Bonus and pay increase problems

sandiejannorman

Hi

I work for a company that provides bonuses and pay increases to employees that work hard.

We have regular meetings with managers to tell us how well we are doing etc and I have always been told that I am on track to get a bonus etc and that I have been doing a really good job.

They said that I have done an amazing job (which is nice to hear)

They said that the only reason they wouldnt give me the bonus etc is if I didnt control my loud voice!!!
They said that I can occasionally be a bit loud and it has been noticed.
I do often get told to be quiet as I have a loud laugh.

I have been working for 15 years and have always been told that I am loud and I have tried my best to curb it but I can't. It's part of my personality. I work damn hard and I have a good reputation but I feel that I am being bullied regarding this personality trait and being punished for being a happy morale boosting part of the team.

Can they really give a reason like this to not give me a bonus?
Can they get away with it?

Please don't tell me to try and be quiet. I've tried and failed.

Help will be appreciated so much

trebor21

Bullied? My god there is nothing more irratating than someone who has to be heard above everyone else! Imagine all those poor staff who have to listen to you day in day out! Obviously people are complaing!
Maybe you should take the hint!

heretolearn_2

Bonuses are normally discretionary - what does your contract say on this? Unless they are tied into a definite criteria (for example, if you exceed sales target you get X bonus) and it does not mention that this is discretionary, then yes they can award or not award them as they want.

If you are constantly being told to be quiet then your behaviour is a problem. It's not good saying 'this is just me', you are an adult not a child and should be able to control yourself 99% of the time. IT could be that people in the office find your behaviour disruptive and distracting, not 'morale-boosting'. I hate working with noisy people. Yes, we all like a laugh and a chat now and then, but if it's constant then it stops me working effectively and gives me a headache! Noisy people can really be a problem; it doesn't matter if your own work is good if you are negatively effecting other people's work.

sandiejannorman

Im not constantly being told to be quiet. It's about once a month.
I'm an adult and a mother so I don't act like a teenager. If someone makes me laugh, it comes out a little loud.

No one has ever made a complaint about me. You must be told if someone has made a complaint about you. Just management have mentioned to me on the odd occasion that they can hear me from their desks.

I could understand if I was an immature being who couldnt care less and talked loudly and messed about all the time. People like that annoy me to the point of me wanting to hit them with a wet fish. But that just isnt me.

sandiejannorman

trebor21 wrote: »

Bullied? My god there is nothing more irratating than someone who has to be heard above everyone else! Imagine all those poor staff who have to listen to you day in day out! Obviously people are complaing!
Maybe you should take the hint!

There is nothing more irritating then someone who thinks they are better than everyone else and brings everyone else down with them.

Oooh sorry, have I judged you before knowing anything about you by any chance?

trebor21

No one complains on the record about loud people usually they just pray they take a day off!
If they tell you to be quiet once a month you can gurantee they are wishing it the rest of the month! They just dont want to offend you! Until they cant take it anymore.
I would love to have a vote on how many people have ever been told once to stop being loud in work. never mind once a month!

sandiejannorman

trebor21 wrote: »

No one complains on the record about loud people usually they just pray they take a day off!

I was only seeking advice. Not to come on here for people to be mean to me.

Thats not what I deserve.

I have worked full time since the age of 16 and have worked damn hard to get where I am.

If you have beef with people like me then take your anger somewhere else.

heretolearn_2

Sorry, I assumed it was constant as you said 'I do often get told to be quiet as I have a loud laugh.' - that's more than once a month surely?

Anyway, if it is just a bit of a loud laugh now and then, no, I agree it seems a bit unreasonable of them. So unless you know they are in the habit of trying to wriggle out of paying bonuses for silly reasons, perhaps you need to look at yourself again. Are you sure it's only now and then. Are you sure you don't chat too much/too loudly? Did they say loud voice or loud laugh or both?

But perhaps they are just feeling the pinch and want to cut back on bonuses.

Can you talk to your boss again about it, calmly, and ask exactly what problems your laugh/voice are causing the team/firm and how you can mitigate that. to be honest, if your bosses can hear you from another office, then it's just creating a bad impression, however unfair that might seem to you.

(And I got told off for laughing loudly at work once too - me and one of my colleagues were collapsing in stitches over something and got told off and had to run out to the warehouse until we got ourselves under control again, so I know how it can happen. But if it keeps happening...)

InsideInsurance

Unfortunately working hard is only one piece of the puzzle, ultimately your face (and laugh) have to fit too along with a number of other criteria. Some offices like having a buzz and people laughing and joking with each other, other office prefer to be more like a mausoleum

As others have said, your contract and possibly your employee handbook will state if your bonus/ payrise is discretionary or not and this will define if they can chose to withhold the bonus for the "disruptive" behaviour or not.

trebor21

Yes they should pay the bonus if your working hard.
But you really need to look at how people are viewing you in work! The managment have tried giving you discreet hints, which havent worked, they now are trying to make you realise your behaviour is not doing you any favours by trying to persuade you to be quite by giving you a bonus in return for some peace and quiet. They are obviously at there wits end at how to get you to behave yourself in the work place.

sandiejannorman

heretolearn wrote: »

Sorry, I assumed it was constant as you said 'I do often get told to be quiet as I have a loud laugh.' - that's more than once a month surely?

Anyway, if it is just a bit of a loud laugh now and then, no, I agree it seems a bit unreasonable of them. So unless you know they are in the habit of trying to wriggle out of paying bonuses for silly reasons, perhaps you need to look at yourself again. Are you sure it's only now and then. Are you sure you don't chat too much/too loudly? Did they say loud voice or loud laugh or both?

But perhaps they are just feeling the pinch and want to cut back on bonuses.

Can you talk to your boss again about it, calmly, and ask exactly what problems your laugh/voice are causing the team/firm and how you can mitigate that. to be honest, if your bosses can hear you from another office, then it's just creating a bad impression, however unfair that might seem to you.

(And I got told off for laughing loudly at work once too - me and one of my colleagues were collapsing in stitches over something and got told off and had to run out to the warehouse until we got ourselves under control again, so I know how it can happen. But if it keeps happening...)

Yeh think I should sit down and just get all the info so I know where I am.

They are defo trying to cut back. They've even admitted it.
Xmas parties etc have all been stopped. They used to go mental for that kinda stuff.

As long as I know Im doing a good job I'm good with that. I just didnt want the reason for me not getting a bonus to be cos Im a gob. I'd rather be told its cos they dont have the budget.