Thread regarding Bank of New York Mellon Corp. layoffs

Until a class action happens almost like it did on wfh. Nothing changes

Thank you OP for posting this. Many on here don't seem to realize that managers are being placed in a difficult situation.

It is easy for people to mouth off on here how they would refuse to rate an undeserving employee BE I suspect many of those people are young enough or in a high demand job and would be able to find another job at a comparable pay.

I am not a manager and I am grateful for that. However, I am a parent with a family to support. My family has always come first and always will.

So if I were in the same situation as the OP, I would do as I am told and apologize to those affected. Yep, I know they may have a family as well.

If I have to choose between a roof over my head or one over yours, it honestly isn't a hard decision.

I was with bnym for 20 years. Ran a large group. Moved around when needed. Took on added responsibilities. But it really doesn’t matter. Although I had a history of meets and exceeds expectations received 2 BEs before being let go. Was it my work? Attitude. Work ethic? No, I was over 50 and With the firm for over 15 years. I didn’t make a fuss. Never acknowledged either review. Because it doesn’t matter. The firm isn’t following its own policy and procedures. I should have been put on a performance plan. Was I, Nope. They barely go through the motions. Take ur package and run!!!!

Last week I got my first BE rating at any job I've every had. Fortunately these posts made me feel a little better, but I am still furious because this place set me up for failure from the start.

One of our BEST people just got a BE.

If he is insulted and quits, or get laid off, I truly believe that some of us are just going to follow him out the door.

If the company MUST do this, BAD NEWS. If they are just doing it for some misguided policy, BAD NEWS.

It is no longer possible to hope for anything positive from this company

The bell curve forced ranking is c-ap. Got my first one in 30 years. Can you guess I'm over 55? Def being set up. I wanted to retire from there but if i don't get to, oh well. I hate it there now and many people do. There is a rapid rate of change happening, it requires a lot of resiliency to survive there. Set me free already

@2wap: Sorry, but that’s just funny. BNY sounds like a Dilbert comic.

I replaced a person who was laid off after a BE, and it took me a while to get up to speed.

I just got a BE, and if I get laid off, it will take the next person time too.

At this rate, they might not ever get the first person completely replaced. That seems like a net loss to me.

Uh BNY, please remind me exactly how this improves productivity?

I grew balls! then my manager (who already had balls) did it for me.

You are nothing but a number to them, thus the quota system. They placate you and pay you, offer you benefits, even excitedly sell themselves that you are part of the company and you matter. Then one day, the rug gets pulled from under your feet and you have to pick up the pieces while they continue on and erase your number.

Interesting. Can a manager be humble? Maybe this is an example of how to do it, for the BNY leadership that asked, Can a Bank be Humble?

Don't leave without taking the SUB package, you only hurt yourself. Get every dime out of that place you can before leaving.

I’m aware of instances where people have recorded their manager saying they were forced to rate some staff BE even when they don’t deserve it. If they get cut, I wonder how those recordings can be used.

@10q4LUFs-nlg: Do they actually taser people, for real?

Some people might not know: this year, if you couldn’t decide who to rate BE, your own manager would do it for you. Up the line, I suppose.

Note I didn’t say “refuse”. Simply, “they are all so good I have no idea how to decide”. That’s a positive statement that supports your team and won’t get you a BE.

Maybe if all managers did that, the policy-makers would be forced to do it themselves, for the whole company.

I got the BE, have not acknowledged it yet, presume will be forced to, got one email today, don't agree with it and did not deserve it, only got it because I wouldn't force rank my team

Grow balls and refuse to rate members of team in BE

When we had a normal distribution of people - before BNY started laying off more than five years ago - maybe there were people that were truly BE and resisted correction. That was back when a manager could work with the employee to improve, and use the BE rating as the last resort.

Presumably, BNY has laid those truly BE people off by now.

But although that would skew the distribution curve, BNY does not consider that in their Policy.

Hence the BE QUOTA.

It was originally intended to force “continuous improvement”, but is so senseless when applied to high-performing teams, it can never achieve that intent. Which makes you wonder if that was ever REALLY the intent.

Normal attrition is slower than expected, and laying people off is expensive. Maybe they want to INSULT people into leaving without a package.

Now THAT would make sense.

If you chose not to acknowledge your review, your manager does not need to do anything. HR will eventually handle it. You can just wait, and/or call HR for more info.

Just keep in mind, this QUOTA is a corporate policy, and HR is a corporate function. They will support the BE rating, not your disagreement with it.

But, GOOD LUCK.

If anyone does not acknowledge their BE and eventually gets to discuss it with HR, please let us know how that went. Maybe more of us will try that next time.

Of course, but that is different. I'm saying if you "asked permission."

There are many discreet, small recording devices. I recorded successfully prior to leaving and sent them a transcribed copy after having left, just so they know....

They would never let you record the meeting. The most likely outcome from that strategy would result in you being tasered and security carrying your incapacitated body to the nearest exit.

Be glad I wasn't your employee. I was fully prepared for getting a BE and fighting it but luckily I didn't. Given how small my group is I figured there was a high likelihood though. Not sure who got it in my department but whoever did it's BS everyone in my group are hard workers and we all pull our weight.

I was planning on not acknowledging it and demanding a meeting involving HR. I would ask permission to record the meeting and if denied I would refuse to sign or acknowledge the rating and refuse to answer any questions. If I was allowed to record the meeting I would have, if the decision for BE was upheld I would again refuse to acknowledge, put in my two weeks notice, and put the recording of the meeting up on social media or to a media source if interested.

There is zero chance I am letting a company rate me BE. And zero chance I would continue to work for said company if they did. I was willing to lose my job and take the entire thing to the media if needed.