I’ve been at WF almost 10 years and never really heard of anyone getting inconsistently meets until last year, where good and hard working colleagues told me in confidence their managers gave them IM rating. I also noticed that on this site, there appear to be more topics related to this rating. Is this a new thing at WF? I have been an individual contributor so never needed to give rating, but I am finding that the IM’s are coming not because the employees are doing a bad job, but because their managers are micromanaging everything. It makes me want to voluntarily leave as I don’t want to fall victim to this. The ones who I know personally who received IM were shocked when they got it. Some of them had an exceeds rating the year earlier. One of them was only in their role for a few months.
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Too few IMs pre 2020. Normal amount they 2025. Too many 2026.
Or being displaced and finding out when logging onto workday during 60 day, you have an IM without even being told you had a mid year review sitting in there.
The review otherwise talked positively on the current years progress but....
Thr reason for the IM rating was that something was found recently, but apparently the issue happened in a previous year, and because of that they stuck it on this current review and knocking it down to that rating. Reading it seems contradictory.
Final rating for previous year (supposedly when this happened was exceeds).
I don't think it's fair but I guess it doesn't matter anymore that they can penalize someone for something that happened then, now ....well past that period of time. Signed off on rating etc. Shouldn't hold any merit to current review period.
I'm also led to believe me not taking the relocation package, set things unfavorably for me too in playing a part in getting that IM.
Hard to prove but this person won't interact with me anymore ever since so it tells me it's an effort to avoid confrontation, because there is some issue somewhere. Pettiness. Can't talk it out.
Bell curve. Once you get rid of an IM one year someone has to take their place the next year.
@ep Chainsaw Charlie knows how to slash and burn, no idea how to grow a business. But if you throw enough risk capital at the wall, something sticks.
@kx
I disputed mine. HR did "something" (they would not tell me what they did) and nothing changed. Except I was let go several months later.
HR is not your friend. I believe they exist merely to protect the company, not you.
Disputing is a waste of time. So is contacting HR. Best advice? Look for a new job.
@kx+ did any of it change after you challenged it? I am in process and its not like they are going to give me the 25% of bonus I missed out on or give me the promotion I should have earned...it probably will make things uncomfortable for all parties for a few months and then they will continue with their plan to get rid of us right? That is how this plays out 99% of time right?
@kd Dispute it, I did today.
Over 30 years and not one "IM" type review until now. Even my midyear was meets. Never had a issue with HR or anyone. Fire me for cause? Please do, I'd love to sue.
Speaking of "getting away with things", Shart pushed Bilt which was an epic and expensive failure. That alone should make his rating IM at best, and 0% increase. And yet, he gets 28%. So who is getting away with S exactly?
@bh I had one minor error (caught and fixed immediately because others handed wrong report to me) and I was given a formal corrective. I got a informal because my boss sc--wed up. I was fired for IM's because the mgt team targeted me. I was gas-lit for all of it. Told my work was best and I was paid the least. They wanted me to quit and since I did not, they set me up to be fired. It has been a nightmare. No jobs and I will probably be forced to take SSI early and file bankruptcy because of economy and I did not get enough saved because I was also cheated out of bonus for several yrs. I know everyone probably thinks I caused this.... but I assure you I would stay quiet if I did. I had many years of promotions and exceeds. I was given high-profile projects. Once I got promoted into this last group is when things changed because this group was poorly run, over-hired and shifted people over and over. Mgrs only favored their own hires/friends and in order to promote those I became expendable. I tried to post out but all to no avail because it was same story everywhere. My advice is stay put if you have one of the last remaining good mgrs. In the end nothing mattered.
It doesn’t matter if you get an exceeds because upper management will probably change it to a lower rating, justifying it based on the proverbial “bell curve.”
About 1 in six ratings are IM or worse.
WF managers are notoriously bad at communicating and holding people accountable for performance.
There is indeed a push to give people IMs, but mostly that's because people who really deserved low ratings got away with a meets it because the managers didn't do anything or communicate performance problems.
Wells Fargo is a joke. I am so miserable and can’t wait to find another job that makes me happy.
I can attest to this. Been with the bank 10+ years never had an issue with getting meets or exceeds. I am a hard worker and i had one minor error and ban mid year im. I am trying to get a new job in and outside of wells and willing to take lateral or less. Jobs are finally opening up a bit but I feel like I’ve been stuck for six months and everyday it gets harder and harder to fake it. Anyone else experiencing this?
Please do not quit if you are getting tired. I can attest the market really is bad. I have only been getting turn downs. Wells Fargo has ruined our reputations as well as everything else. Very very sad times.
@a2 Charlie? More likely than not you are one of his lackeys or just another kool-aid guzzler.
@a8 I asked Google Gemini if this is a new trend at WF and it reinforced what you minus the JP Morgan part. WF wants people to leave voluntarily to avoid paying out bonuses and severance packages. WF kind of shot themselves in the foot though. The problem is that if you’re a Senior Lead, for example, you have to give a 60 day notice to keep your restricted stock. So people stay and are waiting to be laid off. If they remove that 60 day rule, which was an add around same time they started this IM initiative. Does not make sense to me. I already have my foot out the door. Mentally, it is not worth it here, even though I am considered top talent by some of the big wigs. But whats the point? You get one crazy manager and then you are smacked with an IM. Morale does not seem to be getting better at WF, at least not in Control space. Corporate Risk isn’t that great either - there a team I worked with was cut by half yesterday.
It’s not new the “new” is the curve is being enforced to force attrition/termination with cause scenarios. This is a JPM tactic from 20yrs ago when I managed there.
The firm is poorly run and advisors who work there are morally corrupt. The ratings mean nothing
@OP I was a displaced manager last year. Prior to receiving notice in 2025, I had received a Meets rating, though I had been given an IM for the 2023 year. That rating came as a complete shock, especially given that my team and I consistently met and exceeded all key performance metrics all while managing a team of 30+ for most of the year covering for another team that had a manager move on.
At the time, my manager was extremely detail-focused and documented every minor mistake, even when it had no impact on our overall goals or risk exposure. In nearly 20 years of my career, this was the first time I had ever received an IM. As a manager myself, I was never informed of any requirement to assign a certain number of IM ratings, so it felt inconsistent and difficult to reconcile with my actual performance and results. As others have pointed out it’s true more IM ratings are given out now. Depending on your LOB and what your rated on key metrics it can be a very unfair and subjective decision by your manager.
Unfortunately, once an IM is given, there is little ability to dispute it, regardless of performance outcomes. Also if your an IM at you midyear there is almost little chance you’ll be able to climb out of that rating by end of year. I strongly believe that this undeserving rating ultimately contributed to my displacement in 2025, which has been a difficult experience both professionally and personally but not the end of the world. Good luck
Yes it's new. Huge increase in IMs lately, likely due at least partly to the decision to make LOBs responsible for paying severance as previously noted on this site (since IMs can lead to termination for cause). Being less hesitant to fire for cause may also relate to DEI initiatives becoming less popular.
Do you think its because you worked with only amazing 100% above average people for ten straight year's or is it because your managers ignored poor performance and allowed people to basically do whatever they wanted (including not even bothering to come to work) until the managers themselves started getting their feet held to the fire?
Would you find it odd that any company would go ten years with nobody ever being told they were below average or being let go for poor performance? If not you may want to keep in mind that people get poor evals and fired for performance every day in every major company that exists so your fantasy land expectation of a world where this should never happen does not exist. Prepare for a rude awakening.