Workplace

It’s that time of year when employers decide how to divvy out merit raises and year-end bonuses, said Jaclyne Badal in The Wall Street Journal. “Compensation is increasingly being linked to performance, as companies try to control costs without alienating top performers.” Employees who score points with the boss will be rewarded with merit raises averaging 5.6 percent, according to Watson Wyatt. Those who don’t meet expectations will likely see their paychecks increase by less than 0.5 percent. With so much at stake, a little self-promotion is in order. “Remind the boss of this year’s accomplishments, and emphasize all the ways you’ve exceeded expectations.”

In an ideal world, your good work should speak for itself, said Anne Fisher in Fortune. But in this one, you need to make sure you get noticed. “How do you pursue that recognition without bragging, showing off, or generally being the kind of person that others want to kick under the conference table?” Don’t brag in broad terms. Instead be specific about your work, your accomplishments, or your team. While you don’t need to keep a tally of every last good deed, “it’s a good idea to have a clear statement in mind about how what you’re doing fits into the company’s goals.”

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