Performance Bonus

Bonus if for the 1% at the top

To compare what once existed to today is like night and day - with bonus in 2001 and 2002, I took home more "cash" than any year since even with basic cost of living salary bumps. The targets are not communicated and for the average employee, not related to your personal performance vs company performance. They're tied together only because the top performance rated people are the only ones eligible for the whopping 1-2% average performance bonuses these days. In 2001/2002, the bonuses were over 20%

Early years it was great, but they now seem to find a way to get around paying it

Very poor unless you are an executive. They are non existent.

None for the past six years before I left

More discretionary than performance based. Only extremely senior employees and executives even are eligible to receive the bonus and it's not really tied to their individual performance, but the based on company wide factors. Bonus amounts are skewed heavily towards senior executives as the pot is divided equally for each step in the organization hierarchy, so the handful of senior execs walk away with a bigger cut as their are less of them than the senior professional who have to divide the same amount over many more people. The company eliminated true performance awards for one time recognition years ago.

As IF that was even an option.

Minimal considering the Billions IBM makes each year. 1% to 2% payout if your Senior Management decides to pay.

bonus near zero in recent years

Personal Business Commitment Program is no a fair system and somewhat a lottery program