off-cycle review

Definition

An unscheduled performance evaluation that either means you're getting promoted immediately or fired quickly. The suspense is the worst part.

Example Usage

My manager scheduled an off-cycle review, and I've been stress-eating ever since because it could go either way.

Source: Performance management systems

Related Terms

Intermediate

furlough

A temporary unpaid leave where employees remain technically employed but don't work or get paid, preserving benefits while saving the company money. It's the corporate equivalent of 'it's not you, it's the economy'—but actually, it's definitely the company's budget.

👥 Human Resources

Intermediate

equitable

Fair and impartial in a way that considers everyone's circumstances, not just treating everyone identically like some kind of corporate robot. It's the difference between giving everyone the same size ladder and giving everyone what they need to reach the same height. In legal contexts, it refers to principles of fairness that supplement rigid law with actual justice.

👥 Human Resources

Intermediate

recency bias

The tendency to weight recent events more heavily than earlier performance when evaluating employees. Why your annual review is really just a reflection of the last six weeks.

👥 Human Resources

Beginner

full-cycle recruiting

When one recruiter handles every step of hiring from writing the job description to extending the offer, rather than passing candidates along an assembly line of specialists. It's the HR equivalent of farm-to-table, but with humans.

👥 Human Resources

Intermediate

retention bonus

A payment incentive designed to keep critical employees from leaving during uncertain periods, paid upon reaching a specific future date. Bribery with a vesting schedule.

👥 Human Resources

Beginner

talent

A natural aptitude or skill, or in HR and recruiting speak, any human being with a pulse and relevant keywords on their resume. Corporate talent acquisition teams have elevated the hunt for 'top talent' to an art form involving bizarre interview questions and salary ranges that mysteriously depend on 'experience level.' The term makes employees sound like performing artists, which is fitting given how much acting is required in open-plan offices.

👥 Human Resources

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