I had a mediocre performance review and as a result will be left behind others with regard to pay raises. I think the review is unfair and I have a hard time swallowing the fact that I will be paid less than colleagues who are way less experienced than me.
I think it is unfair for two reasons. First is that I feel that some of their reproach is due to their own failures in management. Second is that the other part of their criticism had never been addressed before. I don't think I should be blamed for their own mess or for things that I did that I couldn't know were wrong and didn't have any chance to correct before the review.
I stood up to my point of view (with diplomacy and arguments) but they refused to acknowledge that the review was too harsh, and basically what's done is done.
I'm not sure how to deal with it. I like what I do, but I'm not sure I can enjoy doing it in this work environment.
Should I just suck it up, try to improve myself even if it means I will enjoy my work less, I will have to make extra work that I feel is undue, and still be less valued than others (even if they are content with the change, I'll still have a whole year of pay raise behind)?
Or try to enjoy my work as much as I can, as I do now, even if it means not so happy management and no prospect of raise (firing will not happen over this though)?
In the best of all possible worlds, I'd be able to combine both... I'm not sure I can. Of course the third solution is resignation, but as I said, I like my work, I just don't like doing it for my management anymore...