Need advice
I need some outside perspective as to how I should process this going further. I was lucky to get a new green feild project when i joined here and have been critical in delivering and making an impact within team. my team members recognize that and my manager does so in 1:1. however, my manager gave spot bonus to other team members working on this critical project and not me. i know i was the second most important contributor on this team. first one is another engineer senior to me. other team member who got it confided to me that i should have received it as well. my manager started my promotion application but it was not approved because i had not met a certain criteria . basically using a excuse that will make sense. personally i like the company and team and even my manager. i know bonus etc are small things but i cant shake the feeling of being treated unfairly. is moving to different company a solution? but i expect these politics can be anywhere. should i talk to my manager about it and tell him how i feel? but it will be naive for me to expect to change his outlook because we are humans and flawed or should i stfu and stop being so sensitive about it and move on with life?
Maybe some of your team members are lying?
Lying about? The project had deliverables and anyone can see what I did.
Lying about all of them receiving spot bonuses.
Try expressing how you feel to your manager. Explain how you have accomplished all that were expected out of you, and question what stopped them from offering a spot bonus to you; also say how you were "surprised" you got left out. A friend at work expressed his disappointment in his raise and the manager immediately brought in HR and gave him a hike and also promoted him. So, speak up.
I agree with you. My worry is that if my manager has not evaluated by himself my contribution which can easily be done then I will get into his wrong side and that might lead to me feeling more left out and eventually leaving company
So I am in a very similar boat as you; I have been in my current role for 3.5 years and brought up promotion to him. He said I am not ready; neither did he come with an active plan. I have done my share of expressing what I want; I will evaluate my pros and cons at this company and leave if it's not adding up to my benifit. Your manager is not working on you; you gotta bring his attention.
how much is the bonus?
Dude seriously .. you like the work, and are having good time working there. Don’t give that up. In the long term, this one time spot bonus will not matter much. Discuss the promotion with your manager, and you may get promoted next time. Getting the team and work that you like is really important.
This 👆. The way you asked the question shows your maturity and willingness to collaborate. You should not have any difficulty sharing this openly with your manager. You can repeat this exactly the way you wrote above and any reasonable person would give you his/her ear.
Appreciate this response and I'm inclined towards this view point. I think I will get promoted early next year but this experience has left a bad taste . It's about feeling of being less valued . Maybe I should focus on larger picture.
Don’t leave if you like work and manager. It’s hard to get here
Always move
“ or should i stfu and stop being so sensitive about it and move on with life?”
Ask... don't whine, don't complain, be a mature adult and ask why you weren't included in the bonus when you feel that you are making significant contributions as much as the others. It could have been a legitimate oversight or there could be a reason and it opens a real discussion with your manager. Don't just sit and sulk. You are an adult now.
Yes going to work on what I need to discuss. All these inputs are helpful.
Stfu
Just MOVE.
Maybe your base salary is higher than theirs?
Could be but I want to be treated fairly for effort I put in. Spot bonuses were for impact made.
That shouldn't matter. Spot bonus is about performance. If you want to make a salary impact do it another way. Ask, respectfully or it will stay on your mind. But be prepared to live with the reason.