Any leaders out there that can offer insight into how this years Rewards Budget is trending? Better than last year? (I hope). Reckless speculation is fine too.
17 replies (most recent on top)
What good are RSU’s if I am LR’ed before they vest?
That’s the whole point. They are a retention device. You’ll stick around in the faint hope they turn into something of value, but if we decide we don’t want you? Poof!! They turn into worthless dust.
Friends and family friends will be promoted. We do it every year. If you still haven’t learnt that, you are living in a cave.
It’s natural for some people to steal the work of others. But the biggest difference in our group is the top helping their friends to steal the credit of others, not acting and ignoring even when multiple ppl complained. This is unique. In such a place you will not get justice, better to move out after this rewards cycle.
@bk Yes favor cash over RSU’s. What good are RSU’s if I am LR’ed before they vest?
@cc I agree with your assessment; the obligation and urgency to retain employees simply isn’t there in the current environment. Companies are making calculated decisions about compensation strategy, and the math is straightforward: merit increases represent both immediate costs and ongoing financial commitments that compound year over year, while bonuses are one-time expenses that don’t affect base salary.
If there is nothing in this year for me, that would be 2 years without a raise- Is this >>normal?
Normal for low-performers.
Actually, unless you are a darling of your team, this is very normal. Don't like it, you are welcome to pack your back and leave.
Year-End Bonus: Reserved for high performers who’ve sacrificed their social lives, sleep schedules, and possibly their sanity. Comes with a generous CPF multiplier because nothing says “we value you” like making the government match our guilt money.
RSUs: The corporate equivalent of dangling car keys in front of a teenager—designed to keep the senior folks from wandering off to greener pastures. “Here’s some fake money that might be real money in two years, assuming we don’t tank and you don’t quit!”
Merit Increases: Only dispensed to the newly promoted (who need the bump to afford their celebratory drinks) or those poor souls earning so little that even Cisco’s lawyers are getting nervous about optics.
Meanwhile, Cisco’s executive team sits in their marble conference room saying, “Why spend money retaining talent when we can just wait for AI to replace everyone? And if AI doesn’t work out, well… where else are they going to go? Have you seen LinkedIn lately?”
No wonder I’m eyeing the local community college catalog. At least when someone’s toilet breaks, they can’t outsource the fix to ChatGPT. “Alexa, please unclog my pipes” just isn’t happening anytime soon.
@aw bridge IT / circuit created a piece of junk static site, called it a platform, and are already two years behind an actual open source platform called Open WebUI. Not invented here syndrome in full effect. A shining tu-d of an example of how and why Cisco already failed in “AI”.
I get lots of RSUs. I'd rather have cash.
I get cash raises periodically, but I have found if I really want to dig in my heels, I need to threaten to walk, which is a bluff, but it has worked twice.
But let's put comp in context; the band I am working in is still well below avg comp at tier one tech companies. My own fault...should have bailed when the hiring market was better but I have interviewing.
I’ve had maybe 1-2 raises in 10 years.
If there is nothing in this year for me, that would be 2 years without a raise- Is this normal?
Normal for low-performers.
I'm not a leader but I've been around long enough to know how things work:
Step 1: ELT will say it was an excellent year and everyone is getting rewarded
Step 2: Your manager will say they didn't get as much as expected/promised. Note: If your manager is indian, he/she will let you know that you SHOULD be grateful to have a job.
Step 3: You'll be disappointed (again).
expect more PIPs this year. you heard it here first
If there is nothing in this year for me, that would be 2 years without a raise- Is this normal?
it better be more than last year. That was a travesty.
bridge-it receives IPF of 100000. Rest for employees.
No one here unless SVP or above will know until 8/18. Only sure thing is year end bonus should rock as CPF is very likely to exceed 1.0 (way better than .63 of last year)
Essentially nothing. Lowest it’s been since Scott started.