Little bit of back story:
I am the “jack of all trades” of my team and have some specific skills that nobody else can offer. I also put in extra work to create tools to increase efficiency, organize process, and offer software training. Nobody can deny my work is always high quality. Like most people the pandemic was really difficult for me, by spring of last year I was severely burnt out and it was reflected in my work. At that same time, I was diagnosed with a neurodevelopmental disorder, one that makes it much harder for me than the average individual to plan, organize, manage my time, manage my emotions and read social cues. All this sucked so much to learn, I was plunged into depression with crippling anxiety and suicidal ideation, but I also saw the opportunity to grow.
I pushed to get a 360 review to better recognize my struggles and weaknesses. It was brutal, although most people liked me as a person I had some real challenges. I practically begged for professional development help but was only offered access to an e-learning platform. I was denied a professional coach with specific understanding of my disorder. I shared practical resources on how I work best and would like to be managed. I asked for timely, specific and actionable feedback but never receive anything better than “that looks good”. I researched the effects of my disorder at the workplace and I learned to differentiate between my neurological symptoms and character flaws. I stated my limitations and offered workarounds. I shared my strengths and ways we can capitalize on them to benefit the entire team. I worked on all the soft skills they told me I was lacking and received positive reinforcement from other stakeholders.
Basically for the entirety of 2021 I spent all my energy on self-improvement and self-discovery. In fact, my supervisor actually recognized my efforts and agreed I have made a lot of improvements. Unfortunately, the VP didn’t agree.
So here I am after a year of busting my ass both individually and professionally just to be told it’s still not enough. And the 0.1% bonus is also the biggest 'corporate fuck you' ever. It's like the office equivalent of tipping a single fucking penny. I've never felt more unappreciated, undervalued and disrespected.
So yeah, fuck that. I've just successful engineered a department switch and was offered close to a 30% salary bump. I'm taking with me unique skills that they'll now have to backfill. My new boss sees the value I bring and is excited to help me grow. He even has deep understanding of my condition since his wife has the same disorder. I can't fucking wait to move teams. Although I love my current teammates who are all genuinely wonderful people, fuck the people up the chain who won't value me for what I'm worth.
TLDR: I'll go where I'm valued tyvm