get a positive-enough review, based on the work I had achieved at that point)

In late-October, our company faced redundancies and my manager was one of those affected. As such, I was moved into a new team - with the previous terms of contract still being upheld. My new manager has not yet held my performance review, and I believe they will need me to ask them specifically to hold it - if I ever want to see this salary increase.

Ideally, I'd like to wait till next year January before bringing this up - as I will have completed significant work under my new manager, and they will have a complete view of my abilities.

What are the dangers of holding off asking for the review (given that it is guaranteed in my contract) and is the advantage of having more work under this new manager a real advantage to the review (or just imagined)?

Answer 1

Get a performance review. There is very unlikely to be a down-side, but there is a possibility of a raise.

My new manager has not yet held my performance review, and I believe they will need me to ask them specifically to hold it - if I ever want to see this salary increase.

If you keep putting off your review, the new year budget is likely to be finalized and there will be no extra money for your raise.

Your review can go 3 ways

You get a raise

Your new manager may give you a raise based on what he/she has seen in the short time you've worked with them, or because the higher-ups see that you've earned one.

You get a middling review and no raise

This is what you believe is likely to happen. Your manager isn't familiar with your work, and won't give you a raise. Currently you're not slated for a raise so everything stays the same.

Except, you now have an opportunity to ask for a raise. Begin laying the ground work! Say

I really feel I need a pay increase because of tasking X, Y, Z that I stepped up and took point on. (Or whatever you did to warrant more money).

Listen to your new bosses response to this question. Ask for specific goals you can set, and if reached will trigger a raise. You may be able to get a raise in a few months.

You review is terrible and you are fired or put on an improvement plan

If you survived your manager being fired, you likely not terrible. If you were terrible, you'd have been shown the door already. Given your post, this outcome is pretty unlikely.

Answer 2

1. I´d ask my old manager if he would be so kind to give you a interim report. Now it may be to late - but for the future whenever you change departments or you boss changes, it is good to have a paper trail of your performance so far.

2. As far as it is about money, don´t play by their rules. If you think you deserve a higher wage, just ask for it. Best way to determine that, is to apply somewhere else. You don´t have to take the job, just have options. You wage is defined more by your opportunities than by your reviews.

3. As for their Performance reviews - that´s Company politics. So it entirely depends on the specific company you work at, and your goals there. May look odd in your personal file if the review is missing. On the other hand, if you don´t plan to spend a lifetime there, it may not matter too much.

Answer 3

I have been in this situation multiple times. What worked for me was asking, "I realize you've only been my manager for a short while, but I would like to know how I am doing and the areas you feel I need to improve."

Each manager knew that reviews had been delayed, so it gave each the opportunity to not stress about answering when reviews will happen. Note: If you have ever been on the manager side, giving reviews tend to be stressful.

Asking for input also allowed me to show that I am trying to improve and open to change. It also encouraged her to start thinking of my job performance and communicate to me how the review was going to go before review time.

Each time I have done this, reviews and/or pay increases have occurred rather quickly. Best wishes!