Tech Industry
Yesterday
1175
I haven’t done shit today!
Tech Industry
Yesterday
3291
Avoid teams with only Chinese or Indians especially with a Chinese/Indian manager
Tech Industry
Yesterday
394
What was your base pay increase this year
India
Yesterday
300
Heard congress distributing wealth
Tech Industry
2d
44224
Worried that our top performer is an attrition risk. How do managers handle this?
My cash comp comes with a bonus (based on company performance) which is of fixed size and pretty sizable (~$60k, ~25% of my cash comp). It was introduced this year as part of me getting new responsibilities (more customer facing on top of standard swe), at a medium sized startup (150 employees and very good funding). The bonus was not part of any written agreement, but was communicated to me by my boss during my annual review (which also included a small salary bump) as part of me complaining that staying at the startup represents an opportunity cost for me considering the wonderful average offers in SV, where we are based. The bonus was supposed to be paid every quarter but to this day I haven’t received anything. I brought it up several times to my boss: 1) First time (March, end of Q1): he said that the bonus was to be paid at half year and not every quarter. 2) Second time (June, end of Q2): he said that the bonus should be paid the following month (end of July), because our fiscal year is shifted. 3) Third time (July): I was kind of embarrassed in asking again to him, so I sent an email to our HR woman who handles payroll and she said I wasn’t owed any bonus that month. 4) Fourth time (September, end of Q3): reached out once again to my boss and he said maybe the bonuses weren’t paid because of company under performance, and that he’d check and let me know. Haven’t heard from him ever since, and it really bothers me asking one more time. I’m a senior swe and have been with the company for a while, the company is doing well but I really think they are shortchanging me of these $60k. What the hell should I do? Just go look for another offer and leave? Thanks TC: 200k (not including bonuses) and a lot of equity currently valued at ~2M, still illiquid and a good chunk of it vested (early employee)
Leave. Sounds like cash flow issues.
No they are not. We are hiring like crazy. Just last month we hired 10 new swes paid at 200k+ each and I know for a fact we have dozens millions in the bank, we just raised a massive amount a few months ago. I really don’t know what my boss is doing over here, if it’s passive aggressiveness or just stupidity on his side. He is an experienced manager (vp level) and I can’t imagine he’s not considering how bitter people get if they’re not paid the amount of money that was promised. I almost think he is just too naive and busy, but again, confronting him once more makes me very uncomfortable.
Apply elsewhere, see your worth, go get your money
Leave. You can’t force them to pay a bonus, but you can force them to suffer a lack of talent for their dishonesty.
Get an offer and force his hand for his stupidity. That way you have a parachute if he pricks your balloon.
Not worth it. I’d leave after getting an offer. If his boss makes a promise and takes it back after sending him in circles, it creates trust issues. Nothing worse than broken trust
I'd still exit, but will not go down without a fight. An easy exit just reinforces the trust issues that OP's boss has been playing with. He should be made to pay for his folly.
Run.
Reach out to skip management
There’s no skip management, I already report to the VP of engineering. Next level would be the CEO, but I’m definitely not going to ask to the CEO about my payroll, that would be a lose/lose situation, would incredibly puzzle the CEO and likely infuriate the VP.
Sounds like a terrible political place to work. You should bail.
Red flag in the trust department. If I were you I would start planning an exit.
Sounds like they are dodging you on purpose. Your two options are 1.) suck it up 2.) find new gig and make sure you notify your ceo as to why you are leaving
What do you mean there was nothing in writing? Especially something as important as compensation. Shame on your manager for telling you this, but more on you for being so naive, especially in a startup. BTW have you even checked your stock options? They maybe thin air too.
Not thin air. I’ve been able to sell $1M of those options at that price in a secondary transaction (got $2M left partially vested), and that money is in my bank so it’s definitely not thin air. Of course by the time the other 2M become vested and liquid they might be worthless, but that’s another story. As you can see, this company is not doing bad at all, and I’m well respected enough that they allowed me to have a secondary transaction last year by introducing me and another group of early employees to the investors who wanted to buy the shares, but then they shortchange me on 60k?! It really makes me think that my boss is just completely naive... I’d really ask, but I have already reached out 4 times this year :(
Selling 1/3 of your shares may have sent a signal that you don’t believe the company will succeed or that you don’t intend to stay long-term, and your boss may be responding accordingly. Even if the company facilitated the sale, perhaps they looked more kindly on folks who sold a lesser percentage?
Bonuses are never guaranteed. It’s the chance you take