Rakesh Sharma, 25, a communications professional, is down in the dumps. For the last six months now, he has been slaving away-under the assumption that all good work pays off at the end. To be sure, he has delivered phenomenal results too-certainly better than the previous incumbent.

Yet, when it came to Sharma's appraisal, he found his company violating everything that he ever associated with the word 'justice'. Despite a fat raise, he is still getting Rs 10,000 less than the previous incumbent. And that hurts. His boss promises a reappraisal in three months, but for the moment, Sharma is walking around the office like a deflated balloon.

It's that time of the year again. Discontent surfaces, grudges are formed and bitterness takes root. And Sharma is not the only one with appraisal blues.

Companies, of course, need to retain their best talent. Employees need to work where they can maximise their potential as value-generators. Sometimes, appraisal season ends as a win-win. Sometimes, not.

Is your company doing alright? Whatever the story, here's a survival guide to this crazy season.

GRIPE 1: "Why Does He Get More?"

In one of his previous jobs, Ali Abbas, Country HR Manager, AT&T, had an employee complain that his peer in a parallel division who had similar goals and ratings, was getting paid more. He was seriously demotivated.
Solution: Explain, Explain

The thing is, it's a grey area. "The other employee may have sold his skills better to the management," says Abbas. Ideally, the hr manager should sit down with the employee, find out why exactly it bothers him/her, and explain the reason for the disparity. Often, it's an ego issue that gets settled just by encouraging a more mature approach.

GRIPE 2: "It's Just Not Fair!"

The feeling of being brushed off in a snappy appraisal can be a big morale-killer. According to Major General M.S. Sandhu, Senior Vice President (HR), Anand Group, those that complain most are often the company's fast-trackers. The sort who feel that not enough time has been spent on their appraisal, that full use of their potential is not being made. They want better feedback, training, opportunities-and more time with the boss.
Solution: Make the Effort

All appraisals should be done with extreme diligence, since time devoted to this process can deliver disproportionate returns over the year. If anyone feels let down, the company should make it possible to ask for a re-appraisal. Remember, a job contract is a deal, and the best deal may not be the initial proposal.

GRIPE 3: "Hey! Where's My Promotion?"

A few months after he joined a call centre, Rajat Sondhi, 23, was put in charge of training new batches. Naturally, Sondhi expected a change in designation (and package) to match his new role. That's also what his boss led him to expect, verbally. But it didn't happen. Too embarrassed to pester his boss, Sondhi walked out.
Solution: Formalise Expectation Tracking

Employees' career-path expectations need to be kept track of by the hr department, and there should be a mechanism for people to express disappointment without feeling awkward. "There is usually space on an appraisal form that gives employees an opportunity to disagree or voice their opinion," points out Arun Sehgal, VP (HR), Gillette. And there's always the hr department, whose job it is to soothe ruffled feathers.

GRIPE 4: "I Deserve A Loyalty Dividend"

Older employees, tend to keep a close eye on goings-on. "Nothing is secret in India," says Gauri Shankar, VP (HR), Cummins India. And if they find a newcomer being paid handsomely, they could turn resentful. Justified or not, people do expect a 'loyalty dividend'.
Solution: Transparency

Transparency works as a pre-emtive. Let everyone know what your compensation philosophy is, and why you need to hire outsiders at high salaries (to meet corporate goals that will benefit all). They should realise that loyalty is valued, but infusion of fresh brains helps sharpen the edge.

GRIPE 5: "You're Out To Get Me"

Paranoia is common. Particularly with hire-and-fire policies replacing the patriarchal benevolence of old. Sehgal recalls an employee who had consistently been rated 'highly effective' for three years. Then it fell to 'effective'. The employee complained this was because of the new perceptions of his superior, not any change in performance.
Solution: Set Clear Performance Criteria

All good companies insist on clearly laid-down performance criteria for all jobs. Yet, says Dr Y.V. Verma, Vice President (HR), LG, "Subjectivity is part of the game." In some jobs, the subjective element is higher- and this means that the employee will have to trust the fairness of his evaluators. Different bosses often have different standards, and that's just the way it is.

GRIPE 6: "But You Shifted The Goal-Posts"

Typical. An employee turns around and says "but you never told me!" The goal-posts, he complains, were shifted just when he was about to score. Or that he was tripped seconds before the whistle. Abbas recalls an employee who got formally a new set of goals half-way through the year, and kept muttering that there was no way he could've achieved them, implying that it was a trap.
Solution: Consensual Goal Setting

Jagdeep Khandpur, Director (HR), Bharti Tele-ventures Ltd, says that the only way to pre-empt this is to adopt a process where goals are clear-and agreed upon by all concerned. Also, have formal quarterly feedback so there are no surprises at the end of the year. Changes in the target, if necessary, should be discussed with everyone involved.