I’ve been noticing a disturbing trend in the industry lately. It seems that simply meeting expectations is no longer enough to get by. In fact, it’s almost as if it’s become a bad thing. I’ve seen colleagues at my company, a big-name one on the West Coast, who consistently meet their expectations year after year, only to be denied even a modest salary increase. It’s as if they’re being punished for doing their job well enough, but not exceptionally.
I remember when meeting expectations used to be the bare minimum required to keep your job. Now, it seems like you need to exceed expectations just to stay afloat. And even then, there are no guarantees. A 1% raise is considered a good year, and sometimes you’re just lucky to keep your job.
I’m left wondering, when did this shift happen? Was it a post-COVID phenomenon, or has this been the norm for a while now? It’s disheartening to think that all the hard work and dedication might not be enough to get ahead.
What’s your take on this? Have you experienced something similar in your industry? Share your thoughts in the comments!